Letter Help

[childsplay1991]

Hey guys,

I'm new at collecting and wanted to know what to include in my letter. How long should it be? If somebody could post a picture that we be awesome too!

Thanks in advance.

[osiris]

Your letters should be personal, we cannot tell you how to write them. They will also likely differ depending on who you are writing to.

As a rule of thumb, you should include a) who you are, b) why you like the person you are writing to and c) a polite request to send a photo/sign the item enclosed.

They should be about half a page to a page long, no more.

[Jaffer]

Yeah, Osiris' general rules are good ones. I would say the letter should be a page just to be safe, as anyone can "fluke" a half a page to get an auto for the sake of it (do you get what I mean? Sorry if it doesnt make sense lol) If it is an actor, try to mention specifics about a movie or two, so it proves you did watch it. I have heard stories of people collecting IP, and they said to x celebrity "I am a big fan of ___, may I please have your autograph?". The celeb then asks "If you can name my character in it, I will sign for you"

[Johnny's Fan]

I agree with what others have stated although I disagree with how long a letter should be.

You should make it at least a page, I usually make it two. I think long letters are better as a) the celebrity can see the time I have taken to handwrite my letter b) I don't believe a long letter can harm but only help. If a celebrity is so busy they can't read your letter in full, they can just skip to the end and read that you want something signed. Chances are the secretary has only passed on the autograph request anyway. And maybe with some celebrities content and length matter when they sign stuff. They like to see people who have gone to more trouble.

[Phoebe]

Hello childsplay1991,

Firstly, welcome to Fanmail.biz!

As the others have said, the most important thing is to make sure that your letter is personal to show the addressee that you appreciate their work. If possible, try to make your letter unique - as some stars receive very large quantities of fanmail and it is good to try to stand out a little bit from other letters. :razz: Sometimes you are more likely to receive a response also!

Many debate whether letters should be typed, handwritten or whether it makes no difference. I personally feel that handwritten letters come across as a lot more personal, as it is clear to the reader that you have put time, though and effort into writing the letter. However, if your handwriting is illegible it may be best to type!

I agree with what others have stated although I disagree with how long a letter should be.

You should make it at least a page, I usually make it two. I think long letters are better as a) the celebrity can see the time I have taken to handwrite my letter b) I don't believe a long letter can harm but only help. If a celebrity is so busy they can't read your letter in full, they can just skip to the end and read that you want something signed. Chances are the secretary has only passed on the autograph request anyway. And maybe with some celebrities content and length matter when they sign stuff. They like to see people who have gone to more trouble.

I agree with Johnny's Fan that it doesn't matter if your letter is longer than a page. I often write quite long letters and lots of people have thanked me for them. Even if the celebrity doesn't read the entire letter, it still demonstrates that you are a pretty dedicated fan and don't just send a basic gap fill 'delete as appropriate' letter!

Good luck with your requests, and please feel free to post any more questions you may have

Phoebe

[Jaffer]

Yeah, now I think about it, nothing really bad can happen as a result of long letter! The only thing is they might just skim it, and as a result miss important details. To be honest, a lot of celebs probably do not even read the letter But still, the effort is important