The Lovely Letters Project
Connecting Via Snail Mail: World Wide Pen Pals Club for Women!
The Lovely Letters Project is dedicated to reviving the cherished, unhurried art of writing and connecting with pen pals in Australia and all over the world, through snail mail.
Here’s a little bit of background about how it came about …
OK, let's not beat around the bush - I’m a child of the 70’s and 80’s. (Born in 1972 if you need all the age details!). Back then, there were two main forms of communication that kept me going. One was the good old telephone (think hard plastic, red, cream or black, dial the numbers, curly cord always in a constant tangle, oh, and if you were lucky enough to have an extension cord, then you could get the phone all the way from the phone table to your bedroom, as long as you were lying on the floor, that is). The other, and my favourite, by far, the handwritten letter.
When I was a little girl, and well into my teens, I would sit at my desk, usually on the weekends, and I’d write letters. I had a list of people to write to – Nan, Grandma, aunties, friends from my Sydney school days, pen pals from all over the world. I’d pick up my pen and become lost in the written word. Every now and then I’d pause to collect my thoughts, thinking about my week and the recipient of the letter – what would they enjoy hearing about? What had been going on in their lives? What had they mentioned in their last letter that I could respond to? What had my family members been up to that could keep them amused? It was a precious time in my life, and those childish letters that I wrote, most definitely created in me a desperate desire to connect with loved ones (and sometimes, those I’d never met before) through the written word.
So, if you would like to become a part of the Lovely Letters community, if you would like to receive and send letters about simple, daily life – perhaps share recipes, talk about meals, share gardening and home stories, and you are committed to exchanging them each month, then please join this project. You are the perfect person to begin this mission to bring back old-fashioned slow mail. You'll love it!
How Does it All Work?
Sign up to The Lovely Letters Project. Follow the email instructions that will arrive in your inbox. Please make sure to check your junk/promotions inboxes too because occasionally it goes there and we all know what happens to that stuff;)
Join the pool of Lovely Letter writers and get matched up with a different person and theme each month. Your name and email address only, will be shared with someone else within the Lovely Letters community so that you can begin exchanging letters at the beginning of the month. Or receive a permanent pen pal. The choice is yours.
Some FAQ
1. What exactly is The Lovely Letters Project?
It’s a free, old-fashioned snail mail exchange for women who miss the magic of letters in the post.
You’re matched with someone who also wants to write and receive real letters — the kind you hold in your hands, tuck into a drawer, or re-read with a cup of tea.
No algorithms. No feeds. Just pen, paper, stamp.
2. Is it really free?
Yes. There’s no cost to join.
The only thing you’ll need to cover is your own stationery and postage.
3. How does the matching work?
Once you sign up, you’ll be thoughtfully paired with another participant either as a permanent pen pal for the year (or more!) or for a monthly exchange where you get a new pen pal each month.
Towards the end of every month I put a group call out (via email) to everyone asking who would like to join the following month's letter exchange. If you want in, you reply with 'I'm in' and your name and email address. I then match everyone who is participating for the month, with a pen pal. I send the pen pal list to you (via email) by the beginning of the month. You wil lreceive a name and email address for your partner. It's then up to you two to contact one another via email and exchange mailing addresses.
Some people choose to remain pen pals with that person, others continue to change each month. It's completely up to you.
4. What if I don't know what to write about?
That’s completely normal.
You’ll receive simple prompts and ideas to help you get started. And remember — letters don’t need to be poetic or perfect. They can be about your garden, your grandmother’s sponge cake, the weather this week, or something small that made you smile.
The beauty is in the ordinary.
Honestly, most people worry about what to write at the start, but once they get going, they wonder why they ever worried about it!
6. What if my letter partner doesn’t reply?
Occasionally life gets busy, and not every match becomes a long correspondence.
If you haven’t received a reply after a reasonable time, you can reach out and I’ll help arrange a new match. You won’t be left wondering forever.
7. Can I choose who I’m paired with?
Matches are made thoughtfully, but not chosen personally.
Part of the magic is writing to someone you might never have met otherwise. It keeps the experience open, surprising, and a little bit special.
8. Is this only for experienced writers?
Not at all.
You don’t need to be a “writer.” You just need to be willing to show up honestly on the page. Letters are about warmth and real life — not perfect grammar.
9. Can I join from outside Australia?
Yes — as long as you’re comfortable with international postage times and costs.
10. Is my address kept private?
Your mailing details are only shared with your matched partner for the purpose of letter writing, and it's between the two of you via email.
They are not added to any public list or shared elsewhere. Ever.
11. Will I be added to your mailing list?
Yes, you need to be on the mailing list to receive the call out emails. You’ll receive updates about the project itself that way too. Of course you can unsubscribe at any time.
12. What if I feel nervous?
That’s actually a lovely sign.
It means you care.
Almost everyone feels a flutter before sending their first letter. And then — once it’s posted — there’s a little spark of excitement knowing something handwritten is travelling across the country (or the world) because of you.
So, what do you think? Are you in?
If so, why not get started today, and get back into the lovely art of letter writing. It really does bring a whole lot of joy. xx
