Hi I'm new here.

After the usual 3 chapters, I've just been asked to send in the full typescript of my novel. It's the second time I've got to this stage. I used a plastic folder the first time - but I had to stuff the 350 pages in. Any ideas about packaging for this size? Also I was considering alternatives to post, although the postal strike may be over - delays etc. How does anyone else do this? Do you pay return for a full ts?

Thank you . I'll be grateful if anyone offers a suggestion,

Cee

You don't need a folder - they only throw them away anyway. It's fine just to put an elastic band round the whole wodge to keep it together, and put the whole lot in a jiffy bag. I then put in a stamped addressed label for the return SAE - no need for a whole second jiffy bag.

Best of luck with it!

Emma

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Or you can put in a small envelope for the reply, and say in your letter that you don't want the MS back, if you don't. Though I know some agencies would rather you did have it back, so they don't have to deal with it.

Meant to say, welcome to WW, too.

I normally put in a second Jiffy bag. Never thought they could use the same one to send it back. That Emma, she's a clever one! (note use of emoticons, considering the chaos that is raging on another thread at the mo).

The only other suggestion is to post it ordinary first class. No recorded delivery or anything that the agent will have to get up and sign for. Pain in the arse if she gets a pile of scripts that day.

Thanks for quick reply -that's great. I'll put in stamped label - I didn't know they did labels for advance dates. I'll get some fat rubber bands today and start praying to Ganesh!
Cee

I have been brave and called the agency/publisher whatever and explained I am poor - is it ok to send an email? That is the most cost effective way, and I've found some of them more than helpful in light of financial difficulty.

JB

I didn't know they did labels for advance dates.

I'm not sure they do - if it's one of those printed-out-in-the-post-office ones, I think I've always had to put real proper stamps on the return label. But now you can buy and print out stamps online, can you get those post-dated? When you don't know what date will be wanted? If anyone knows, do tell...

Emma

Well pop stamps in with the label. All stamps are are proof you have paid for a service. I don't think there is any deadline on the use of the service, which is why if you put a penny black stamp on a letter today it should still get there. In theory. In practice it would probably get nicked, being a penny black!

Best of luck with it - keep us posted

which is why if you put a penny black stamp on a letter today it should still get there.

Not without putting the other 29p worth of stamps on too, colin

You wouldn't have to. A royal mail stamp is simply a receipt for a service paid for. It is up to the service provider to provide their part of the deal.

A first class stamp bought five years ago (if it says 1st class) is still a first class stamp today.

Whatever you do, DON'T use DHL. I paid £22 for their Next Day Service (my agent wanted my MS asap)and only found out when she called me at 5pm the following day to say it hadn't arrived that they had no intention of delivering it until the next again day. If I hadn't telephoned their office they wouldn't have let me know either. Cool as you like some disinterested clerk told me my next day service wasn't really next day, if I wanted next day I should have gone for their Platinum service or some such nonesense. Didn't even get it that it would have been curteous to let me know. Back to the Post Office for me........

I sent it via post office in a jiffy bag with a rubber band and a stamped addressed label - which added up to £17.00 including a pack of sticky blank labels. Had to put the stamps in an L shape down the side - there were so many. Got a guaranteed next day before 1pm delivery included. All in all a good deal.

The agent doesn't allow email submissions and that was restated in the email I received.

Thanks for advice , very helpful to me and hope this helps someone else -

Cee