How to write more letters
In the autumn I ran a small letter writing project on Instagram. I shared a prompt every fortnight, and gave people the chance to be matched with a pen pal. I also shared the project on my personal Facebook page, and three of my friends joined in with me. It was my main goal to start writing to friends again, so this was perfect.
So… what happened next?
I quickly found that three letters every two weeks, my original plan, was just too many. I also ended up falling behind on my own prompts, and never made it to the last one. But the project was never meant to be a challenge with hard and fast rules – rather a gentle invitation and encouragement to get writing. It was lovely to sit down at my typewriter, to think of stories to share, to connect with friends in a different way, and of course to find letters in my letterbox.
Judging from the feedback I had on Instagram, other people did also get behind, or were disappointed that their pen pal never wrote back, but this was more than outweighed by the enthusiasm of those who took part, and some really beautiful examples of letters exchanged between people who met through the project.
Based on this experience, here are my tips for setting out to write more letters:
Don’t overcommit, and don’t worry about getting behind
It shouldn’t be a chore, or another item on the to do list. Make sure it’s a pleasure, and that it remains manageable. And if you haven’t found the time – or the right time – to write, simply wait until you do.Short letters are just as precious as long ones
I used to write endless letters to friends when I was young, page after page after page, and that’s still what I instinctively think my letters should be like. But I enjoy receiving letters of any length. A few words on a postcard can be just as meaningful as a long letter.Make writing a time to be savoured
Sit down to write when you have the time and are in the right mood for it. Forcing it or rushing it will only turn it into another job to get done. To make it easier, and less daunting if you fear writer’s block, make sure you capture any ideas whenever inspiration strikes, scribbled in a notebook or quickly recorded as a voice note.Prompts are useful to get the conversation going
This is especially true when writing to people you’re already in regular contact with. It could feel a little odd to set out to write to someone you’ve only just chatted with on WhatsApp, but if you have a topic to get you started, something you wouldn’t share in another context, you’ll find the words naturally begin to flow.
To get you started, here are the prompts I shared during the project:
what I like best about where I live
something I would like to learn
the highlight of my week
an autumnal tradition or memory
For a new writing prompt every month, and my own letter on the same theme, sign up for my Inky Letter.
