What to do when I goofed?

Valona · Mar 28, 2006

I recently sent out about 20 queries to agents, about half snail mail, the rest email, and made a typo in my email address (don't ask how, it's a long story).

What should I do? Should I resend the queries with the corrected email address and explain my goof, or just write them off, especially those I sent electronically?

I'm going to assume the snail mail queries will get answered via my SASE, but maybe not? How many agents, seeing an email address with my address block will send their responses via email?

I'm in a real delema. Any suggestions?

dantem42 · Mar 28, 2006

Valona said:
I recently sent out about 20 queries to agents, about half snail mail, the rest email, and made a typo in my email address (don't ask how, it's a long story).

What should I do? Should I resend the queries with the corrected email address and explain my goof, or just write them off, especially those I sent electronically?

I'm going to assume the snail mail queries will get answered via my SASE, but maybe not? How many agents, seeing an email address with my address block will send their responses via email?

I'm in a real delema. Any suggestions?

Yoikes. That's a baddie. The reason is that while snail mail rejects are likely to come back in SASE, if someone is interested, they may try to email you to hurry things along. You maybe should send out the entire snail mail query again with a little cover page explaining the reason (best to say the dog did it or something). For myself, I wouldn't trust them to collate new pages with your old query.

As to the email queries, that's maybe not so bad since they would normally use the "reply" function to your email rather than reading it off your query letter.

victoriastrauss · Mar 29, 2006

Let it be. The agents you contacted by snail mail are unlikely to email you--and if they do and the email bounces, they have your SASE and phone number if they really really want to get in touch. The agents you contacted by email will have your correct address in the header.

- Victoria

Valona · Mar 29, 2006

Thanks guys.

I did include my return address and phone number, plus incorrect email address, with all my queries. I try to format my email queries like I would a snail mail query letter, though I'm sure they get skewed in transit. I suppose you're right, if they want to send a rejection they'll simply hit the reply button and say "no thanks."

I think what I'll do is nothing and just hope for the best. I'm hoping, though, that with the snail mail versions, if the agents tried to respond via email (with the incorrect address) rather than snail mail, they won't think I've lost interest when I don't respond back.

I'm also tempted to send a short email message to the person who has the email address I used incorrectly, and ask whether he/she might have accidently received any emails from agents that should have come to me. I'm not sure what that would accomplish, however. He/she probably considered them spam and deleted them.

Mac H. · Mar 29, 2006

If the mistake was in the username part of the email address, you can probably just get it as a 2nd address.

(eg: Instead of [email protected] you typed [email protected] )

Keeps it simple.

Mac.

aruna · Mar 29, 2006

After a couple of months you could check back and see if any of the snail mail agents have not replied with your SASE, and then politely ask if they replied b y email because etc etc etc.

Valona · Mar 30, 2006

aruna said:
After a couple of months you could check back and see if any of the snail mail agents have not replied with your SASE, and then politely ask if they replied b y email because etc etc etc.

I like that idea. That makes the best sense I've heard yet.

If the mistake was in the username part of the email address, you can probably just get it as a 2nd address.

That would be a good idea too, but the problem is the address I used what the one I originally had wanted, but couldn't get because someone else already has that one.

I'll just wait until it's been 4 months or so and send the non-responders another note asking whether or not they had responded to my incorrect email address.

Thanks everyone for your help with this one.
Paul

DeadlyAccurate · Apr 11, 2006

Contact the person who has that email address and ask them to forward anything they get to you, with an apology for their troubles.

CaoPaux · Apr 11, 2006

Just something for the "it could be worse" category...: Back in my job-hunting days, I spent a good four months wondering why no one responded to my resume. It wasn't until a company wrote (!) and mentioned "we've been trying to call you" that I realized I'd flipped digits in my phone number. :Headbang:

Which is also oblique support for the notion that "if they like you, they'll find a way to contact you".

What to do when I goofed?

Valona

dantem42

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Valona

Mac H.

Board Visitor

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Valona

DeadlyAccurate

Absolutely Fazed

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless