How to Write a Fan Letter

Writing a Fan Letter

Keep your letter short and to the point. Show respect for the celebrity by keeping your letter to about a page in length. Since they’re busy people, and likely have a lot of fan mail, they may not be able to read the whole thing, a page is the perfect length for them to read quickly. Remember, if you do write a longer letter, it’s unlikely that the celebrity will read more than the first page. If you’re sending the letter through social media, be aware of length constraints. For example, if you plan to tweet at a celebrity on Twitter, keep your message under the 280 character limit!

Introduce yourself to the celebrity. Start by writing 2 or 3 sentences about yourself, including your name, where you’re from, and how old you are. Talk about how you first heard about them, and what kind of impact they’ve had on your life. Don’t be afraid to tell a short story about how you first encountered their work. It’s okay to make it a little personal! If you’re writing to Britney Spears, you might say something like “My name is Kate, and I’m 19 years old. I’ve been a huge fan of yours ever since I heard your song ‘Oops, I Did It Again’ on the radio when I was a kid!”

Mention your favorite book, movie, or show of theirs. Be as specific as possible when writing your fan letter. Tell them why that specific book, show, or movie is your favorite, and mention your favorite line or scene. Talk about how it has shaped you as a person. This helps to make a connection with the celebrity and might make them more likely to respond to your letter. For example, if you were writing to J.K. Rowling, you might say, “I loved The Goblet of Fire because it really showed me what it means to be brave in the face of impossible challenges.”

Ask them for an autograph politely if you’re mailing a letter. If you’re writing to get an autograph, don’t be afraid to ask for one! Simply be gracious about it, by saying something like, “It would mean the world to me if you could send me an autograph.” Keep in mind that there’s no guarantee that you’ll get anything back from the celebrity, but there’s also no harm in asking.

Thank them and wish them well. It’s important to be kind to the celebrity in your letter, and express your happiness to get a chance to communicate with them. Say something like, “Thanks so much for taking the time to read my letter,” or “I wish you well in your next project!” You can even ask a thought-provoking question to encourage them to respond! This will show the celebrity that you’re not just looking to get an autograph from them, but that you really care about them.

Mailing the Letter

Locate the right address for your recipient. Most fan mail is sent to the celebrity’s agent, but some celebrities have a specific address just for receiving fan mail. Do a few searches online for the celebrity’s name, plus the words “address” and “fan mail.” You should be able to find an agent or address to send mail to! Look up the celebrity’s official website, as well as any fan club websites. You might be able to find contact information on either of those sites. If you’re having a hard time finding an address, look up the name of something that they’re currently working on, like a recent movie release or ongoing TV show. Sometimes, there will be a general address to send fan mail to for the whole cast.

Include the letter and a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want a reply. Fold up the letter and place it in an envelope. If you’re sending a letter that includes a request for an autograph, address an extra envelope to yourself, and put a stamp on it. Include this envelope in the envelope that holds your letter. That way, all the celebrity has to do is sign the autograph, put it in the envelope, and mail the letter back to you! Make sure the envelope is big enough to fit the item that you requested, like a signed picture. If you need to, fold the pre-written envelope before placing it in the envelope with your letter.

Address the envelope and add the stamp. Write the recipient’s name, the street address, city, state, and ZIP code on the center of the front of the envelope. Make sure it matches the address that you found for them! Then, put a stamp in the top right corner of the envelope. If you’re writing to a celebrity in a different country, like France, Australia, or Canada, you might have to address the letter differently than you would to someone in the U.S. For example, for a letter to the United States, you would write the address as:Mr. John Smith1234 Main StreetNew York City, NY 10001

Contacting a Famous Figure Online

Find a business email address for the celebrity to keep your message private. Most celebrities have a professional email listed on their official website. If they don’t have a public email address, try sending the email to their agent or management company. Simply copy your fan letter into the email, and send it to the email address listed for them. Try to avoid asking for autographs over email. It tends to be a lot more work for the celebrity. Instead, use the email to establish communication and a relationship with the celebrity! Make sure to give your email a unique subject line that will attract their attention, like, “Good luck this Sunday!” if you’re emailing a famous football player.

Send a Facebook message for a better chance at getting a response. Facebook accounts for celebrities are very popular, and can have a high response rate. Search for their full name to find their verified Facebook account, which will have a blue checkmark, and tap on the messenger button on the top bar of the page. Then, add their name to the message, type your fan letter, and hit send. This method is great for getting a quick response to an easy question, and you can see when the celebrity read your message. Keep in mind that most celebrities employ someone to manage their social media. However, the answer still might come from the celebrity, even if someone else is typing the message!

Reach out on Instagram or Twitter to interact with them daily. Find the person's public Instagram or Twitter account online by searching for their name. Leave a supportive comment on their picture, or respond to their tweet with a funny GIF. You can even tag them in a picture if you’ve made fan art for them! Send a direct message by opening the messaging function, and type their handle into the search bar to add them to the message. Then, type and send your message. For example, if you made a drawing or painting of a celebrity, tag them in your post. Many celebrities, like Nick Jonas, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, are known for responding to fan art! You can usually see when the celebrity reads your message, but don’t be discouraged if they don’t respond. They get a lot of messages every day on social media, so it can be difficult to keep up.

Be positive and don’t send multiple messages. Flooding someone’s inbox or notifications is never acceptable, even if they’re a famous celebrity. Keep messages to once a week, and comments to one per picture. Don’t say anything negative about the celebrity or their other fans on social media. Sending a lot of messages or leaving mean comments can cause the celebrity to block you.