Letter Writing

with your typewriter

If you are new to typewriters and are wondering what kind of writing to do, look no further than your mailbox! There’s a world of creative expression and relationship-building awaiting discovery at your fingertips. Here are what I consider the basics of letter writing using your typewriter.

Where to Start

Finding someone to write to, who is typewriter-aware, might seem like a daunting task, but fortunately Type Pals is a great resource. Once you sign up as a Type Pals member (at no cost), you can create a profile with your postal address and personal interests, so others can write to you. The Members’ Directory has profiles with member preferences for letters and/or postcards, background information / personal interests and hobbies, and more. You can use this information to find a suitable member to be a pen pal, with common or similar interests. 

Let’s Type a Letter

At its most basic, there’s nothing to typing a letter, just roll in a sheet of paper and start typing, right? Yes, however once you begin to receive typewritten letters you’ll find a wide variety of styles and formats used by your correspondents, including custom letterhead stationery, onionskin paper, airmail envelopes, et cetera. You’ll also find some people like to format their letters more formally, with the recipient’s address, name and date at the top. Other people are much less formal. There are also differences in how paragraphs are formatted, with some people liking them indented, others leaving them intact but separated by a line, or both. How you choose to format your own letters is entirely up to you, and no one’s going to judge you about your choices, but you might be inspired to go with one particular style that best suits you.

Paper Choices

You also have the choice of paper size to consider. Standard US “letter-sized” paper is 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches tall, but there are smaller sizes available. Letter-sized paper, especially if of a heavier weight, folds easier into the larger number 10 envelopes, while smaller or lighter weight papers fold more easy into the number 6-3/4 sized envelopes. 

Besides paper size, the weight and quality of finish is important to some people. I’ve personally written letters on a wide variety of papers, from inexpensive newsprint to more costly resume paper. I’ve found many people like receiving letters on higher-quality papers, like the Southworth line of resume paper, but cost is a consideration. It’s best to stick to what you’re comfortable using, like printer paper, and let your choice of materials evolve over time.

Which Machine to Use

Now it’s time to consider which typewriter to use, if you have several to choose from. I prefer to use a machine with a nicer type alignment—meaning my 1920s-era portables might not be my first choice. I also have machines that, although having good type alignment, I avoid using for letter writing because their small print size means the loops get easily clogged with ink, leaving a messy appearance. There’s also the style of type face to consider, especially if it’s rare or unusually pleasing to the eye. I personally like using a larger-sized type face for letter writing, as the appearance is usually neater, and it takes less words to fill a page, something to consider if you have writer’s block!  You’ll find some people are more self-conscious about the neatness of their letters than others, but the key thing to remember is there are no rules and most everyone will be pleased to receive your letter.

If you intend on using number 10 envelopes you should determine at the outset which machines have wide enough carriages to accept them. Some of my medium-sized European portables won’t feed this size envelope, so it’s best to plan ahead. I will often use a specific machine for addressing envelopes, like my Royal Mercury, that has a pica-sized type face that prints very crisp and neat, and also feeds number 10 envelopes.

Stamps, Stickers, and Decorations

You will need postage stamps, of course. If you expect to be frequently writing letters it’s more economical to stock up on US first class “forever” stamps, especially considering the prices rise almost every year and buying them now rather than later saves you some money up front. But you will also need international “forever” stamps for those overseas correspondents, as well as post card stamps.

As you get in the swing of typewritten letters, you will soon develop your own style. I’ve taken to stamping my own “chop” in red ink over my signature at the bottom of every letter, and more recently I’ve acquired a supply of decorative stickers that I attach to the backside of the envelope. I also cut out decorative stamps from correspondent's letters, especially foreign stamps, and save them for later use as backside envelope decoration, pasting them on with a glue stick. The backside of envelopes can become an artistic canvas for your personal expression.

Self-enveloped Letters

Another fun thing some correspondents like doing is folding their letter so as to form its own envelope. This practice harkens back to hundreds of years ago when paper was expensive and envelopes were rarely used, instead wax seals were applied to self-enveloped letters. Even today some people still use wax seals, but be aware that if you do so, your letter may be rejected by the post office unless you get it hand-cancelled in person, which will cost more than a standard first class letter. It’s also more difficult for your recipient to open a wax sealed letter without slicing it apart, which can make it less readable. When folding my letters into their own envelope, I prefer to seal them with decorative adhesive stamps and tape, instead of wax seals. Also, consider using a heavier grade of paper when self-enveloping, and limit the letter to a single sheet, typed on only one side.

Keeping Track of Your Letters

As you write and receive letters you’ll have to consider keeping track of what letters need replying to, who you’ve already written to, and what to do with all those letters after they’ve been answered. For tracking my outgoing letters I use a small notebook to record the recipient’s name, date, and whether it was a letter or postcard. This makes it easy to tell when was the last time I wrote someone. 

For incoming letters, I stamp both the envelope and letter with the date received and store them in a clear folder in chronological order. I can glance at this folder and easily see how many letters are awaiting reply, and how long they've been waiting.

Once a letter’s been replied to, I write on the front face of the letter the date replied and attach the return address from the envelope with a glue stick (because people often change addresses), then 3-hole punch the letter and archive it in a thick binder using alphabetical tabs, organized by the recipient’s last name. I usually don’t save the envelopes, but will harvest decorative stamps for later use. As letters from the same correspondent accumulate in the binder over time I can begin to see a narrative of the person’s life forming, which is very gratifying.

Becoming a Letter Writer

Once you get in the swing of letter writing with a typewriter, you’ll experience the dilemma of letters piling up awaiting reply, and you may begin to feel inundated and can’t get caught up. I’ve found you’ll never truly “catch up,” because some people quickly reply — and thus the more letters you send, the more you receive. The better approach is to have a weekly schedule around writing letters on a regular basis and eventually everyone gets a reply in a timely fashion. If you get lots of mail, like I do, don’t be surprised if months pass before you get around to writing back, just be aware that most letter writers face this dilemma. In doing so, you’ll also have the satisfaction of putting your typewriter collection through its paces, which keeps them well-used. 

It’s also a valuable experience building long-distance relationships that will last a lifetime, and broadening your horizons by interacting with people from around the world, all the while enjoying the use of your typewriters. Write a letter today!

Until next time, keep on (type)writing,

-Joe and the ABQwerty Typewriter Society