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| By Petar Milošević (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Here in the UK, we are currently in the first national
letter writing week (14-18 September). It has been launched by Royal Mail (our
post office), with the aim of encouraging people to rediscover the joy of
sending and receiving letters.
As an avid letter writer myself I was excited to see RM
launch this campaign. I have loved writing letters since I can remember. Not to
mention that I am like a kid at Christmas when the mail drops on our mat each
morning.
I know not everyone is as convinced of the benefits of
letter writing as I am so I thought I would share this link to a Buzz Feed
article: 19 Reasons We Should All Start Writing Letters Again.
Who can I write to?
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to write to someone you already know or to a pen pal.
A great way to celebrate NLWW is yo send a card or letter to a friend or family member. Can you imagine the lovely surprise of receiving a handwritten letter in amongst the usual bills and junk mail? You could tell them why you're thankful they are in your life or share a happy memory you have with them. Of course, you can have a catch up and tell them about what is going on in your life at the moment.
Remember the point of a letter is that it's personal. Each person has different style. Too often people are put off from letter writing because they believe they can't write well enough.
How can I find a pen pal?
If you decide that you would like to find a pen pal then you'll be glad to hear that there are lots of ways to do this. One of the easiest ways is through Facebook groups. There are lots and lots so you can find a pen pal in or outside your country. Another easy way is to search #penpalswanted on Instagram.
What can I write about?
- Introduce yourself with some simple facts- your name, age, job, partner, children, pets, etc.
- Talk about some of the little (or big) things that have brought you joy recently- a good cup of coffee, a funny advert, a nice sunset. Think outside the box.
- Write about how you like to spend your free time. You could tell them about your hobbies, how you spend lazy Sundays, and anything else you enjoy doing.
- If you have an international pen pal, you could tell them about the country you live in and its culture. Even within the countries that make up the UK there are lots of interesting and distinct differences,
There you have it, my advice for novice letter writers. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments box or on social media.
Will you be sending a letter this week?
Love Katie x
P.s. I'm looking for someone in Japan to write to. Please get in touch if you'd like to be pen pals.
You can also find me on,,,
