Why I Write to Strangers

There's a person I've never met who has a letter I wrote them late last year. I sent them three handwritten pages. I'd thought about writing them for months. I saw an interview they gave about a book they'd written. One day, during my morning journal time, I thought, Life is short. It's time I write that letter that's been on my mind. If they don't like it, they can throw it away. It doesn't matter what they think. I just need to say my piece.

At least, that's how it started.

I'm not sure what it was specifically but I felt compelled to write to them. They were kind to their nervous interviewer. They had a health journey that was similar to mine and I was thankful that they were able to make changes in their life that healed them. I thought they were brave for telling their story and I wanted to encourage them to keep sharing their work. Sometimes writing is more about the writer and the message they want to send than the reader. I do hope, though, that they appreciated their letter.

It felt strange to write to someone I didn't know. I'd never done anything like it before. I once received a long letter from someone who was asking for something. They didn't tell me how they knew me or my family or how they got my home address. I felt very uncomfortable. I didn't want the person I was writing to feel that way.

I made sure to tell the person I wrote why I was writing up front. They have a P.O. Box so I felt that I was respectful of their boundaries. The only concern I had at the time was that they'd think I was some type of super fan, which wasn't the case. I just felt compelled to reach out and encourage them. Hopefully my sincerity came across.

I sent the letter and then forgot about it. Honestly, I didn't think about it until I started my own snail mail club. I didn't expect to hear back from them and I haven't yet. I know people are busy. I now affectionately refer to them as my unrequited pen pal.

When I started writing that letter, I was focused on what I wanted to say. My focus quickly shifted. As I wrote, I realized what I truly wanted was to be understood. I couldn't do that without first considering their perspective.

When I discovered snail mail clubs I was so excited. I knew immediately I wanted to start one. A snail mail club would allow me to write and illustrate something new every month, grow my work, and hopefully inspire other people like me — creatives who may be trying to find their way back to themselves. 

Before this discovery, I'd reconciled myself to the fact that I wasn't going to be able to do what I love for a living. I'd told myself that not everyone is fortunate enough to have a creative profession. To be clear, I'm not making a living from my snail mail club. Yet. I'm not 100% certain I will but I'm going to try my best. Who knows what will happen.

When I write to people I don't know, I can't assume things about them. I don't know what their lives are like, what they're going through, or where they're at. I have to be sensitive and respectful of that. I have several subscribers who have lost a loved one in the last couple of years and I always have that in the back of my mind when I write. I want to be considerate and sensitive with my words. Letters are powerful because the written word lasts much longer than the spoken one. Some people keep their letters and reread them. I always ask myself, Is this a letter I'd feel comfortable with someone keeping and rereading? If not, I shouldn't send it.

I think I write to strangers because in a way I'm writing to myself — a version of myself — who needs to hear what I have to say. I don't know if someone needs to get a letter from me but maybe there's part of each letter that helps them and inspires them in some way. I never know how my letters will land but I hope they move the reader in a positive way.

As I write this, I realize how important writing that first letter was. In a way, the purpose of writing that letter was to prepare me for something bigger.

The letter itself was a byproduct.

If you've been thinking about writing to someone — a stranger, a friend, yourself — these prompts might be the first sentence you need. And if you'd like a letter in your mailbox once a month, check out The AlphaBet Journal.

xo Trace