Okay - you've got the address, now what?

First off, let me say that I don't consider myself to be any sort of expert. The tips I publish here are simply the things that have worked for me. Lots of people may argue with my methods, and I admit that there is more than one way to skin a cat! My way may be a little more expensive, but I've had about an 85% return rate, so it's not all that bad.

When I write, I really hope to get a reply, so I try to make it as easy and inexpensive as possible for the celebrity. I order photos from catalogs and send them to the star and ask them to sign for me. If I can't find a photo or don't like the selection in the catalogs, then I'll just send a letter and ask them to send an autographed picture, but I've had lots of "stock" pictures sent doing things this way. By "stock", I mean pre-printed, postcard looking things with reproduced signatures, or photos with signatures "on the negative" (meaning the star signed one picture then sends out copies of the signed photo.) But, lots of people (including me) have had success getting authentic autographs this way, so if you want to try it, go for it!

A lot of celebrities WILL respond to a simple letter. By respond, I mean sending some sort of signed photo. Don't expect to receive a letter. It has happened, but it's very rare. Whatever you do, I highly recommend that you at LEAST send an S.A.S.E. (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) large enough for an 8x10 picture with your letter - I use those yellow 9x12 clasp envelopes. Keep your letter fairly short and to the point, and try to avoid getting real personal. Remember, these people are busy and get lots of letters! Also, if your handwriting is sloppy, you might want to consider typing it. I type all my letters, and they are usually only one page long.

Once you have your letter written, what size envelope do you use and how much postage? If you are simply sending your letter and S.A.S.E. you can use a #10 business-sized envelope. The postage for the S.A.S.E. is 55 cents (enough to cover mailing a photo) but I usually just stick 2 regular stamps (68 cents) on the envelope. Fold the 9x12 envelope in thirds and it will fit perfectly inside the #10 envelope. Then, if you've written just one page, a single stamp should be sufficient to mail your letter.

If you are sending a photo to be signed, you'll need two 9x12 envelopes - one for the S.A.S.E. and one to mail it in. Fold the S.A.S.E. once when you enclose it. Put 2 stamps on the S.A.S.E. and 2 stamps on the outer (mailing) envelope. Simple!

What do I say in my letter?

Well, that's really up to you. As I mentioned earlier, try to stay away from the real personal stuff. Mention what it is about the celebrity that you like or admire, such as a particular role they played or some cause they champion. Also, I put my return address as a letterhead on my letters just in case the envelope gets lost. One sorta strange thing that I do is I also put my phone number in the letterhead. Why? Well, every once in a while, a celebrity will call a fan! It has happened to me once, and I've heard of it happening to others - so it's not impossible. In addition to the great phone call, he also sent me a copy of the score since it wasn't released as a soundtrack. So you see, anything can happen in this business!

The last bit of advice I want to offer is to BE PATIENT! True, you'll get a lot of fairly quick returns, but many take months. I've had a couple that took nearly a YEAR to get back to me (I had totally forgotten about them, so it was a nice surprise!) And don't worry about whether you're writing to their home address or an agency - many stars simply won't respond to any mail sent to their home address because it "verifies" the address as their homes, and in this day and age of stalkers, they really try to avoid that. Besides, you've read the stories about stars moving here and there - a home address may not last long but an agency is a little more permanent AND they can track the star down when they're on location, etc., and forward the mail to them.

And, that's about it! I hope I've helped you out, and I'm willing to try and answer any questions you may have (just email me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Best of luck, be patient, and don't be afraid to write! Go for it!

Other autograph/celebrity address links

Doc's Page Autograph List