Query question

The Scribbler · Jan 19, 2006

After receiving a rejection letter in the mail yestreday, I realized an error that I had made. The price of postage stamps went up right after the first of the year. I have queried several agents the last 2-3 months, and always included that SASE we all love se much, but with the $.37 cent stamp. Now the postage on those SASE are wrong!! This agent had been nice enough to add the necessary postage, but I am not so sure that others will. What should I do? Should I requery the other agencies with correct postage or just hope for the best?

James D. Macdonald · Jan 19, 2006

Hope for the best. Everyone understands about postal rates going up.

If an agency can't afford two cents out of petty cash, do you want that agency?

If they're excited by your book enough to represent it, they'll be excited enough to buy a stamp, email you, or call you on the phone.

LloydBrown · Jan 19, 2006

I did that, too, but I addressed them under the old rates and then didn't send them out until the day the increase went into effect. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd sent them two weeks before, though, because they wouldn't have been read until the increase.

Uncle Jim's explanation is exactly what I was thinking. They do this for a living; they probably see a hundred a day.

Here's a question, though. I label mine with my address in both the "to" and the "from" locations, of course. If it's a question of insufficient postage, I'm sure they won't return it all the way to me in another state from where they discover it. Will they?

CaoPaux · Jan 19, 2006

*adjusts bifocals* According to the Domestic Mail Manual....

8.0 Insufficient or Omitted Postage

8.1 Insufficient Postage

8.1.1 Definition

Mail of any class, including mail indicating extra services (except Express Mail, Registered Mail, and nonmachinable First-Class Mail), that is received at either the office of mailing or office of address without enough postage is marked to show the total (rounded off) deficiency of postage and fees. Individual such pieces (or quantities fewer than 10) are delivered to the addressee on payment of the charges marked on the mail. For quantity mailings of 10 or more pieces, the mailer is notified so that the postage charges may be adjusted before dispatch.

http://pe.usps.com/framepdf.asp?Dest=dmmtoc.pdf

IOW, a single piece will be delivered to the addressee postage due. If you tipped your carrier well at Christmas, s/he'll probably pay it for you.

Branwyn · Jan 19, 2006

I did the same and I'm still getting the damn rejections with the 37 cents

Query question

The Scribbler

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

LloydBrown

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Branwyn

Print release:Sept.1,'09