Cost of writing

Something else they don't mention is the cost. Sending out Royal Mail first class is between £2-3 per packet. Good quality envelopes that take synopsis, samples, query letters and (sometimes) CVs are not cheap - although this time I used Viking and bought in bulk.

A few random thoughts on submissions, and speeding the process.

1) Don't bother with proof of posting - since the agent isn't expecting it, they can't tell you if it doesn't arrive.
2) If you really want to make sure it gets there used signed-for. However, this might cause problems if the agent is not around to sign for it. I can't imagine many of them have the time to rush down to the local Post Office to sign for (heaps of) unsolicited queries.
3) Second class post is cheaper, but it takes longer and may not get there in as good a condition. A few extra days on a four week wait may not seem like much, but I'm impatient, and as time passes you'd be surprised at how long it can seem.

Return of manuscript is a tricky one. Some blogs recommend you save money by not including an SSAE, and just let them shred the work if they don't like it.

I have included it, for a few reasons. First, if you've used good paper and spent time on a decent printer creating your samples then depending on length it might be cheaper to get the pack back and reuse it for the next agent (and boy, does that statement make me sound confident in my work!). Second, if they are polite enough to send a rejection, they can use your SSAE for it which saves the agent time and cost. After all, they have spent their time reading your manuscript so making it easy to reply is only polite.

Third, because even a form rejection is better than dead silence at the other end.