Getting your first 3 chaps returned or saving on the postage and just reprinting them?

Last time around i got them returned, but this time i'm just sending the 3 chaps off in gummed envelopes, costs about 50-60p, and put in a small stamped envelope 2nd class for their reply, saying to destroy the manuscript if it's not suitable.

There's probably not much between this and printing out the 3 chaps again on Tesco's value paper...i'm just interested though as to what you lot do.

After all, every penny counts...

Casey

Every penny counts, but you're essentially asking the agent to take out your trash.

I used to do the same. I'd enclose a small envelope and ask them to recycle the script. Then I changed my mind, because I didn't want anything about my submission to get their attention other than the text, and I didn't want to risk giving the wrong impression, either by being tight, difficult or anything else my paranoid little mind could imagine.

Colin

Hmmm, i read somewhere that's it's too tempting for an agent to simply take the script out of one envelope and put it in another! But then i guess it's just as tempting simply to bin it...

Casey

you're essentially asking the agent to take out your trash

I agree that this is slightly implied, though I have seen submissions guidelines saying 'include a full-size SAE if you want it back,' which implies they're happy to throw it away for you if you don't.

Besides, you can often recycle your three chapters, if you reprint the first and last pages or so, so you're saving trees as well if you get it back.

Emma

I didn't bother including an SAE. I said 'feel free to shred if not suitable.'

I suppose it is implied that you're asking them to take out your trash, but I reckon, once it's in their hands, it becomes their trash. And it's hardly a maggotty old cabbage leaf, after all. And if shredding some paper is really too much for an agent, they're just a self-important twat.

I sometimes think the 'enclose an sae' thing is a hangover from the days of typewriters, when people often only had one copy of their work. It will probably die out, along with the apostrophe.







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But I agree with Emma - if I practised what I preach, I would have recycled the first three chapters for the sake of the trees.

Casey, I don't know what the price thing is - probably not much.

I ask them to just send a reply and not my docs, because of mailing from outside the UK, I figure it's the same and I like to send neat, clean copies off to the next agent. Though the tree wastage gets me down a bit!!

Hmmm, Emma, that's what i've always thought, because they ask you to send an SAE IF you want your docs back, it's not essential.

Sapphy, that makes absolute sense, i bet it is a throwback to the days of the typewriter.

Shame on me, I hadn't even thought about the recycling aspect.

Casey

I've been tempted too, to leave out the SAE, mainly for the pathetically cowardly reason that I hate - oh so much - the sight of that brown SAE coming through the door...

Here's another reason to leave out the SAE. When your novel is accepted, no one offers to return your unused stamps.

I'm liking the 'when', Luisa, and not the 'if'

Casey

I think it's worth noting that you might be more likely to get a response (I'm talking about a definite 'no' if you include the full shebang than you are just including a little letter. I doubt they're bothered about recycling or whatever - think they'll be more keen, if they're going to reject it, on just getting it off their desk - and by including a SASE you're making it easier for them to do that. I always think it's better knowing they don't want it than never getting a decision.

Nik.

I once read it's a good idea to include the postage, but not the envelope - the idea being that if you include the SAE, it's more tempting to slip the script in with a rejection slip. I don't agree with this. It suggests the agents/readers are thick and lazy.

For all drafts and editing I use both sides of any paper going, so I'd want the the MS back for that reason alone!

Pete

I think I do almost all editing on screen now. I used to print out, but by the third page I'd automatically turn on the laptop and start twiddling, from there on I'd forget the hard copy.

It's quite relaxing too, because I use a black screen - I've started a new topic on that very subject, so if you've got any weird screen layouts to make things easier, have a look here

Colin

Some time ago I emailed my 'top five' agencies to ask about this. (Considering that my manuscript isn't even quite finished yet, yes, I know I have too much time on my hands!) They all said they'd 'definitely' prefer the writer to tell them to recycle the pages, and include an email address instead of a SASE. I don't know what kind of a statistical sample five is, but they were big agencies, e.g. AP Watt and AM Heath.

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Now that I think of it, the fact that I said I live abroad may have affected the outcome. Hmm.