The agency submission guidelines for an agent I would like to query points first to the mailing address and second to an email address. There are no guidelines beyond those addresses, except for the statement that if I want my material back I should provide SASE with proper postage. I am thinking ‘how fun’. I can query old-school style and print and send my manuscript. If chose to send a query by email, I would probably cut and paste 25 pages into the body of the email as a writing sample, the way many agencies direct. (1) Should I choose snail mail over email? (2) If I do, since there are no directions otherwise, should I just send the entire printed manuscript through the post with SASE?
This is fiction.
Thanks.
You could always ask if they have a preference. But, if they didn't already say so, then I'd assume they don't have a preference. (Or at least not one the head of the agency wishes to proclaim.)
I've done mail submissions before. I only included a SASE posted for a response, not for a return of the full manuscript. Considering the fact response times for electronic subs can range from a few days to a year or more, you can't really say mail always takes longer.
If it's just a query, are you sure they want any part of the MS? Does it say queries should be accompanied with a writing sample, or something like that?
I find it hard to believe that anyone would prefer or even want snail mail in the year 2015.
@Thuggish - Ditto.
If I were to start a little wordpress blog / magazine, I wouldn't want snail mail submissions. But, for a print magazine that's going to be sent to homes and stores through the mail, or a publisher who's going to release physical books, why not continue using the postal service (assuming you have staff to take care of it)? Lots of business happens via post or private parcel delivery.
