The concept called "Pen-friend"

lost_in_time · Post by **lost_in_time** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:45 am

I am someone who finds a lot of pleasure in writing. I take even more pleasure reading a well written email/letter/book. This interest of mine started, I suppose, when I was fairly young... greatly influenced by books and such.
I realized I enjoy writing when I started writing to a friend of mine. We lived far away, but we wrote to each other often, about almost any topic that occured to us (some profound, some musing) Some people, write so beautifully.
It was fun!! It made my day.
Since then writing has been a creative and emotional outlet for me. I have tried writing journals, blogs and so on. But none of that gives me the pleasure like writing to a person.
I, somehow, am shy about sharing my writing, ideas to a big crowd. I would rather write to one person at a time.

Here's the problem with wanting just one audience - eventually that one person gets busy, life changes, or you grow out of each other. Then you are left with no one to write to... and that kind of dependency can
kill you and your creativity. I believe that's where I am.

So, I am either looking for a solution (any suggestions...that is close to writing to a friend/person) OR
I am looking for penpals. You can be anyone, live anywhere, do anything... but if you enjoy the process of writing to another person as much as I do... I would like that.
You can write about anything you want and not write anything you don't want to. And if at any point, this pen-friend thing doesn't work, we could stop.

Disclaimer: I am not a creep.

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:16 pm

I write magazine articles for a living, and I always write to one single reader. (A perceived composite of the readership.) That way the article seem more personal to each reader, since each reader gives no thought to the other 25.000 readers.

lost_in_time · Post by **lost_in_time** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:50 pm

So my urge to write to a single person in the form of conversations is sort of normal? (for lack of better understanding, I think its because it gives me a topic and agenda to write)

How can I move away from this dependency? Do you have any suggestions for me?

Elliot · Post by **Elliot** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:11 pm

Sure, the best kind of writing reads like a personal conversation. Perfectly normal. And I salute you for trying to keep the lost art of letter-writing alive. (But lost cause.)

It is not a dependency at all. It is perfectly natural for us to address one person at the time. This does not need to limit you in your writing. You can post your writing in all kinds of blogs and web pages and bulletin boards, even if you were thinking of only one person when you wrote it.

The only need I can think of for writing a personal letter, e-mail or PM, is if it is very personal -- or so esoteric that nobody else could possibly be interested.

So come on out of your shell -- the water is fine. Just try your best to write Good Stuff.

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:59 pm

I too love writing, though my gramma sucks. I recently started a blog and i stole a steven king conceit. i adress them to my unknown reader it helps me focus down, like elliot said to just one person.
having said that it's update time for my blog TaTa!

snake · Post by **snake** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:21 pm

i think there's a big difference between blogging and putting down your thoughts and MAYBE getting some feedback and actually writing to another person. i used to have a friend who seemed to blossom in his writing style, witty and clever, but more shy in person. maybe he wrote when he was drunk, i dunno. but it was fun to 'challenge' one another, it's like i wanted to be clever back. i'm not sure i succeeded, but it was an impetus to 'grow'.
unfortunately, he is no longer around...and even email is not quite the same with its immediacy. a letter in the mailbox instead of bills. a lost art.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:39 pm

Many years ago, before the net, there was an organization that would match people to write letters to each other.

Try advertising on Craig's List.

Post by **Elderberry** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:16 pm

Wow, penpals. I haven't heard that word mentioned in a long time. This was very popular back when I was even in elementary school. Somehow we got assigned penpals by the teacher--I had one assigned to me from Scotland. Don't remember his name, but I do remember he sent my a wool Scottish Plaid neck tie as a xmas gift. Everybody got assigned a penpal in those days. Times have certainly changed.

lost_in_time · Post by **lost_in_time** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:21 pm

I would take writing email over not writing to anyone at all.

So this doesn't have to written on paper with a pen. I enjoy writing email as much as I like writing on paper. Email or paper... it doesn't matter as long as there is someone to write to.

lost_in_time · Post by **lost_in_time** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:30 pm

snake wrote:i think there's a big difference between blogging and putting down your thoughts and MAYBE getting some feedback and actually writing to another person. i used to have a friend who seemed to blossom in his writing style, witty and clever, but more shy in person. maybe he wrote when he was drunk, i dunno. but it was fun to 'challenge' one another, it's like i wanted to be clever back. i'm not sure i succeeded, but it was an impetus to 'grow'.
unfortunately, he is no longer around...and even email is not quite the same with its immediacy. a letter in the mailbox instead of bills. a lost art.

You pretty much nailed it for me!!!
I write better when challenged by a fellow writer. I love that mutual growth that's involved.
Writing to someone has really helped me improve my language, expand my vocabulary and really force me to think and research about the topics/issues.
I miss that

The concept called "Pen-friend"

The concept called "Pen-friend"

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