The Letter Exchange

[kazoolaw]

The Letter Exchange is a publication devoted to promoting (wait for it) the exchange of letters.

 

The webpage is an excellent source of links to other sites and topics surrounding letter writing: postage, envelop adornment, etc.

 

Take a minute and browse around

http://www.letter-exchange.com/links.html

and other pages on the site as well have good info.

 

And if any of you belong to the Exchange, let me know how it's working out.

 

gary

[chud]

I've looked at it (albeit not in great depth) before, but haven't jumped in largely because it appears not to be free. Although not a deal-breaker, there are enough free alternatives around that this pushes it down the list a bit.

[GreenVelvet]

I'm a Letter Exchange (LEX) member. I've been a member since this past fall. It is an interesting service. Although I love the idea, I may have to be a member for a while longer before I get a really full impression.

 

I have placed one listing (in the Winter 09 issue), and answered many listings from the Autumn 08 and Winter 09 issues. I will say that there are a surprising number of crazy people who subscribe to that magazine. I have gotten a handful of really lovely correspondents from LEX, but also some letters from folks who seem really... unstable. In no way do I wish to discourage anyone from subscribing, or ordering an issue, but I'd recommend staying away from promising to write back anyone who writes (I am a woman of my word, but I wish I hadn't made that promise - some of these people, I just don't want to write to), and DO use the free forwarding service for a few letters before you give out your address.

 

Their forwarding service is excellent, as you can keep your address private until you trust someone, but still exchange letters.

 

The correspondents I've gotten from the FPN Snail Mail Writing list are quite simply the highest caliber correspondents I have. Fountain pen users tend to really want to use their pens (go figure), and that seems to be a good motivation for quality, long-term letter writing. Also we are a patient bunch.

 

But, if you're looking to branch out, go for it with LEX - just proceed with caution, and the knowledge that a lot of people just won't write you back. I wrote to quite a few people who never responded - and that's something that happens very rarely with the other resources (FPN, Letter Writers Alliance, Sendsomething.net, Flickr) that I use to find letter-writers.

 

Finally, there are some really super-specific listings in LEX, like people wanting to discuss one particular book or philosopher. That's a pretty cool idea. I haven't answered any of those yet, but I may in the future.

 

My listings coming up in the Summer issue are MUCH more specific (one on - of course - fountain pens), and I make no promises for replies.

 

If there's any more information I can provide, I'm happy to share it.

[GreenVelvet]

I've looked at it (albeit not in great depth) before, but haven't jumped in largely because it appears not to be free. Although not a deal-breaker, there are enough free alternatives around that this pushes it down the list a bit.

 

This is true. You can either buy a single issue, or a subscription. You must have a subscription in order to use the forwarding service, but once you're a subscriber, you can have as many letters forwarded as you want without paying anything extra.

[kazoolaw]

Thanks for the insight about the correspondents.

 

I understand that the journal/service has a fee. The links to resources are free.

 

gary

 

ps The correspondents I write to from FPN and PT are excellent.