Writing fan letters is an amazing way to connect with the celebrities, athletes, and musicians whose work means the most to you. In a way, though, it can be a scary proposition. Reaching out to someone you admire can cause anxiety for many people, but it doesn’t have to be. this guide will make it easy for you to open a line of communication with a celebrity and leave plenty of room for you to make your fan mail personal and specific to the person you’re writing to. appreciation for a public figure or would like to request an autograph, an old-fashioned letter is still the best way to go. While I’ve written before about the broader process of sending fan mail, this article will focus strictly on crafting the fan mail itself.
write a good fan letter
A well-written and sincere letter is one of the key factors in determining whether or not you will get a response. some people manage to get answers with very low effort generic letters. however, this is not the way to go. I guarantee that your success rate will be higher if you spend time writing. write a thoughtful and considered letter and you’ll be much happier with the results. That’s because a thoughtful letter is much more likely to merit a thoughtful and meaningful response from the celebrity. I’ll give you an example of what I mean. Harrison Ford is an A-list celebrity whose autograph easily costs more than $1,000 at a signing. Her signature is highly sought after by collectors, which is why she receives thousands of letters a year from fans asking for a free autograph. almost all are answered by a secretary with a pre-printed signature (essentially a photocopy of an actual autograph). however, each year a lucky few receive a genuine autograph from mr. ford. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen few and I attribute that to the heartfelt letter I sent you.
how fan mail works
Sometimes the celebrity you write to will receive your letter directly. however, as mentioned above, most of the time you will go through a middleman. It could be someone who works at the actor’s agency or his personal secretary. Either way, the fact is that your letter will likely be read and filed before it reaches its intended audience. therefore, you need to put a lot of effort into writing your letters to ensure that they actually reach the celebrity and don’t end up in the trash. To that end, I’ve outlined the basic structure of a solid fan letter. We strongly recommend that you adapt beyond the default blanks to be more specific to the recipient. once you get comfortable with the general structure of a fan letter, you will begin to find your own voice more and more. given enough time and experience, your writing style will eventually lead to lyrics that are entirely your own.
fan mail header
The header of your fan mail is quite simple. just put the name and address of the celebrity there. In addition to the free autograph tracking spreadsheet, it will be helpful to keep track of the address you mailed the letter to. makes tracking easier and addresses your envelopes a little faster by having the address conveniently located at the top of your letter.
example fan mail header
fan mail introductory paragraph
When writing fan letters, it’s good practice to use the first paragraph as an introduction. talk a little about yourself and why the signer’s work is important to you. If a celebrity or public figure has impacted your life in a significant way, then this is the place to let them know! try to avoid saying general things like “I like your movies” and go into detail by listing your favorite movies and why. This helps make your letter more personal and feel like it’s not just the same standard form you send out to everyone. . you’re asking a stranger to take time out of their day for you, so the least you can do is show them that you put the time and thought into their request.
intro paragraph example
fanmail “connection” paragraph
I like to think of the second paragraph of the fan letters I write as the “connection” paragraph. I use this space to establish a report with the person I am writing to. usually that involves a mention of a particular cause or issue that the celebrity is known to champion. however, not all of them are activists or perhaps my ideals do not align with theirs. that’s fine. There are many ways to make a connection with a celebrity. perhaps they are also parents, enjoy the same activities, or have accomplished something particularly admirable that you want to highlight. in every fan letter ever written, the writer is mentioned as being a “fan”. It is such a common expression that it has become meaningless. the important thing here is that you show some interest in the person you are writing to. By building a connection with the reader, you’ll help ensure your letter stands out and is remembered. this will lead not only to a higher probability of a response, but also to a higher quality one that you will be much happier to receive.
intro paragraph example
fan mail closing paragraph
The closing paragraph wraps up your fan letter. use this space to state exactly what you are requesting. if it is an autograph, you can choose to request that it be dedicated to a specific person. You may also have some questions that you would like to address to the reader. Whatever your motivation for writing, this is a good place to put it out there and thank the celebrity you’re writing for for their time and consideration.
closing paragraph example
free fan mail letter template
If you would like to use a fillable version of the fan letter shown above, click the download button and modify it to fit your individual needs. If you get a response, be sure to let us know via tiktok, instagram, youtube, or the collection’s facebook group stories.