Denied unemployment, how do I appeal? - 6 months and counting

My claim was denied after 11 weeks of waiting, and the letter says I have a short window to appeal. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. The letter lists a deadline and a hearing process, but it is hard to follow. If you have appealed before, what helped you prepare?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.