Last February, I had such a good time doing International Correspondence Writing Month that I wanted to repost what I wrote last year about the month-long event. I’ll be participating again in 2022, but I don’t think I’m looking for a lot of new penpals-I’ve already got 10+ and I am maxed out 🙂 It is so fun to get letters from all over the world… do consider doing it this year!
I bet you didn’t even know that February is International Correspondence Writing Month! It’s abbreviated to InCoWriMo, and the stationery community is all abuzz. Stationery sales and interest in writing letters and postcards are at record highs due to COVID quarantines. So lots of newbies, like me, are joining the effort this year. It’s a great way to use all those pens and paper you may have been accumulating (guilty here!) I thought I would share what I am doing to get ready for this fun month of letter writing.
Although I am a newbie, just like you might be, for International Correspondence Writing Month, I think there are four main ways to get ready for the fun.
1. Understand the “rules” and make a plan
The goal of InCoWriMo is to have people write letters and use all their stationery and supplies. You’ll “commit” to writing and mailing/delivering a letter every day in February. Of course, no one is going to yell at you if you don’t make it a full month! But it’s a fun project that doesn’t require doing 50 pushups a day or anything else strenuous. You might actually complete this commitment…
I think it’s a good idea to have a decent plan of attack before the month starts. I don’t know about you, but I’d have a hard time coming up with the names (and addresses!) of 28 people who wouldn’t mind getting a letter from me. Kate might tolerate 2-3 letters in a month, but many more than that, and she is going to think I have no other friends 🙂
If you don’t have 28 names, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered below.
2. Find some people to write to
Your friends and family: I bet a lot of them have never gotten a piece of written correspondence from you. Why don’t you surprise them with a postcard, a letter, or a poem? I’ve been sending Kate lists of interesting things I’ve learned from my podcast listening. She seems to enjoy my missives (or at least she is nice about it :))
Penpals: There’s a world of penpal networks out there. Check out this Martha Stewart article for a few ideas. I just joined Geek Girl Penpals; I haven’t found a pen pal yet, but I’ll let you know how that goes.
Postcard exchanges: This is a low-effort and fun way to hear from people all over the world. I’ve joined two postcard exchanges- Post Crossing and Postcard United. You’ll send postcards to and receive them from people all over the world. So far, I’ve written people in Germany, Russia, China, Hong Kong and Texas 🙂 It’s completely free, other than the cost of the postcard and postage.
Letters Against Isolation: I joined this organization early in the pandemic and have been writing 4-5 letters a week to seniors in homes all over the US. You won’t get a response, but just knowing that I am (hopefully) bringing a little cheer into someone’s life is a good feeling.
InCoWriMo address exchange: Add your name to the address exchange page and pick up a few addresses. Perhaps one of the many participants will surprise you with a letter!
3. Make sure you have stationery, stamps and (maybe) a post office box
Stationery
While you can go low (copy paper, office envelopes) or high (Smythson, Mrs. John L Strong) with stationery, I’d suggest something in the middle. A little more refined than printer paper but affordable. There are some terrific online resources out there- Yoseka Stationery, JetPens, Papier) that won’t break the bank. I’ve written about some of my favorites here and here. But let’s get real- you’ve only got a few days until Feb 1, so Amazon is the way to go.
G Lalo is one of my favorite stationery brands. Made in France, works well with fountain pens. It looks a lot more expensive than it is.
Want to go a little more whimsical? Midori makes some adorable sets that are very affordable.
Don’t forget about Valentine’s Day! It’s the perfect excuse to send out a card or note. I’ve already picked up this kit from Cavallini & Co in anticipation of the holiday.
Stamps
I am always surprised by the amount of people who don’t have stamps on hand at home. If that describes you, drop by the post office, order on the USPS website, or get some from amazon.
The upside of using amazon is that there is a lot more variety- for example, these 2019 Sesame Street stamps aren’t available at the post office any more. (although they are a bit more expensive) But aren’t they cute??
A post office box
While you’re at it, and if you think this might be a longer term hobby, get a post office box. It protects your privacy and makes going to the post office a little more fun. Who knows what you might have received in your little PO box! I signed up for 6 months, and we’ll see how it goes…
4. Have fun! That’s the whole point
International Correspondence Writing Month shouldn’t be a chore! Have some fun with it. Now that you know what to do, have the supplies and a list of addresses, it’s time to get fancy, should you care to. I’m talking wax seals, fancy folding and letter locking (yes, it’s a thing.) You can go deep on any one of these topics, so I’ll just give you a taste with these two videos. You can choose to try some new things out or not…up to you!
How does InWriCoMo sound to you? Would you like to be on my list for the month of February? Add your address below – but be aware that sharing your home address comes with a few risks. Hence the post office box! 🙂
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