How to decide?

[Skye]

How do you guys decide who to send to? Like do you decide to send because they're attractive? because they're talented? How long have you been a fan of the person you decided to send to. There's lots of kids I'd love to get autographs from but the thing is I won't have even known them if I didn't see someone talking about them on here. Anyway so how do you decide whether to send an autograph to someone or not.

[RuleroftheWorld]

How do you guys decide who to send to?

If I'm a fan, I send to them.

If I'm not a fan, I don't.

Thats really all I base my decisions on, and - in my opinion - what everyone should base their opinions on. I dont understand why some people want autographs of people they dont even like (or in some cases, dont even KNOW)

[Skye]

I mean how do you decide whether you're a fan?? I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Do you send to people you just saw and you're a fan of because of that one movie or do you consider being a fan by viewing all the person's works and stuff?

[Smuck]

I go like Andy. Some times, I give an exception. If I don't know a person, but someone in my family likes them, I will write to them for the purpose of getting my family member an autograph. If they send one to me also, so be it, it's pretty cool. But other than that..if I like them, I write. If I don't, I don't.

If I've seen them in a movie and think they are a good actor and like them (more like 2+ movies or TV shows or whatever), I consider myself a fan.

[nomoredramamama75]

Disclaimer: This is just my technique as it is now. I'm very new to the field, and my approach is constantly evolving. I'm not implying that this is the right or only prudent way to go about deciding who to write to.

I like to check the feedback to see if there's been authentic (not AP or PP) successes for a celeb. Sometimes if a celeb is known only to send out AP's or PP's I'll try my hand anyway, but that's not that often anymore because I'm sort-o' strapped for stamp mad money. As a new collector, I want to start my collection on solid foundation and sort of try to improve my success rate to raise confidence.

I have different wish lists: one regarding those with feedback in the database, and one that has the names of celebs who do not have feedback here. I have broken down the list of those with feedback by noting which celebs are known to send PP's/ AP's or secretarials. I try to keep the ratio around 2:1. (For every two celebs I write who known to respond to fanmail I write to one who I really admire but I'm not sure that they even process fanmail.)

Happy collecting!

P.s.
I can kind of see why someone might, let's say, want someone's autograph because they think that many serious collectors might have it. I'm talking about the celebs who are modern classics or pioneers in their field. However, if I did that too much I'd feel that my collection isn't exactly an authentic representation of my interests. That's about the only funky clause that I can think of to Andy's advise: if you're a fan, write.

I don't think you have to see all of a person's work to consider yourself a fan. Smuck's take on 2 plus makes sense to me in reference to when you can consider yourself a fan.

[Shambler]

I mean how do you decide whether you're a fan?? I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Do you send to people you just saw and you're a fan of because of that one movie or do you consider being a fan by viewing all the person's works and stuff?

I never decide I'm a fan on the merit of ONE movie/song/CD etc. Like I said in another thread you could like the first, but hate the follow ups, and that doesn't really qualify you as a fan then. I only write to celebs whom I truly admire and who have produced various bodies of work over the years that I REALLY enjoy. And in my opinion, ONLY write if you're a fan or if you're writing on a fan's behalf. I really can't understand why you would want to write to celebrities you don't know or don't like! Unless you're doing so for a charity auction or something! A celeb autograph not wanted is one that has no sentimental meaning.

[Atomic ant]

All the people, I write to are those whose work, I have enjoyed over a number of years.
Occassionally I may go outside this, if someone is outstanding.

But it's not just anyone, however minor thay are, as to me that's no real success.

[glucklich]

I mostly send to characters from television shows I'm a fan of, so that makes that easy, because naturally I want the whole cast. Then I send to musicians that I really enjoy, not just ones that are on my ipod that I listen to every once in a while, but the ones that I listen to at least once a day, if not more. Actors and Actresses I usually only send to if I'm a fan of more than one thing that they're in, unless it's Harry Potter lol. And models, I send to the ones that are personally the most beautiful to me.

[lizane]

I think you're a fan when you enjoy and love a certain person's work, like films or music. ;) That's when I decide to write to someone. I will NEVER write to someone just to have their autograph or if I'm not a fan. That's probably why I will never have more than 100 autographs!

[Shambler]

I will NEVER write to someone just to have their autograph or if I'm not a fan. That's probably why I will never have more than 100 autographs!

lol, I feel you on that one Lizanne, I might not even be able to get to 50 most of my heroes that I would absolutely cherish autographs from are either dead (Bob Marley, Joe Strummer, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain,
etc) or don't sign ttm (Franz Ferdinand, Pete Doherty, Paul McCartney etc) at the moment, for me, its very hard to find celebrities in music or film that really set off a spark inside me and make me want to write!