How to Write to a Famous Person

Research the person and his body of work, which may prevent you from including a factual error in the letter. You also will be less likely to omit something about which you have a question.

Locate an address for the famous person through online research. Check sites specifically intended for autograph collectors that publish public information about famous people. Many celebrities also have official fan clubs or public forums that include addresses for fan mail. Otherwise, query the person's agency, management team or public relations specialist for an address. Athletes sometimes receive fan mail at the venues at which they play or through their clubs; authors, at their publishing houses; and politicians, through their offices.

Write your letter neatly, using pen and paper, computer or typewriter. If the letter is illegible, your requests and questions may not be answered or you may not get a reply. Letters should be written in the style and format of a formal letter. If you type, double-space the text. Put your contact information at the top of the page.

Devote a portion of the letter to acknowledging the famous person's accomplishments or what you like about her work. Remember, she is a person who has received a letter from someone she does not know. Strike an even balance between giving the person feedback about his public persona and inquiring generally -- not too personally -- about other aspects of his life. How a famous person liked growing up in his hometown, favorite restaurants or food, music preferences and leisure activities are topics of conversation that are personal but not invasive.

Review your letter to be sure that it is concise. Half a typed page is a generally accepted length for a letter to a famous person. Check for spelling and grammatical errors.

Select and enclose a photograph of the celebrity. Many famous people regularly reply to fan mail with signed photos, but enclosing an unsigned color photo, available in specialty stores and online, is more likely to get you a signed, high-quality photo for your personal collection. You can ask the famous person to sign other items, such as playing cards, action figures or programs, but photographs are standard for autograph requests.

Include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) of an appropriate size with your letter. The envelope should include your name and address as both the addressee and return address. Using your own location shows the famous person that you have respect for her privacy and do not expect to discover where she lives.

Weigh the envelopes at the post office to be sure you have sufficient postage. First, weigh the image and photographs in your SASE to determine proper postage for it. Then put it all in the parcel and weigh that to determine postage. If the famous person lives in another country, be sure to include four international reply coupons (IRCs), available at the post office.