Return Address – Adam Y.

Today’s Return Address Features: @yatesa01

What country / region do you write from?

Canada

What languages do you like to write letters in?

English

How long have you been part of LetterMo, and how did you find us?

I think I joined LetterMo back around 2018, give or take a year. I originally found it after getting involved with Postcrossing, which was a fun way to send and receive mail. But I was interested in the aspect of correspondence that involves building a connection with someone over time, rather than the one-off messages of a postcard exchange. As it happened, I discovered LetterMo right before February, so I was able to join in and participate right away.

Are you currently accepting new pen pals?

No, I am not currently accepting new pen pals

Do you participate in the February LetterMo challenge, or write year-round? Or both?

I write letters both during the February Challenge and year round.

What does letter writing mean to you?

Letter writing is a way to share stories. I always enjoy writing about things that are happening in my life–trips I’ve taken, books I’m reading, recipes that I’ve tried–and I love hearing about the same from others. Sometimes I hit it off with a pen pal, and over time the content of our letters shifts to a slightly deeper level and we begin sharing about hopes, joys, or struggles; about family and relationships; or about reflections on society or politics. I think that is when a correspondence relationship really starts to feel like a friendship.

What are your favorite letter writing tools? Where/when do you usually write your letters?

I most often write at home at my desk, but I have also recently discovered the joy of taking a letter with me to a coffee shop to work on my response. I have found it is a great way to focus myself on the writing and to be more disciplined about my correspondence. My preferred writing tool is a fountain pen–I find it is the most comfortable option for writing a page or two of text–a fountain pen and spiral notebook are my tools of choice when writing at a coffee shop, but at home I have my collection of papers to choose from. I also have an old mechanical typewriter that I enjoy pulling out from time to time to write a letter on, though that only gets used at home 😉

What advice do you have for writing a first letter to a potential new penpal?

When starting a new pen pal connection, I like to introduce myself–where I’m from, what I do for work, some of my hobbies. If I’ve recently gone on a trip, or even a fun day outing, I’ll often write about that, as it is fresh on my mind. I take a wide approach to the first letter, as I don’t know what will resonate with the other person yet, beyond what is on their member profile. I also try to keep it to about a page so that it isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t make the other person feel like they need to respond with a lengthy letter.

Anything else you’d like to share?

One of my pen pals from LetterMo introduced me to the practice of printing small photos from trips and outings and including one or two of them with the letter. This has been a lot of fun for me, as I enjoy photography and it gives me a chance to share the sights I have enjoyed and an outlet for all those photos that I’ve taken. My local pharmacy lets me print small photos (about 2 inches by 3 inches) for half a dollar each, so it is an affordable practice too.

As my pen pals will know, I’m behind on my correspondence. It is a combination of finding time to write, but mostly due to the volume of letters I get–indeed this is why I can’t accept new pen pals, as it doesn’t seem fair to my current ones with outstanding responses from me. But, I do always reply (eventually).

LetterMo “Return Address” Member Profile