May 282011
Want to contact your favorite movie star or singer to let him or her know how much you like his or her work? Or, are you trying to get into autograph collecting? Unless you live in Hollywood or New York City, you probably won’t be bumping into a lot of celebrities on the street, but you can still send them fan letters or request autographs by mail. Here’s how:
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Steps
- Join Twitter! Most stars do send messages back to their fans, but only if they have time to.Loading content ….
- Look up the celebrity’s official web page on the Internet (if it is really proven to have a celebrity’s involvement). You’ll likely find an up-to-date contact address there.
- Go to your local library and look for the ‘Star Directory’. This book contains tons of celebrity addresses that are mostly up-to-date. Many libraries will have an annual edition of the book.
- Check the person’s Internet Movie Database page (see external links). If you’re looking for a movie star or someone who has had some part in the making of a movie, you can search for that person on IMDB. This site contains free interesting information about stars and the films they’ve been in, and if you subscribe (or get a free trial subscription) you can get contact information, as well.
- Search the Internet for autograph collecting sites and forums. You can get great tips from fellow autograph collectors at these sites, and if you join a forum you can talk to hundreds or thousands of other people who might have the address for the celebrity you want to contact. Check the external links for a couple of these sites.
- Write a nice, short letter. If you just want to say “hi” or “congratulations” to the star, write them a nice letter saying so. If you want an autograph, be sure to specifically request it. Keep your letter short and positive, and address the person by their formal title (Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.). Throw in a compliment or two, but don’t go overboard.
- Include a SASE. A self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) is an envelope on which you write your name and address and place a stamp so that the celebrity doesn’t have to take the time to address the envelope and stamp it himself. Yes, celebrities have enough money to buy stamps, but if you can save them some time, they’ll appreciate it, and you’re more likely to get replies.
- Consider including something to sign. If you have a picture of the celebrity, send it along for them to sign. Make sure you don’t mind losing the picture, though, because you might not get a reply. Otherwise, consider including a 3X5 note card so the celebrity doesn’t have to track down something to sign.
- Use the right envelope and adequate postage. If you’re just sending a letter or 3X5 card, you can use a standard envelope, but if you are sending or requesting a photo, send a larger envelope and SASE. Write “Photos: Please Do Not Bend” on the outsides of both envelopes. Be sure to include enough postage on both envelopes.
- Be patient. Famous people do have busy lives, and they also get a lot of mail. While many are very good about sending autographs, you may still need to wait several weeks or even months for a response.
- Keep your head high. Autograph collecting is a rewarding hobby, but it can be frustrating sometimes. You’ll probably get a lot of mail returned for having an outdated address, and sometimes you just won’t get any reply–some stars simply don’t give autographs. Don’t worry about rejection; it’s nothing personal.
- Be happy when you see your autograph and express thanks.Loading content ….
Tips
- Write “Forwarding Service Requested” under the destination or return address and the Post Office will hopefully forward your letter to the celebrity’s current address.
- If you have legible handwriting, hand-write your letter for a personal touch. It shows you put some effort into it and you’re not using a form letter.
- Politely request a personalized message. This will mean more to you in the long run and may also help you avoid getting an autograph that has been signed by auto-pen rather than by the person. The downfall is that personalized autographs lower the value of the picture.
- Don’t ask for more than one or two autographs at a time or send more than two photos. This will show the celebrity that you are a collector and not, perhaps, a real fan.
- Don’t give generic compliments. Mention things such as a specific movie the star appeared in, a specific character he or she played, your favorite song by the star, or a great play they made in a baseball game. You’ll seem like a true fan.
- Don’t say that you are collecting autographs or that you’re a collector. Celebrities are generally happier to give autographs to fans than to collectors.
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Warnings
- Do not pay for contact with a celebrity. There are many online services which claim they can put you in touch with celebrities if you pay a fee. These are scams.
- Pay attention to where you are sending online letters. Many people post letters to celebrities on random websites. They don’t confirm the site belongs to the celeb or their agent.
- Look at the URL (address) of the page. If it’s not JUST the celebrity, agency, or studio’s name (not JohnnyDeppPersonalWebsite.com, for example) it’s probably not actually their site.
- Be warned, though, that online messages are not likely to get through to a celeb. Think how easy it is to write online… then think of how many people are probably doing it… and how much time someone would have to spend to answer everything.
- Sometimes they have what’s called an “agency” – some of the time might be doing all the fanmail reply rather than have the celebrity do it. Like pretending to be the celebrity answering all the letters. Keep that in mind.
- Celebrities often change their agencies. The addresses you find on the Internet or in books, may be out-of-date in a few months.
- Your letter will probably be seen by a lot of people, so don’t say anything too personal or embarrassing. Personal details discourage agents from passing your letter on.
- Don’t call, continually pester, or stalk a celebrity. If you don’t get a reply after one or two letters, stop. Repeated or rude requests are annoying at the very least and can constitute harassment or stalking in more serious cases.
- Writing “Forwarding service requested” on the envelope may cause you to incur additional fees from the Post Office.
- Don’t be creepy.
Things You’ll Need
Related Hows
Sources and Citations
- wikiHow – Contact Famous Celebrities
- AutographSuccess.com Another collecting site with tips and a forum
- Alex’s Autographs.com A baseball autograph collector’s site
- CelebrityHangout.co.uk UK autograph collecting resource
- FanMailAddresses.com The website for the Star Directory.
- IMDB.com The Internet Movie Database. Searchable, with profiles of movie stars, photos, and (for subscribers) contact information
- JJAutographs.com A collector’s site with pictures of autographs, collecting tips, a message board, and contests
- StarTiger A large celebrity address database and autograph collector community
- The Celebrity Index UK celebrity subscription contact database aimed at and used by charities and organizations.
- Star-Collector.net Large address database including mailing and email. Updated conventions page
- Twitter Now the biggest website where many celebrities turn to for short updates for a more interactive conversation online.
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Context Search
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