The first letter

[radellaf]

Feb 26, 2018 3:21:18 GMT Gary S said:

best first letters that I've received cover a very wide range of topics and some of the worst (forgive me folks) have been page long descriptions of the pens and inks being used to write each and every line.

I usually mention the ink & pen I start with, often on the side of the page or under the date. If I switch every page side I'll mention it, too, but there are times I've used half a dozen pens on one small page and it'd be silly to list them all.  

But, yeah, much as I'm a pen & ink fan, that hobbyist thing of listing out equipment can be kind of a drag.  Flashlights (and their guns maybe), cameras, amateur radio, pens (and their watches maybe)...  Best to make it a part of the conversation or put it on the side or the back, unless discussing ink is a recurring topic.  Few people I can do that with, and it's a lot of fun when it's shared.  With the amateur radio I remember some conversations, in <10wpm morse code, you spent the first 5 minutes just saying what radio, antenna, etc. you were using.  Some contacts never got much beyond that.

For a first or second letter, IDK, I like to throw a few things out but generally don't write something long enough to cover a "very wide range".  I figure a few key things that might imply other things, plus some sort of story or digression for interest, is enough.

[Gary S]

I can recall my dad having illustrated postcards made up that included his FCC Radio Operator's License number on it back in the early 1970s that he would send out to new contacts he made with his CB. It would be cool if my mom had saved any of those but I very much doubt that she did. I remember that he would thumbtack any cards he received from other CB operators up on the wall behind his radio equipment. I can remember staring at those cards and puling this one or that one down to flip it over and look at the stamps on the backside. Just another reason that mail from strange places with cool postage has always fascinated me. I hadn't thought of that in years.

[radellaf]

For ham radio those were QSL cards, yeah, and it was quite the fun thing to exchange them. You _had_ to have one to send. I was in my teens and no budget so mine were custom-text stock-design but I got some really cool ones in and did put them on the wall. Probably still have them rubber-banded in a box somewhere. The radio is in an (ex?) friend's attic. Of course, the TS-130S model number had to be written on the QSL card. Usually that was it, contact info, signal strength, equipment, and a "nice talking to you" or some such. Never had the best setup so half my hamming was using other people's equipment at Field Day or other contest events where each contact was brief and _just_ that info. Letters are far more interesting. Incoming postcards remind me a lot of those contests, though I got one a few days ago with a full paragraph of text, so that's cool. I've wondered if I could do one like the modern drug labels where you can peel it open to reveal two more hidden pages. Probably not USPS kosher.

[penguy]

One of my all time favorite pieces of mail was a QSL card from a ham on Pitcairn Island. She was a descendent of the mutineers from the Bounty. Only a few ships stop there each year and pick up mail and I am sure my QSL card took a long time to get there. I scanned the stamp that came on the envelope and use it on some of the letterheads I make with my inkjet printer. It is used as a leadin to conversation in letters I write with that letterhead.

While I don't send photos in first letters or even a second or third. You may find an image that represents something interesting to use in a letterhead....a drawing, photograph that gives a sense of where you live...a little something that catches your recipients interest and makes for a more interesting first letter.

[stompie]

Mar 3, 2018 1:54:03 GMT penguy said:

 You may find an image that represents something interesting to use in a letterhead....a drawing, photograph that gives a sense of where you live...a little something that catches your recipients interest and makes for a more interesting first letter.

That's a good idea!

Oh yes, care to share a picture of that stamp and letterhead, please.

[penguy]

I would love to but I don't have anywhere that I have my photos hosted. I don't believe we can upload from our computer except for the avatar. I have seen so many instances where someone has posted a photo only to be left with an empty box with a ? or some such thing. What is a good site for hosting your photos?

On FPN you can upload images from your computer but are only allowed so much. I keep track and when I am getting close to using up my quota I delete the images, in PMs usually, where having the image is no longer important.

[stompie]

May 17, 2018 5:09:21 GMT penguy said:

I would love to but I don't have anywhere that I have my photos hosted. I don't believe we can upload from our computer except for the avatar. I have seen so many instances where someone has posted a photo only to be left with an empty box with a ? or some such thing. What is a good site for hosting your photos?

On FPN you can upload images from your computer but are only allowed so much. I keep track and when I am getting close to using up my quota I delete the images, in PMs usually, where having the image is no longer important.

 Ok, so put it up on FPN and let me know the link, or you could PM me?

[schnacks]

Flickr is pretty solid.

[atransientlife]

The introductory letter is a must, but it doesn't have to include everything about the writer, which can be tedious for the sender and overwhelming for the recipient.

A little about where ya live, family, one or two interests; saving other hobbies and personal facts for future letters.

Keep it simple. Be yourself. Sometimes you'll click with the pen-pal and sometimes ya won't, but that's okay.

Enjoy the experience.

-M

[mlp2147]

This is perfect for me. Even in the past writing to family members from around the globe I'd struggle to find the "right" things to write about and if I received a reply it was generally the " oh nothing new around here" letter very brief and non engaging. Great suggestions and ideas for certain!

[doultonmyra]

This thread is interesting and helpful. I have tried many approaches—not scientifically. I believe it depends on my mood. Sometimes I avoid asking any personal questions for fear that I might seem like an overly intrusive stereotypical American. Sometimes I simply list the things I would enjoy speaking about—my interests, my hobbies, my passions—but I try to make it clear that I am not limited to those topics. I do work hard on a first letter, but have learned that InCoWriMo letters have a high failure rate. But when they succeed it’s wonderful.

[kamuela]

I share a bit of myself, ask questions about the other person, share things about the state and area where I live and ask about what it is like for the other person where they live, how long they've lived there, etc. As DW and I are photographers, I usually include a few nice scenic pictures of where I come from, Hawaii.
I think its rewarding to send a well composed letter that is thoughtful and sincere.
Think of it as a "slow conversation".
It's important, just as in "real life" to start off on the right foot.
j

[dweezle666]

I've done my best to perfect my "intro letter" I've written it many times and am always rewriting it.