Fanmail.biz

i'll be sending off a batch of requests next week. i'll add on a letter regd. this too! this is really sad and something needs to be done - and i'm not gonna just sit back and watch!

or how's this - get an email address for the author/publisher and send a petition?

Wow. I really didn't think an author would write such a suggestion in a book.

Given the difficulty in getting autographs from some celebrities, there are many problems with this:

- The cost (as Lucas mentioned - I know I have issues with spending so much on stamps and IRC's knowing that I might not ever see an end result!)
- Time wasting trying to get autographs in the first place
- eBay - too many people are already trying to make money from this scheme
- Novice collectors - they may receive PP's/Autopenned/Secretarial/Stamped autographs and may believe they're real (and pass them off as the real thing when they sell them)
- Not receiving anything at all

Writing physical letters would be the best option - they would have more effect as compared to email or other electronic form. I will definitely get around to sending a letter to voice my opinion some time soon (given how busy I am )

I have also found another address for Dianne Bates from her website (http://www.enterprisingwords.com/)

dibates@enterprisingwords.com

Mrs Dianne Bates
PO Box 2116
Woonona East NSW 2517
Australia [au]

nowandagain [rockon]

ok how's this:

as many people as possible send her a letter.

AND

get everyone on fanmail.biz to sign a petition and email it to her.

That is really sad that an author would suggest such a thing as a money making scheme and then a publisher would publish it. I'll certaintly fire off a letter concerning this terrible idea.

Wendell

Lucas42 wrote:And then there is also the secondary issue of how people like make it so much harder for genuine collectors.

Oops, I must have left that point out That's another valid point Lucas

nowandagain [rockon]

The celebrities about whom you write are likely to have thousands of requests a week for autographs, but the “quiet achievers” who don’t have their names splashed in daily tabloids would surely give their autographs willingly. Have you considered this aspect of autograph hunting?

Thanks for posting the response Lucas!

However, I will point out that the market for autographs from the "quiet achievers" won't be very big, if there is one at all. At least you've managed to bring this issue to her attention, which is a great start

I'll hopefully be able to get a letter written up and sent out tomorrow

nowandagain [rockon]

Lucas42 wrote:It also seems she is advocating getting an autograph from someone who might become famous in 20 years...which isn't a good way for kids to make money immediately!

I've taken a more generalised approach in my letter which will be mailed out tomorrow.

At least she's taking notice of the situation

nowandagain [rockon]

I know this responce is seven months after the last one but I feel that when I am fortunate enough to recieve a free autograph from anyone it cheapens the stakes to get money for it.

WOW! I had never noticed this topic. That is very rude. Did you get a responce nowandagain?

I gotta agree with what Lucas42 posted in the first post of this thread because certain celebrities have gone as far as to stop giving out autographs because of the fear that people just want to sell the autographs. If more & more people write to celebrities just to sell the autographs on EBAY, this could force celebrities to stop signing TTM or it might force many celebrities to start charging to get an autograph.

The selling of autographs hurts the true fans of a celebrity because true fans only want an autograph because they are fans of a celebrity, they don't want to sell them on EBAY, et al because certain celebrities don't sign TTM for fear that people will sell the autographs on EBAY.