Monday, August 15, 2011

A Playwright’s Guide to the Post Office or how to mail your script without going broke

I thought I’d pass along a handy tip for mailing scripts. If it weighs more than a pound, you can save by sending it “Media Mail. It’s not advertised at most post offices, but if you present a package and say with confidence “I’d like to send this media mail, it’s bound” you will pay about half what you would have paid otherwise. The script I sent today would have cost my $5.20 to send via ordinary methods. But instead I only paid $2.80.

But wait, you’re thinking, I don’t bind my scripts before I send them out to this or that play contest/literary manager/residency program application. Not to fret dear playwright, you are still within your rights to send it media mail as the list of eligible materials clearly includes “Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals, and music”. Though for simplicity's sake I would stick with the trusty “it’s bound” unless you enjoy public arguments with post office workers.


2 comments:

Ian Thal said...

Media mail is a great thing and I've been using it for years-- and I always bind my scripts with string.

Emily Chadick Weiss said...

thank you fellow playwright, Lydia, for saving me money in my future playwriting mail endeavors.