Autograph collecting advice

I've gotten a few e-mails and comments lately asking me for help with autograph collecting, so I decided to post a step-by-step guide to help folks who don't know.

There are many ways to collect autographs. I'll give you the basics.

THE EASY WAY —

Step One: Who do you want to write? You’ll need to find their fan mail address.

• The free site I use for addresses is www.fanmail.biz. You can even visit the feedback forums there to see if anyone has ever gotten a response from the celebrity you want to write. Sometimes celebrities will post their fan mail address on their OFFICIAL web sites. Always check to see if they have an official site with this information first.

Step Two: Write a letter of request. I’ve found more success if I hand-write rather than type my letters, but I’ve had successes both ways. I always address my letters to the celebrity, say a few words about why I am a fan, and then politely ask them for a signed photo. I usually keep my letter to about one page.

Step Three: Mail your letter! There's a slight chance you'll get a response.

FOR CAST PHOTOS —

Follow all of the above steps, but rather than writing to the celebrity, write a letter of request to the show or movie's production office. Ask for a signed photo of multiple cast members. A lot of people have gotten entire cast signatures on a single photo this way. It's a good idea to send a self-addressed stamped 9x12 envelope with your letter, but not always necessary. (However, I recommend it).

BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING A REPLY —

Step One: Again, who do you want to write? You’ll need to find their fan mail address and, to better your chances of getting a response, buy or print a photo of them to send.

• Again, the free site I use for addresses is www.fanmail.biz.

• For photos, there are a few Web sites I recommend. www.Moviestore.com and www.celebrity8x10s.com let you buy 8x10s for around $5 a photo. If you have a good printer and photo paper, you can print one yourself. To print a photo, do a Google search only on images and set your filter to large. When you find a photo you want to print, right click on the photo and save it to your computer. Then print it on photo paper (you might need to resize the image to fit).

Step Two: Buy envelopes. Whether you send a photo for the celebrity to sign or not, you still need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. I always send a 9x12-sized envelope. Address one envelope to yourself and put enough postage for them to simply insert a photo and drop it into the mail. I usually put around $1 US postage on my return envelope. If you are sending a request to a celebrity in another country, do not put postage stamps on your return envelope. Some people include actual money instead, but it’s better to use an International Reply Coupon which can be purchased at your local post office or station. The choice is up to you.

Step Three: Write a letter of request. I’ve found more success if I hand-write rather than type my letters, but I’ve had successes both ways. I always address my letters to the celebrity, say a few words about why I am a fan, and then politely ask them to please sign and return the photo I have included. I usually keep my letter to about one page.

Step Four: Put your letter of request (or LOR) and the photo you wish signed into a 9x12 envelope along with your self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail it to the celebrity using the address you found for him or her. It usually takes around 4 to 6 months to get a response if you’re going to get one. Sometimes longer.

Good luck!