by thatguyalex » Tue Mar 02, 2010 12:01 am
My advice is this:
Spend what you can afford and still have it be a worthwhile activity for you.
In other words, if it costs $5 per request and you send out ten. How many do you have to get back in order to be happy? If the answer is 10, this probably isn't the hobby for you. If you get back one (where you essentially paid $50 for the autograph) would you feel like a sucker or be happy with the "purchase"?
The reality is that celebrities owe us zip (we get the benefit of the art they produce not a lien on their time) and fan mail is an inconvenience to everyone in the chain (from the PA who actually deals with it, to the celeb who might have to spend two hours signing their own name over and over again) and so signing is a courtesy and nothing more.
So, I send out stuff, stick it on a spreadsheet and forget about it. If it comes back, awesome, if I never see it again then that's life. I know where you are coming from (I keep seeing Dakota Fanning successes from people who sent theirs far later than I sent mine AND I contacted her agent directly) but getting angry does nobody any good. I will either get it back or I won't.
Think of it like the lottery 'cause frankly it's about the same thing. You buy a ticket and you hope. You have no right to win and no right to get your item back signed.
Personally, on balance, this has been a fun hobby for me and even the bad stuff (like when Schwarzeneggers staff fucked up my poster) can make for a good story.
Just remember, you have zero control over what happens...it's a chance to let go (very zen) and appreciate what comes...
My advice is this:
Spend what you can afford and still have it be a worthwhile activity for you.
In other words, if it costs $5 per request and you send out ten. How many do you have to get back in order to be happy? If the answer is 10, this probably isn't the hobby for you. If you get back one (where you essentially paid $50 for the autograph) would you feel like a sucker or be happy with the "purchase"?
The reality is that celebrities owe us zip (we get the benefit of the art they produce not a lien on their time) and fan mail is an inconvenience to everyone in the chain (from the PA who actually deals with it, to the celeb who might have to spend two hours signing their own name over and over again) and so signing is a courtesy and nothing more.
So, I send out stuff, stick it on a spreadsheet and forget about it. If it comes back, awesome, if I never see it again then that's life. I know where you are coming from (I keep seeing Dakota Fanning successes from people who sent theirs far later than I sent mine AND I contacted her agent directly) but getting angry does nobody any good. I will either get it back or I won't.
Think of it like the lottery 'cause frankly it's about the same thing. You buy a ticket and you hope. You have no right to win and no right to get your item back signed.
Personally, on balance, this has been a fun hobby for me and even the bad stuff (like when Schwarzeneggers staff fucked up my poster) can make for a good story.
Just remember, you have zero control over what happens...it's a chance to let go (very zen) and appreciate what comes...