posted
I always include a SASE in a standard #10 envelope. I put on the manuscript that it is recyclable. That way, they only have to send the response. Sometimes they include the first page of the manuscript as well.
Also, for my own benefit, on the back lower corner of the SASE, I print in small letters the name of the story I'm submitting. I do this in case the rejection letter is so form that they don't even put the story's title in it. Then I at least know which story got rejected.
posted
You should ALWAYS include a stamped envelope with your address on it when you send a request through the regular mail, and a story submission is basically a request (for consideration of your story).
Making it as easy as possible for the person to respond to you, is simple courtesy, and will be appreciated.
posted
When submitting electronically do they just respond via e-mail, or is there some other convention they use?
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posted
I've read to mark the ms recyclable. Would I write "this can be recycled" in the footer of every page or would I write a note in the cover letter? Or something else?
Posts: 475 | Registered: Jul 2010
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posted
Used to be, in the days when everyone worked with typewriters, you typed up one copy for submission, and also made a muddy carbon copy by carbon paper and another page---and that was it. So you, of course, wanted the copy back so you could send it out again.
They told me, also way back, that the word length was supposed to go in the upper right corner...
I have been formatting per William Shunn's example. I've even seen some of the magazines link to it for the format they are looking for.
Perhaps I am getting too legalistic over some of the minor details, but I suppose even a minor annoyance could be enough to put a bad seed in an editor's head.
posted
I think if you enclose a business-sized SASE, you don't have to say the MS is recyclable, because that's somewhat implied since it wouldn't fit in that business envelope.
I've done other things in the past, but nowadays I just use a regular business envelope addressed to myself and leave the figuring to them. I do like genevieve mentioned, though, and put some kind of info on the envelope so I know where I sent the MS (I'm sending out novel query packages to editors at the moment, so sometimes it's not clear if the editor I sent it to received it - the notation on the envelope helps. Seems like sometimes an assistant or an editor elsewhere in the company replies.)
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