Untitled. Unfinished. UNRELEASED. ([info]pekingspring) wrote,
2005-11-22 10:34:00
Have you ever written someone fan (e)mail? If so, how do you do it and not sound like a dork? I want to write to Christine Fellows and tell her that her album is the best thing I heard all year, but I've never done such a thing before and don't even know how to start. My instinct says be honest, don't try too hard to sound smart, don't go on too long, etc., and I think those are good guidelines, but I'm still intimidated by the whole process.

I got a message through last.fm from a girl here in the Triangle who's roughly my age, is science-y, and likes hockey and the indie rock. Isn't that cool? I need to make more friends around here who aren't boys in bands, so I'm hoping we can be pals.
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  • 22 comments

[info]woejilliams

November 22 2005, 15:54:55 UTC 6 years ago

i think fan mail is at it's best when it's fairly short, not overly gushing and allows the reciepient an opportunity to communicate back. present some praise and maybe end with a reasonable question they can follow up on.

it may not help but it certainly won't hurt to mention my name, "i know woe jilli personally" not saying i know christine fellows but as you know, lots of people know me.

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 16:52:22 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah but I use the woejilli name-drop so often, you know--to get into all the exclusive clubs and seats at the best restaurants--so I don't want to abuse it.

[info]kfan

November 22 2005, 16:10:25 UTC 6 years ago

i think you're on the right track. i think short, honest, and not overly effusive is good. But also, try to say something specific that shows you're sincerely engaged with her work. Like something about a deep track on the album that everyone might not notice, or a particular lyric, or something. That is the stuff that people really want to hear, I think.

[info]allegraslade

November 22 2005, 16:28:25 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, I generally try to avoid what I call the "Mean Streets moment" -- taken from when I was in film class on Scorsese in college when I rambled with random, gushing praise for five minutes until the prof said, "Ok, thanks Michaela. So, tell us how you really feel!" Short & succinct is good and don't forget to definitely mention if her work has you thinking about writing songs again, etc.

[info]longlines

November 22 2005, 18:45:14 UTC 6 years ago

i love you, michaela.

[info]yaymatt

November 22 2005, 16:22:49 UTC 6 years ago

just say, "i like your album. it's the best thing i've heard all year. i'm not exaggerating. whatever trials it took to get this thing out, it was worth it."

band boys are sketchy as fuck.

[info]onlydivineright

November 22 2005, 16:25:09 UTC 6 years ago

band boys are sketchy as fuck.

Oh, Matt. Love.

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 17:06:45 UTC 6 years ago

Hey yeah, that's good.

You can't throw a rock in Chapel Hill w/o hitting a band boy, though!

[info]onlydivineright

November 22 2005, 16:24:13 UTC 6 years ago

(also, I'm of the mind that the entire point of fanmail is to unabashedly sound like a dork, so.)

I've written quite a bit of fan(e)mail in my day -- probably 10-12 bands, all told -- so it's old hat to me! :) Most recently, I sent about 2 paragraphs off to the drummer and guitarist of Engine 88 telling them that their second record really helped to define the kind of music I would grow to love (and, consequently, the type of person I'd become) when I was in high school, and how much their songs meant to me in an overarching way, the weight they still carried even though I've been listening to them for almost 10 years. Closed with a little burst of gratitude and a wee apology if I'd been too fangirl-y. Their responses were so genuinely nice and appreciative that I still can't read them without getting a bit weepy. It's good to know that you can make someone's day -- or, as one of them wrote, "entire decade" -- so easily.

Long story short, I've gotten very kind responses from music-makers when I've told them how much their music has helped me out in times of need, lifted my spirits, healed my heart, and/or inspired bedroom dancing/car singalongs. Just write from yr gut and edit when yr done.

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 16:56:56 UTC 6 years ago

Re: (also, I'm of the mind that the entire point of fanmail is to unabashedly sound like a dork, so.

Right, and I know that musicians love getting fan mail (as long as it's not way overwrought or novel-length), so I shouldn't even worry. Just, well, I like to worry! ;) Thanks for the tips.

[info]makingsilence

November 22 2005, 16:39:14 UTC 6 years ago

I think that when you send something to anyone you always take the chance of them liking it or being really weirded out by it, so i think it's best to say what you need to say and not really worry about it much. Most people won't freak out over an email about how much you like their record (unless you go into freakishly over-zealous lyric for lyric quoting). Keep in mind that heartfelt-ness can definitely be felt through words and if you just say what the record means to you, or why you like it so much, the message should go over well.

I've written one fan email ever and i was lucky enough to become the singer's friend later on. I dunno. Just be yourself and don't prattle on too much. Ask a question or two, initiating a response and send it off after a quick spell check and a few edits.

you'll do fine! don't even worry!

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 17:04:47 UTC 6 years ago

You are right! I shouldn't even worry, because it's not even like I'm some total stranger--it was her husband (the one and only John K Samson) who sent John and me the record in the first place, and he's a super-friendly guy & an aquaintance of ours.

Thanks :)

[info]makingsilence

November 22 2005, 17:20:49 UTC 6 years ago

oh my god, that's going to be the easiest fan email ever.

[info]christinamerge

November 22 2005, 16:43:39 UTC 6 years ago

I send fan emails all the time, too. I've never had anyone be freaked out. I think people appreciate it as long as you aren't scary - and how could you be scary? :)

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 16:55:13 UTC 6 years ago

hithereilikeyrmusicyouarethebestestofalltimescanwebebestfriendskthanksbye! ;)

Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine, it's just new to me and stuff.

[info]selectyourplaye

November 22 2005, 16:48:50 UTC 6 years ago

john sutton said she enjoys the word "cunt" a lot. maybe you should start your letter with "dear cuntrag".

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 16:50:37 UTC 6 years ago

Certainly. :P

[info]helloreplace

November 22 2005, 17:14:54 UTC 6 years ago

I've never written a fan mail to a musician but once I did write a compliment letter to a guy from Creative Loafing ATL and he ended up taking me out to dinner two weeks later when he came to town. So I know fanmails can convert to real life. I just said great piece, here's my favorite bit then gave one small sentence of personal anecdote and was one in under two paras. (then much emailing ensued back and forth). I did, however, once have a job answering fan mail for Whitesnake (true!) and the best letters were the ones that used a whole piece of paper and said only "You guys totally fucking rock!" in marker. However, I don't think that would have made them want to chat more, I just appreciated the amount of admistrativa the sender went through (get paper, stamp, mail away) to send a single sentence.

[info]pekingspring

November 22 2005, 17:31:01 UTC 6 years ago

I did, however, once have a job answering fan mail for Whitesnake

Best former job ever.

[info]trixie_bee

November 22 2005, 19:36:06 UTC 6 years ago

I just sent off two, but they weren't quite fan letters. They said, more or less, "I like your music, but you didn't send a personal note when sending all those CDs I ordered." But in a sweeter, nicer way, of course.

We'll see what, if anything, comes of that!

[info]nausicaa1

November 22 2005, 22:18:31 UTC 6 years ago

I've often had that same dilemma and opted for not saying anything--why don't they cover this kind of thing in fashion magazines like they do every other sticky etiquette question? Short, sweet, and honest sounds like the right kind of combination. Real mail is such a treat to get--how can you go wrong with a pretty card and a couple of paragraphs? Hell, I like getting seasonal greeting cards from our old real estate agent. Go for it, I say!

[info]science_type

November 23 2005, 00:13:43 UTC 6 years ago

I need to make more friends around here who aren't boys in bands, so I'm hoping we can be pals.

Wow, that's like, my whole dilemma lately.

That and spelling.
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