After you've decided what celebrity you want to write to, the first step is to get an address at which you can write to them.

ACTORS: The best site to get addresses is the Screen Actors Guild website (http://www.sag.org). Go to the site, create an "AGENT" account, then use the "Locate A Performer" database link in the "Biz Tools" row of the main page. The database will give you the name and phone number of the agency that represents the actor, NOT the mailing address. See far below for info on how to obtain the mailing address.

WRITERS: Search the Writers Guild of America member database.

DIRECTORS: Search the Directors Guild Of America member database.

If the celebrity you want to write to works in the adult film industry (as an actor or actress), then I suggest you check out:

• Starlet Address Book (alt url)
• Adult Movie Database - Bios (addresses can be found mixed in with some of the biographies)
• Adult Star Fan Club Listing
• Porn Starlet Address Page

It almost goes without saying that the links above contain adult material and should not be viewed by anyone under the age of 18. Also, these sites *might* not be updated that often, so use them at your own risk.

If you want to write to a mainstream (nee non-adult) celebrity, and you can't find a valid address for them online, then your next best option is to call up the union for that celebrity's profession to obtain the address and/or phone number of the agency that represents the celebrity. You can find phone numbers and mailing addresses for the unions on their websites (I suggest calling or writing, rather than E-Mailing ... it's more professional).

The Unions & Professional Associations page on the Actra Toronto website has some useful links, but the most common ones you'll need (for the United States [US] and Canada [CA]) are listed below.

• Screen Actors Guild (http://www.sag.org) (ACTORS, US) (call their "Actors To Locate" number, listed on their site in "Contact" (top menu) | "Departments" (left menu after that) - you're allowed up to three requests per phone call, but there is no limit to the amount of calls you can make per day) As of this writing the phone number is 323-549-6737 and their hours are Mon - Fri: 9 AM - 5 PM PST (12 PM - 8 PM EST).
• AFTRA (ACTORS & VOCALISTS, US) (call or write the New York or Los Angeles offices listed on the "All AFTRA Locals" page) As of this writing the New York phone number is 212-532-0800, and the Los Angeles phone number is 323-634-8100. When calling, state that you want to find out who represents an actor/actress.
• ACTRA (ACTORS, CA) (click on "Actra Branches" for contact info for the different Actra offices across Canada) As of this writing the phone number is 1-800-387-3516. When calling, state that you want to find out who represents an actor/actress, but you don't know which branch of Actra they're a member of.
• Directors Guild of America (alt url) (DIRECTORS, US) (click on "DGA Members," then "Directory" -or- "The DGA," then "FAQ," and go to the last question at the bottom of the page)
• Writers Guild of America (WRITERS, US) (click on "The WGA" tab, then "Contact the WGA" on the left menu)
• American Federation Of Musicians (MUSICIANS & INSTRUMENTALISTS, US) As of this writing the phone number is 323-462-2161.
• The Animation Guild, Local 839 (ANIMATION WRITERS & DIRECTORS, US) (If memory serves correctly, this union didn't reply to my written requests, and wasn't very helpful over the phone)

NOTE: The format of the above websites will probably change in the future, so the specific notes I made above as to where to find information on the sites might eventually become incorrect.

Most of the time, the unions will provide you with the phone number of the agency that represents the celebrity, NOT the mailing address. That usually isn't much of a problem. You could call the agency and ask them for their mailing address, or you can save the phone charges and check out these lists of talent agencies from various websites:

• Screen Actors Guild (http://www.sag.org/sagWebApp/application?pageid=AgentInformation) (ACTORS, US)
• AFTRA (ACTORS, US)
• Talent Agencies in California [Official California state website] (ACTORS, US)
• ACTRA (ACTORS, CA - TORONTO) (list of agents at bottom of page)
• ACTRA (ACTORS, CA - CALGARY)
• ACTRA (ACTORS, CA - BRITISH COLUMBIA) (requires Adobe Acrobat)
• Writers Guild of America (WRITERS, US)
• Directors Guild of America (DIRECTORS, US)

Once you have the address, you can write to the celebrity in care of that address. For example:

Bill Murray
c/o The Talent Agency
1234 Any St., Suite 202
Our Town, NY 11111
USA

NOTE: That is a completely fictitious address. I just wrote it out to show you the format of the address you're sending your letter to.

If the celebrity tours a lot (such as a musician), you can write to them in care of the theater/stadium where they will (briefly) be performing. This is known as writing "via venue." I suggest checking the celebrity's official website (if they have one) to see if they list their tour dates and the venues where they will be performing. If they do, then go to the Ticketmaster website to get the address for the venue you want to write to them at. Since most celebrities won't be at the venue for very long (usually just a day or two), you MUST send your letter out a week or so in advance of their appearance there, so that the letter will get to the venue shortly BEFORE the celebrity gets there. I usually make reference to the dates of their appearance in my letter. It is also advisable that you write the dates near the lower left corner of the front of the envelope, in this manner: "performing on October 23 & 24, 2001." That way, when the staff at the venue gets the letter, they'll know instantly when to give it to the celebrity. The format of the address you're sending your letter to is the same as the example above except you're writing [c/o The Venue] instead of a talent agency.

If the celebrity is performing in a Broadway play, you can write to them in care of the theater. As long as you know the name of the play they're in, you can get the theater address at the Playbill website. The format of the address you're sending your letter to is as follows:

Bill Murray
c/o "The Play"
The Theatre
1234 Any St.
Our Town, NY 11111
USA

Since a celebrity is usually in a play for a few weeks to a few months, there isn't as great of a rush as when you write via venue. (I know, technically writing via a theater IS via venue, but let's not confuse people, OK?)

Once you have the address, the next step is to write your letter.

I'm not going to tell you what to write, because I feel that the letter you write should be your own words and should be personal in nature. All I can tell you is that you should be kind, courteous, and polite. Remember, although celebrities rely on the fans to help support their work, they are not obligated to reply to fan mail.

Some people say that you should write your letter by hand, because it makes it even more personal, and that it would give you a greater chance of getting a favorable reply. I personally type my letters on my computer and print them out because my hand-writing can be unreadable to some people. Either way, try to keep your letter short and concise. You can write more than two sentences, but don't write a ten page book!

To better increase your chances of getting an authentic autograph, you can send the celebrity an item to sign. You can send photos, trading cards, index cards, magazines, etc. I only send items to addresses that I know work. Remember, there's a chance that you won't get the item back at all, so don't send anything really valuable or irreplaceable. If you're sending a photo, include some cardboard backing to keep from bending, and make sure you have appropriate postage for the size and weight you are sending.

After your letter is written, the next step is to pack it up in an envelope. I highly suggest including a 9x12 self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). A SASE is an envelope addressed to YOURSELF (you can put the celebrity's address in the return address - upper left - corner), on which you have applied the postage. You should also write "PHOTO - DO NOT BEND" on both sides of your SASE (and the outer envelope, too, if you're sending a large photo). Hopefully your mail carrier will be careful with the envelope, though there is no guarantee that your mail won't be damaged regardless of what you do to protect it.

The best way to do it is to take a 9x12 envelope, fold it in three, and put it and your letter in a standard #10 envelope. Put 2 first class stamps on the 9x12 envelope, and 1 first class stamp on the #10 envelope (this is the correct postage for within the United States, as long as you're not sending an item - except for an index card). The 9x12 envelope is the SASE and the #10 envelope is the one addressed to the celebrity with your address as the return address in the upper left corner.

If you're writing to a celebrity in another country, you will need to include an International Reply Coupon (IRC). You get these at the post office. The recipient takes the IRC to their post office and trades it in for local postage. Also, make sure the address format is right. In many countries the format may be different. Be sure to write your country on your SASE, or it may never find its way back to you even if they do respond.

If you're planning on writing to a lot of celebrities, it is wise (and cheaper) to buy 9x12 and #10 envelopes in bulk. You can get good deals at OfficeMax, OfficeDepot, and Staples.

After you've packaged up your envelope, before you take it to the post office to mail it, I suggest you keep a log of the celebrities you write to, the addresses you're using, and the dates you're sending your letters. I, personally, keep copies of all letters I send, with the dates I sent them on written on it.

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION

Rather than writing more information and making this page longer, there are many sites which have information that I forgot to mention above, as well as information to help you determine if the item you received in the mail (assuming you had a successful reply) was authentically signed or not. I encourage you to check out the sites below.

• DragonGraphs - a fan's collection
• Dahoov's Autograph Collecting - Has great links and information for autograph collecting.
• JR's Signature Central: How To Collect (archive)
• Kirsten's Autographs: Frequently Asked Questions
• Tips And Information For Autograph Collecting (archive)
• Autograph Collecting Tips And Terms (archive)
• Alt.Collecting.Autographs FAQ (archive)
• Zipper's Identifying Fake Autographs
• Zipper's Fakes, Phonies and Frauds
• Studio Fan Mail (some information on the infamous company that ONLY gives out pre-printed autographs)
• Signature Series - a gallery of the authentically hand-signed trading cards included in many of the series released by the various trading card companies.

BUY THE BOOK!

I highly suggest you get yourself a copy of "The Autograph Collector Celebrity Autograph Authentication Guide" by Kevin Martin. You can use the examples of authentic autographs in this book to determine if the autograph you received is authentic or not.