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Typing opposed to writing
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:14 am
by Tuco the Ugly
Hi everybody I'm just wondering, does it make a diffrence if I type my auto request letter opposed to writing? I just want don't want to give the celebs the wrong idea (my brother said that'd happen)
Comments?
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 3:12 am
by courtney
Tuco the Ugly,
Hey! I've written all mine so far, and i've had nice successes! i'm now just starting typing, and i make it look like it's not a template that i keep using! if you make it personal i dont' think it matters. lots of people only type and have tons of successes!!
courtney

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:34 am
by nowandagain
Hi Tuco the Ugly
It shouldn't matter whether you type or write your letters. Personally, I prefer to write my letters as it makes the letter more personal. However, if you're handwriting is less than readable I would suggest typing your letter. However, don't make a typed letter sound like a generic form letter where every letter sounds similar to the next. When typing a letter, keep it personal like as if you were to hand write it.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which form you prefer.
Good luck with your collecting
nowandagain [rockon]
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:48 pm
by RobinTreksPeru
I fully agree, as long as it doesnt seem that a typed letter is just one printed off with the name changed (or worse still, photocopied with the name hand written at the top) then you should be fine. Avoid using mail merging, this is so blatantly obvious that celebs will see through it - sometimes you may get a response, but if you make the letter more personal to the celeb you are writing to then maybe you would get two pics instead of one, a tshirt instead of an index card etc.
I prefer to hand write mine as well as, while it may be time consuming, it shows the personal nature of your request and that you want this persons autograph so much that you have taken the time to actually write to them. However, I dont believe it is all that critical as people on this forum have received responses from both methods.
Hope this helps
Robin
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:45 pm
by TheCollector
Hi all
It really is personal preference when it comes to writing.
As most will know, I am collecting for a very different reason to other members on the forum - I have been asked to help out a charity to raise funds for their work. (So you can ignore me if you want!)
To be honest I never realised how hard it would be!!!!!
OK. I do have the advantage of knowing, or at least of having met, quite a few celebs in the course of my job, but for those who I have not met - my task is the same as other members!
Personally I never hand-write my letters, I would never have time to do my own work if I did

Also my handwriting is not great
I must confess, I do mail merge all my letters, but if I didn't I would not be able to properly fulfill my obligation to my charity. I have to fit my collecting (and posting on Fanmail

) around my filming schedule. This is really why I have chosen this method of fundraising as I can start and stop according to my work!
What I do try to do though is handwrite a small note on each letter I send out - and this seems to work for me! After all I have gathered some 400 genuine autographs in the past 8-9 months, and I couldn't have done if I had written by hand.
I totally respect those of you who write individual letters, and I would probably do the same if I was collecting for myself, but on the whole I cannot say that the rate of success improves (or decreases) by whatever means of contact you use!
Just do what makes you happy
Ian

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:07 pm
by James
I used to type, but have written over 100 in the last 2 months and had about 50 back.