There are very few markets these days that still allow paper submissions, still fewer that require them. Sometimes I forget why I’m so glad about this. But yesterday I submitted a flash fiction story to a market that only accepted paper, snail-mail submissions. What a chore! First, since the story was a one-page print-out, I folded it in thirds to fit into a number 10 envelope. But, the creases kept ending up in places that made the manuscript harder to read when it was opened up. So I did the re-folding four times before I got the look I wanted. Then, the number 10 envelopes I was preparing kept getting ink smudges on the back and I had to toss several of them out. It took me a while to realize I was laying them down on a page of ink-jet printed labels that had not quite dried. Sheesh. I finally got it all together and had to make a trip to the Post Office to drop it in the slot. No way was I going to trust any other form of drop-off for something as important as a manuscript. But then I worried: Gee, that address label seemed a little loose at the corner. Would it fall off before it got to its destination? At least this, being a one page submission, only needed a regular stamp. At least I didn’t have to stand in line at the PO to have it weighed for correct postage. The whole experience was a good reminder of why I’m so grateful that these days we largely deal in electronic submissions. I guess it’s sort of like “roughing it” in the wilderness from time to time. It sure makes one appreciate the comforts of the modern world.