No Agent Website...what to do??

[spikeman4444]

I have my very first-ever request for a full ms as of yesterday! I have been online all day trying to find the website for the agent but they don't have one. So I am left wondering what I should send.

Should I just send the full ms, or should I include a brief cover letter, (as I am told some agencies prefer to introduce the ms)? What else should I include aside from the SASE?

Any opinions would be valued. Thanks

[job]

Send a cover letter that says,

Dear Agent,

'Here is the manuscript for Violent Violets you requested.'
(Say whether you want the ms back.)
Then say you hope they enjoy it.
Sign
Add your name, address, e-mail adress and phone number.

Enclose --
a five-page synopsis,
an SASE for the reply,
an SASpostcard that says, 'the manuscript of Violent Violets has been received,'
and
the ms in regular manuscript format.

Write 'Requested manuscript' on the envelope.

Make sure the title page of the manuscript has your address, your e-mail, and your telephone number in case the cover letter gets separated from the manuscript.

[Chumplet]

It also helps to include the original query, or at least most of it in the cover letter, just to jog their memory in case they don't remember requesting it.

You can also find many agents who don't have websites listed in Agentquery.com - they sometimes have their preferences listed there.

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by spikeman4444

I have my very first-ever request for a full ms as of yesterday! I have been online all day trying to find the website for the agent but they don't have one. So I am left wondering what I should send.

Should I just send the full ms, or should I include a brief cover letter, (as I am told some agencies prefer to introduce the ms)? What else should I include aside from the SASE?

Any opinions would be valued. Thanks

Try searching for the agent in the "Bewares and Background Check " Forum here on AW.
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...splay.php?f=22

It seems most are covered and if there's a thread - someone may be able to suggest what to send this particular agent.

Good luck!

[suki]

Originally Posted by spikeman4444

I have my very first-ever request for a full ms as of yesterday! I have been online all day trying to find the website for the agent but they don't have one. So I am left wondering what I should send.

Should I just send the full ms, or should I include a brief cover letter, (as I am told some agencies prefer to introduce the ms)? What else should I include aside from the SASE?

Any opinions would be valued. Thanks

In my experience, the agent asking for the full/partial always told me exactly what to send and how. What did the agent ask for or say? Is this off a query? How did you know what to send with the query?

~suki

[James D. Macdonald]

Absent guidelines, send the manuscript in standard manuscript format, an SASE, and a cover letter.

[RJK]

What everybody else said.

If you're mailing a MS in the US, the USPS will track the delivery of your package for less than $1(about 80 cents). You get a tracking # just like Fed Ex, that you can track through their website.. You can verify that it was delivered to the address your sent it to. (No guaranty it gets past the mailroom, but no one can do that).

[job]

Originally Posted by RJK

If you're mailing a MS in the US, the USPS will track the delivery of your package for less than $1(about 80 cents). You get a tracking # just like Fed Ex, that you can track through their website.

Though it's probably best not to do signature confirmation if this is a single person agency.

I didn't, (in the days before Berkley went completely paperless,) use USPS. They lost a manuscript with a deadline for me. I'd go with UPS, FedEX, DHL if it's important that something arrive..

Originally Posted by RJK

(No guaranty it gets past the mailroom, but no one can do that).

If you put a SASpostcard in with the manuscript, saying 'the ms has arrived', you will know it got to the desk of the editorial assistant who opened it.

The times I used this I got the postcard back with a date stamp.

[IceCreamEmpress]

Originally Posted by job

Though it's probably best not to do signature confirmation if this is a single person agency.

The baseline "delivery confirmation" from USPS doesn't require signature confirmation.

I've lost stuff with USPS, FedEx, and DHL. UPS is the only mail vendor that hasn't let me down to date.

[spikeman4444]

Thanks to all for their advice. I will submit the ms, a cover letter and SASE. This seems to be the best way to go when no specifics are given. The letter I received said the following:


"We were pleased to receive the letter describing your book and we invite you to submit the entire manuscript for consideration. Please send the book at your soonest convenience to...Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for our reply..."

I don't think I'll re-send the original query, yet a cover letter seems appropriate to reintroduce the story.

[Madison]

Did you check Publisher's Marketplace? Sometimes even if agents don't have real websites, they'll have a PM page.

Make sure to include a copy of the original query letter so they know who they are. (And I see now that you said you're thinking you might not -- I still think it's a good idea. Agents see lots and LOTS of queries/full manuscripts, and you want them to remember you!)