The writing prompts I have for you have been divided into three categories, but as you’ll see, there’s a lot of overlap between them. I hope you’ll give all of them a try. If you like, you can set a timer when you start each one – ten minutes will do for most prompts. Don’t worry about what you write them on for now – it can be in a notebook or journal, or on loose paper, or even on a computer if that’s how you prefer to write (although I encourage you to give writing by hand a try for at least one of them). If there are certain letters you find you’d like to keep or send, you can always rewrite them onto nice stationery.
Find a comfortable, quiet place to write if you can. Make yourself a cup of tea, light a favourite candle, and pick up your favourite pen or pencil. You can print this PDF if you’d like an analog copy of the list of writing prompts.
A few thoughts join handwriting…
LETTERS AS JOURNALLING
Dear Diary. . . The practice of journalling has long taken the form of letters. As a child I used to give each new journal a name, so I had someone specific to address. Try the following writing prompts and see how they feel for you.
PROMPT: THINGS I WANT TO SAY TO YOU
Think of someone in your life you have unresolved thoughts about, distance with that you wish wasn’t there. This could be someone living or dead, part of your present or past. Write a letter telling them everything you wish you could say to them.
PROMPT: A DAY I WANT TO REMEMBER
Write a letter about a day you remember fondly. Relish the remembering and retelling, including all the details. You can address this letter to yourself or someone else.
PROMPT: LETTER TO MY SADDER SELF
When you’re having a good day, take some time to write a letter to your future self on a not-so-good day. Offer some compassion, love, and support. Perhaps include some of the reasons why you feel happy today, or a list of things you know help you feel better that Future You might like to try.
PROMPT: WRITE A LETTER TO YOURSELF FIVE YEARS IN THE FUTURE
There are so many subjects you can explore here – either in one long letter, or a series of shorter ones. What hopes do you have for your future self? What’s important to you now, and how do you expect your future self to view these things? How would you like your future self to look back on this period of your life?
LETTERS AS COMMUNICATION
This is probably the first purpose that comes to mind when we think of letters, still. Ultimately they are addressed to someone, intended to communicate something. In the past almost all important news arrived by letter, but today it rarely would, given the relative speed of other forms of communication.
PROMPT: WRITE SOME REAL THANK YOU NOTES
Think of someone you’d like to thank, and write them a letter. This can be someone from your past or your present, regardless of whether they are around to receive your letter. Try this exercise several times, writing to different people. Send some of them if you’d like.
Growing up, thank you notes were an unfortunate side effect of having received a gift. They were written after much prodding, and only out of obligation. What kind of ungrateful monster of a child was I? Recently I have been making up for it by sending out some thank you letters, many of them not even in response to presents! I highly recommend it. Much like the practice of gratitude journaling, writing sincere thank you notes helps frame your thinking in a way that acknowledges the positives in your life. Even a small amount of this can do wonders for one’s mindset.
PROMPT: WRITE A HANDWRITTEN LETTER TO SOMEONE WITH WHOM YOU USUALLY COMMUNICATE ELECTRONICALLY
I encourage you to try this one multiple times, writing to different people. Notice what influence the medium has on the content. Do you find yourself opening up more? Or at a loss for words? What subjects lend themselves to this form of communication, and which do not? (I’m trying to imagine scheduling a Zoom session via post!)
LETTERS AS CREATIVITY
Letters and literature have a long history together. Epistolary novels have evolved with the times, with contemporary works often including texts, emails, and social media posts. There’s something almost voyeuristic about the format, with the reader gaining access to documents supposedly intended for the recipient’s eyes only. Done well, these letters give us interesting insights into characters’ psyches and relationships.
PROMPT: WRITE A LETTER FROM SOMEONE ELSE
Fiction writers can use this exercise as a way to get to know one of their characters, even if the letter itself isn’t going to end up in the finished story. Write a letter from one character to another. Think about what the ‘writer’ wants to say, and why. What is the relationship between the two characters like, and how do they express themselves to each other?
Even if you’re not a writer of fiction, you might find it interesting to do this exercise. Instead of writing from a character’s point of view, write from the perspective of someone in the real world whom you’re having trouble understanding. This could be a coworker or acquaintance with whom you have conflict, someone with an opposing viewpoint to yours when it comes to a political issue, or someone who simply baffles you. Take some time to try to see the world as they see it, and then write a letter from them to someone else in their life.
PROMPT: DIGITAL TO ANALOG
Write out the last 10 short text messages you sent or received. Now, rearrange the words and phrases to create a poem.
PROMPT: CREATE SOME MAIL ART
Letters do not have to consist of words alone! Get creative with the contents of your next letter – add collage, watercolour, drawing, stamps, stickers, whatever inspires you. Decorate the envelope as well as its contents. What does your mail art communicate?
WHAT NEXT?
Reflect on what it’s been like to write these letters. Have you enjoyed it? Have you learned something about yourself?
I hope you’ve been inspired to send some of the letters you’ve written from these prompts. I encourage you to send them with generosity, without expectation of receiving anything in return.
I also hope you’ve written some letters that you’d like to keep and re-read in the future. You can seal these in envelopes in your book and add instructions on the outside as to when they are to be opened.
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