Hi all.

I'm reading through my Guide to Literary agents, and I see that agents wants to be contacted differently. Some want to be contacted by e-mail, while some only accepts snail mail. The ones who only accepts by snail mail will often say they was a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) which makes sense in a stingy kind of way.

But then there are some who says they only want to be contacted by e-mail, yet still say they want a SASE, which makes me rather confused.

Can anyone explain?

If you feel you need an agent to do what should really be the author's job - to find a publisher for your book - then you can't really complain that they have different requirements for you seeking their support. If you got the contract yourself, you could probably safely ignore these and just pick up the phone to any agent you chose.

Similarly, I think you have to be a bit careful thinking it's 'stingy' for an agent to request a stamped envelope. You, and thousands of others, are basically asking for a favour, not doing the agent one. A busy agency could receive thousands of submissions a year, which translates to hundreds of pounds in postage stamps, not to mention the cost of the time in replying to each of them.

I don't know why their requirements vary but suspect that some insist on snail mail submissions as a bit of a filtering test, i.e. because you have to put some effort and cost into posting a letter. Email submissions are easier, of course, but more prone to mass send-outs from an author. Also, it's much easier for an agent to ignore an email submission (than a posted one) and believe me they often do these days.

Terry

Well they can't possibly expect you to email a stamp - so I guess what they mean is email subs preferred, if you choose to sub via snail-mail then send an SASE.

Or possibly, sub by email, but if we request a postal MS then we require an SASE if you want it returned.

I've never sent an SASE and it didn't seem to bother anyone.

<Added>

Just to add - I've never knowingly refused to send an SASE. Just that most of the subs were via email so it didn't come up. If they'd requested a posted full I usually put a PS saying "please recycle any unwanted material".

Most agents have recieved abusive letters/emails/phonecalls from writers who's submissions they've rejected, which is why they prefer to send the rejection via a stamped addressed envelope. If you don't send one, you'll only know you've been rejected by the absence of an email.

- NaomiM

Most agents have recieved abusive letters/emails/phonecalls from writers who's submissions they've rejected, which is why they prefer to send the rejection via a stamped addressed envelope.

I've never heard this before. And it doesn't really make sense anyway: how would a rejection sent via a SAE prevent a hostile writer from sending/emailing/phoning back an abusive response?

I've never heard this before.

Seriously? Oh well, what can I say.

<Added>

...I recommend following a few agents on Twitter for up to date news and gossip.

I think what I've been trying to say, is that a professional relationship between an author and an agent or editor, doesn't involve anyone following anyone else, or worrying about what's currently 'in' about how to approach them. Complying with guidelines is common sense, as is including return postage if it's needed. But what's more important is to know that the work you're submitting is top notch; then, you can rise above the strict nature of the submission requirements. They're there for one main reason: to keep out the huge amount of bad writing that gets submitted.

I got an email from Chuck Sambuchino, the editor of The Guide to Literary agent, who confirmed that if you contact by email, then you should (of course) forget about the SASE.

Why it says in his guide that you should send a SASE even if contacting by email, I don't know. I guess no one is perfect

Ah well, simple enough answer.