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Post by distractedmom on Apr 6, 2016 15:10:12 GMT
I apologize if this has already been asked. I looked through the threads and didn't see anything. What is your average turn-around time? Do you respond in the order received or in the order you want to respond? I am enjoying all of these letters, but I worry that I am taking too long to respond. I certainly don't want to be rude, but I also do not want to rush my letters. This should be enjoyable, right?
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Post by swanjun on Apr 6, 2016 15:21:24 GMT
I almost always reply in the order received unless there's something preventing the first one from being ready—like, say, I still need to watch the Buffy episode we've decided to discuss. I wait at *least* a week before replying, to allow life to happen so I have something to write about, and am now about three weeks out from the oldest one I haven't responded to. I hope to get a reply out before a month elapses.
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Post by distractedmom on Apr 6, 2016 15:58:07 GMT
I almost always reply in the order received unless there's something preventing the first one from being ready—like, say, I still need to watch the Buffy episode we've decided to discuss. I wait at *least* a week before replying, to allow life to happen so I have something to write about, and am now about three weeks out from the oldest one I haven't responded to. I hope to get a reply out before a month elapses. I like that. I hadn't really thought about it that way.
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Post by sharmon202 on Apr 6, 2016 17:49:19 GMT
From my experience most are FIFO. Like some have said, life happens and everyone seems to be accepting and understanding of that.
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Post by radellaf on Apr 6, 2016 18:23:33 GMT
I have the best intentions for it to be a month or two, sometimes I might be inspired and reply in a few days, but realistically it's more like 6 months. Last InCoWriMo about a dozen had been on my desk for a whole year, but I felt bad about that. Still, it was kinda fun if they mentioned just getting something, maybe as a gift, asking how that turned out by next christmas. Still, a year is me being a bad, bad letter writer. In some of the replies I also mentioned the book and podcast I'd found about procrastination. Alas, reading or listening to those turns out to be a way to procrastinate.
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Deleted
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Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2016 19:19:20 GMT
My goal is to reply within a month. Sometimes it's six weeks, sometimes only two. Occasionally I deviate from FIFO. It's difficult to explain, but sometimes while reading a letter a thousand things flash through my mind and I feel like I MUST grab pen and paper and write back immediately.
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Heidi
Crayons
Posts: 39
Looking for Penpals?: Yes. Global penpals welcome
Country I live in is: Norway
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Post by Heidi on Apr 6, 2016 19:52:13 GMT
It depends a little on how the rest of life is . The last month I have been really good and replied the same week, some letters are even sent out the next day .. other times it can be up to a few weeks before the reply is ready to be sent.
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Post by MKB on Apr 7, 2016 3:27:23 GMT
I used to reply mostly the day after received, but if the recipient doesn't correspond a lot, I can imagine it puts a burden on them. They might not have much that's new to write about.
First in, first out, unless it's in reply to a letter that has taken forever to get through the mail.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2016 6:22:35 GMT
I used to reply mostly the day after received, but if the recipient doesn't correspond a lot, I can imagine it puts a burden on them. They might not have much that's new to write about. Once I had a penpal who always replied within a few days - and expected the same from me. I think I stood the pace for about five letters, then she told me that she no longer wanted to correspond since I wasn't quick enough. I tend to write longer letters, I'm a slow writer and occasionally look up things online (e.g. if my penpal recommended a book), thus it generally takes me two, three or more days to finish a letter.
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Post by skye on Apr 7, 2016 11:40:27 GMT
As my penpals have often told me, a letter received is never late. Lately I have been testing that theory as I am replying to letters received last November but my preferred response time (for me to write, not for the person to respond) is within 6 weeks.
As for reply style, that I am sure is as individual as the writer. Most of the time I am FIFO but when my stack is deep I try and change it up to get more letters out. In the past I have replied first to people I know who are slower to respond, other times I send replies to international folks as i know travel time can work in my favour, heck I have even just replied to shorter letters first. It all depends on how i think I can get reply pile down the fastest. It takes me at least 2 hours to write a 4 page/2 sheet letter and most of my letters are a bit longer than that, which is why I have to be creative when deciding in which order to respond.
The most important thing is to have fun.
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Post by ritak on Apr 7, 2016 13:58:56 GMT
I am enjoying all of these letters, but I worry that I am taking too long to respond. I certainly don't want to be rude, but I also do not want to rush my letters. This should be enjoyable, right? I try to respond to letters within a 1-2 month time period but as others have said, sometimes life gets in the way. Yes, I do believe it should be enjoyable. I usually light a few candles, put on some quiet music, make a cup of coffee and I'm set to go . For me it's a time to slow down and truly connect with an old ( or sometimes new ) friend.
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Post by distractedmom on Apr 15, 2016 3:53:38 GMT
I was sitting at a 2-week turnaround time. Now I'm in the busiest two weeks of my year and I'm looking at 3-4 weeks. Please be patient with me, awesome pen pals.
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Post by sharmon202 on Apr 15, 2016 23:44:24 GMT
In 2015 much of my time was taken away for work so replies were less than a week or two. Now I am sorry to say it can be weeks. My pals have been very patient with me. I am also currently an unorganized mess so I am at a loss at where I stand. Goal this weekend after work is to straighten my desk and find out where I stand. Sorry all....
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Post by ladytiger7647 on Apr 19, 2016 12:23:54 GMT
I aim for waiting a week unless I have something immediate to discuss because I haven't heard from them for a while. Some of the people are write to live within 50 miles of me, so I usually wait longer for them since out letters arrive so quickly.
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Post by chojo on Apr 19, 2016 13:25:10 GMT
As others have said I need time for something to happen for me too write about which at the moment can be quite a while but normally I reply within a month, I'd like it to be sooner but a lot of it depends on how mum is. I also work on a first in first out basis.
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