One thing the writer should remember:  Send a script to only one firm at a time. There is one company at least, and there may be more, which announces that no carbon copies of scripts will be considered.  The implication, of course, is that they are afraid to pass on carbon copies for fear that at the time they are looking over a script it may have been already purchased by some other company.  If you do send out a carbon copy of your script, make it plain to the editor in your accompanying letter that the original script has gone astray or been destroyed, and you are sending the carbon in its place for that reason.  But why send a carbon script at all?  If you think enough of your work to want to see it well-dressed, make a clean, fresh copy and take no risks.

It is literally true that many an author has spoiled his chances of ever selling to certain companies because he sold a story to a second company before making certain that it had been rejected by the first to which it was sent.  Imagine the complication of receiving a check from B shortly after the author has had word that A has purchased the same story!

A manuscript should never be rolled—­it irritates a busy editor to have to straighten out a persistently curling package of manuscript.

The sheets should not be permanently fastened together.  It is simple diplomacy to make the reading of your script an agreeable task instead of an annoyance.

Do not fold an 8-1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper more than twice.  Fold it but once, or else make two even folds and the script will be in proper form to fit the legal-sized envelope.  Heavy manilla envelopes are the strongest, but we have never had cause to complain of the white, stamped envelopes to be had at any post-office.  If you choose to use these, ask for sizes 8 and 9.  Your script, folded twice, will fit snugly into the size 8, which is to be the self-addressed return envelope.  Do not put your MS. in the return envelope.  In enclosing the smaller envelope, turn it with the open side down, so as to avoid having the flap cut when the outer envelope is opened with a paper knife.

Attach the full amount of postage to both envelopes; never enclose loose stamps—­and never forget to stamp the inner envelope if you wish to get your manuscript back in case of rejection.  At this writing (February, 1919), a three-cent stamp will bring it back to you, but you will have to pay whatever else is due before receiving the letter; and if the story sells, and you receive nothing but the check, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have not been stingily economical in sending it out.

See that your name and address are on the upper left-hand corner of the going envelope; be sure, too, that the return envelope is properly self-addressed.