|
Post by Mia on Oct 9, 2016 22:21:54 GMT
The members here already appreciate the joys of letterwriting / snailmail. However, what about those who do not know these joys (or have forgotten them)? What can be done to tempt them (back)? Do projects like LetterMo and InCoWriMo help? Although these both occur in February but the latter one wasn't officially maintained this year.
Does anyone have an ideas? There are groups on Facebook, although they may not be well run. A World of Snailmail has a page - should we have a group on there?
Also, a slogan just popped into my head
Perhaps that slogan will make a good bookmark and could be slipped into library books before they are returned. If only my Photoshop/graphic design skills were adequate.
|
|
|
Post by hoyabella on Oct 15, 2016 18:05:49 GMT
The idea of bookmarks sounds good :-) I'd love to find one myself. If one wants to do a further random act of kindness, one could add a new stamp to the bookmark, too.
LetterMo and InCoWriMo were too big a commitment for me and I was never able to participate, so I wonder what a non letter writer would think.
Last year I sent a couple of letters to distant friends, hoping to involve them into correspondence but the response was not encouraging. I plan to try again, though, with other people. In one case - an acquaintance of mine - the excuse will be her recent wedding, about which I heard from someone else. In another case, I found something printable my friend would like. Let's see :-)
|
|
|
Post by mailartist on Oct 15, 2016 18:34:44 GMT
I'm glad to see someone posted a thought here, because I've been thinking about this all week, with not many ideas occurring to me.
One thing about the "bookmark in a library book" idea is that some libraries (ours included) examine every book upon return, and discards any detritus. I've never found anything left in a library book for the many years I've gone.
The best place to find stuff in books is places like used book establishments, thrift stores, and yard sales. Many years ago, I found two anonymous, unfinished, and flaming drafts of a letter that a woman was writing to her cad (read: unfaithful) husband. Pink pen, and lots of rapid, looping venom. Quite the intriguing read, that was.
Perhaps more enticing to a non-letter writer than sending a letter, is receiving one. It's much easier to see an intriguing example, and then think "Wow, I could do that" rather than try to come up with one whole cloth. Letters can seem an intimidating thing, appropriate, perhaps, for folks like John Steinbeck or Virginia Woolf, but not for local yokels like them.
What could perhaps be explored are the impediments that discourage neophyte letter writers. I can think of things like "How do I start a letter to a stranger?" "My life is so boring." "My handwriting is awful." "I need better stationery first." "I write letters, but no one ever responds." but there may be others. What are the problems that people face, and how to overcome them?
|
|
|
Post by Mia on Oct 15, 2016 22:38:39 GMT
One of the cafes I visit has a noticeboard, full of leaflets and small ads for services ranging from housework, to mountaineering courses, language tuition... I could slip something up on the wall. The big supermarkets here have a small advertising board with small ads for people. Perhaps I could write something to put up on there. I wouldn't directly advertise this site on there, but just snail mail in general. I wonder if I could put something up in the small post office. I wonder also, whether something could be put up in small shops that have stationery in. A fountain pen shop could be good to have something like, "Enjoy your fountain pens by using them to write letters."
New Year New Leaf thing could be good for a bookmark.
(a leaf picture) New Year New Leaf - Make New Friends by Letter (envelope picture)
The content of letters varies. Some of the letters I received for LetterMo and InCoWriMo have been just so boring. They didn't know what to write. The Five Questions are a prompt. However, without that, if you have someone's address - you could write about their location. E.g. someone lives near Orlando in Florida, you could ask if they kept themselves safe during the recent weather events, or, you went to Disney(whatever) as a child. The boring letters I have received have all been about the writer, with nothing really wanting a response. Even "It's been hot recently, hasn't it?" isn't really a question, but it does allow for a response.
|
|
|
Post by Mia on Feb 1, 2017 17:50:34 GMT
I didn't get round to New Year New Leaf. Maybe next year.
However, February is now here, is there anything more to be done at this time of year to promote snailmail? Do your "real-life" friends write letters? Do you have family letters (perhaps love letters between your grandparents)?
|
|
|
Post by Mia on Jul 9, 2017 13:35:50 GMT
I shall be brainstorming this over the summer.
A thought about libraries - one library in the US has a vending machine selling letters. I think at least one in the US holds a letter writing club/session.
|
|
|
Post by joy52 on Jul 10, 2017 7:05:28 GMT
Whilst on holiday in Suriname for my Mother's 85th birthday, I have tried my hardest to explain to family and friends the joy of writing and receiving letters by snailmail. Everybody thought I was nuts!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 11:30:55 GMT
In my view, the best way to encourage other people to write more - or rather write at all - is to write: Send birthday cards, holiday cards or maybe a short letter. It's the positive experience and the joy of receiving something so special (nowadays) that could encourage them to follow the example.
All that said, I belive that you either love or don't love writing letters. If you have a love for it, you'll sooner or later discover penpalling and look for letter friends.
|
|
blushinpen
Crayons
Posts: 45
Looking for Penpals?: Yes. Global penpals welcome
Country I live in is: Germany
|
Post by blushinpen on Aug 6, 2017 16:36:00 GMT
There is a website called "More Love letters". People can write notes, cards, letters to people in need of an encouraging word or two. I think they post monthly a list of people who could do with some lovely letters. Usually, friends or family members suggest someone who is going through hard times and could use a bit of love. I don't know if anyone has seen this before, but here's the link. The world needs more love letters
|
|
|
Post by Mia on Aug 13, 2017 22:28:38 GMT
One of BBC Radio 4's news programmes (quite a light-hearted one for a Sunday morning) is trying to promote the sending of postcards. Postcards: 'are a minature archive' from last month. The programme this morning, about 40 minutes in, has some more comment on it: 13th August's episode - available for almost a month, but can be downloaded as a podcast.
|
|
|
Post by penguy on Apr 14, 2019 1:59:42 GMT
You know that saying about having a party and no one came! Well I worked with the director of our local historical society and planned a letter writing social. She plugged it on radio and in newsletters. We encouraged people to bring letters that might be hidden in with family photos in that old suitcase. You know the ones from world war I or II or from the 'old country'. Sounded good. Well the day came and no one came to write letters. One mom came through and looked along with her two upper elementary kids. I gave them a sheet with links to letter writing sites...including A World of Snail Mail. I was really saddened by the lack of participation. Then yesterday I got an envelope in the mail, it was from that mom and it said:
Your letter writing idea made me realize how"in a hurry" I am when I write. Handwriting is jerky many times, too. Could be high blood pressure! Moving a houseful in two weeks is not pleasant. Now ...what to do with all those return address labels...
So, sometimes maybe we do it one person at a time. In this case she just happened to drop in but she took the time to find my name and address and send me a card. I'm sending her a reply, even if it is just across town.
By the way the director of the History Center is interested enough to try it again with a bit of modification. She wants to do it in a 1870's historical house all decked out for Christmas. It will be a Christmas card writing social.
Perhaps I will grab a latte at our local friendly coffee shop and sit down and write a letter and put a little sign on the table 'Do You Write Letters?' and see if anyone stops to talk. Nothing ventured nothing gained!
|
|
|
Post by stompie on Apr 14, 2019 7:20:02 GMT
Your letter writing idea made me realize how"in a hurry" I am when I write. Handwriting is jerky many times, too. Could be high blood pressure! Moving a houseful in two weeks is not pleasant. Now ...what to do with all those return address labels... Perhaps I will grab a latte at our local friendly coffee shop and sit down and write a letter and put a little sign on the table 'Do You Write Letters?' and see if anyone stops to talk. Nothing ventured nothing gained! Quite encouraging that she wrote to you! I like the idea of sitting in your local coffee shop. I know at times when I have done that, minus the signage, invariably someone will make a comment or have a chat with me about writing. Where I now live I am a bit of a distance from any such coffee shop and I would need to pack a little suitcase to carry my stuff in to get there. As the weather warms up, not likely at the moment as we have a Siberian wind blowing through, I must get on my bicycle and do that again!
|
|
|
Post by schnacks on Apr 14, 2019 13:45:52 GMT
I think that you may have more success with the Christmas Card social idea. People (just barely) still understand and appreciate the concept of Christmas Cards. You can use it as a gateway drug to entice them into letter writing.
|
|
|
Post by Mia on Apr 14, 2019 21:17:39 GMT
If I was still living in London, I'd probably have a go at a social, but where I am, there isn't the population. I do write in cafes, etc.
One of the National Trust properties I visited a few years ago had a display of letters from 1914-1918 - lots of post was sent during that war, and even in World War 2. I wonder with the 80th anniversary of the start of WW2 coming soonish, whether people have letters from that period of time. The collection of letters mentioned in Simon Garfield's To The Letter, is on my wish-list - Dear Bessie. Acquaintance turned to more... through letters...
|
|
|
Post by filpot on Apr 16, 2019 16:30:58 GMT
If I was still living in London, I'd probably have a go at a social, but where I am, there isn't the population. I do write in cafes, etc. One of the National Trust properties I visited a few years ago had a display of letters from 1914-1918 - lots of post was sent during that war, and even in World War 2. I wonder with the 80th anniversary of the start of WW2 coming soonish, whether people have letters from that period of time. The collection of letters mentioned in Simon Garfield's To The Letter, is on my wish-list - Dear Bessie. Acquaintance turned to more... through letters... BBC Radio 4 did a lovely adaptation of "Dear Bessie", performed by Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey (for fans of "Sherlock")!
|
|