Celebrate letter writing month
Raise your hand if you can’t remember the last time you wrote a letter for fun. Well, now’s the time: April is National Letter Writing Month. The US Post Office created National Letter Writing month “as a way to honor and celebrate the efforts that go into mail service.”
The Post Office’s ulterior motives aside, they’re on to something when they encourage letter writing.
Why write letters?
For some expert advice, I turned to Emma Swartz of Squeezebox Press. Visit her site to see the understated artistry of her letterpress cards and stationery. Her pull to this media was no accident: she’s loved writing letters since she was little, encouraged by her mother, a letter writer herself. Emma leaves her cards blank inside in order to encourage her customers to express themselves.
For a few years now, she has partaken in National Letter Writing Month by writing a letter a day. The benefits of writing a letter extend to both writer and recipient, says Emma. As the writer, you receive the benefits of taking the time to reflect on your life, a bit like the benefits you receive from journaling. But with a letter, “You get a second boost of feeling good, because you know you’re doing something nice that’s going to make someone else happy.”
What do I need?
Resist the urge to turn letter writing into consumerism (unless that works for you, in which case you should throw some business at Emma). All you need is paper, an envelope, and postage. If you’d like a no-additional-cost option to add a frill, buy some cool stamps.
Do I have to hand write?
Hell no. If having to hand write is going to keep you from writing, then don’t hand write. Use the technology at your disposal. I absolve you from any feelings of inadequacy.
Who should I write to?
Whether you want one-off ideas or a regular pen pal, check out these options.
Friends and family
If you typically pick up the phone or send an email to catch up with a friend on the opposite coast, mix it up with a letter. They’ll be touched by the effort you put in.
Emma points out that there’s also no law against writing to people you see regularly IRL. In fact, I think this has an extra bit of magic to it.
Or, send a letter to someone who you aren’t in contact with except maybe via social media. Even if it doesn’t spark a regular correspondence, it’ll make you feel good.
Write a thank you letter
You already know to send a thank-you note when you receive a gift; try thinking outside the normal thank-you-letter box. If you really want to make someone’s day, send a thank you letter to a person who is normally overlooked. For example, if you enjoyed an art exhibit, send a thank-you letter to the curator – or, better yet, their assistant. I promise they’ll be thrilled.
Write a celebrity
Channel your inner tween by writing to a celebrity whose work you love. Check out Fanmail.biz for a free database of celebrity mailing addresses – although I suggest only trying an address that a user has recently confirmed on the site’s message board. If you’re really committed, you can look for an address by researching your celeb’s representation. While paid services to find celebrity addresses exist, please don’t spend your money this way.
Send and receive postcards
If you want variety, international mail, and complete randomness, check out Postcrossing, suggested by Emma. You send a postcard to an address provided to you, and you’ll receive a postcard from a different person who was provided with your address. Repeat as often as you like.
Now’s the time to send out your fancy or pretty postcards. Let them fulfill their destiny.
Write your representative
You’re probably sent your share of auto-generated emails to your elected officials – I know I have. If you want to make a bigger impact, write a real letter; elected officials are more likely to take your views seriously that way. The ACLU has some tips on writing an effective letter. Bonus: If you want to unload on your rep, you’ll get a cathartic benefit. Remember, not every letter has to make the recipient feel warm and fuzzy.
Find a penpal
If you’d like to correspond with someone regularly, here are a couple of suggestions for finding that special person.
Write to an incarcerated person
Writing to an incarcerated person won’t just give that person a little boost to their day; it’ll provide “a sense of hope, validation, and encouragement,” as the Innocence Project says. Not to mention how rewarding it’ll feel knowing you’re making a real difference. The Innocence Project has more on the why and how of writing to incarcerated people, as well as a list of organizations that will match you with an inmate.
Let Emma play matchmaker
Emma enjoys finding pen pal matches for others and will occasionally put out a call for participants. You provide a little information about yourself, and Emma will pair you with a like-minded person. To be informed of Emma’s next call, follow Squeezebox Press on Instagram.
Read my favorite epistolary novel
For another way to get in the spirit of the month, read Dangerous Liasons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Sometimes classics feel like a slog to get through, but not in this case. Not only does the author masterfully create a compelling story, he does it within the constraints of the genre, which is no mean feat. For the record, watching the movie does not count as getting in the spirit, but you do you.
Inspired? I hope so. Let me know who you write to. And if you ferret out an address for Misha Collins, please share it with me.