Postal Rates go up on May 11

Somehow this snuck up on me, but it's critical info for all writers. Postal rates go up as of May 11.

http://www.usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm

The price for a first class letter goes from $0.42 to $0.44 (but you were using "Forever Stamps" so all those SASEs will still come back, right?). Post cards go from $0.27 up to $0.28. For large envelopes, the first ounce is $0.88 (up from $0.83) with additional ounces staying at $0.17.

I wish they'd just boost everything to denominations of 5, but no more often than every five years, so I didn't constantly have to buy new odd sorts of stamps. I'm still finishing off 26 cent post card stamps.

For writers, this ends up being a huge hassle, because it means that SASEs and post cards we sent out are unlikely to come back (if they had regular stamps, not "forever stamps), because theatres and agents aren't likely to go out and buy rolls of 1 cent stamps.

Luckily, most people who respond positively will respond by e-mail or phone, so really the return mail is mostly just for rejections. But I send out scores of submissions every year, and a rejection gives me valuable information about response time, what people are looking for, and more.