Letter Writer of the Month - Sherry

by Jennifer Bishop April 26, 2026

The London Letters Pen Pal Club began its life in 2019 with the hope of bringing together letter writing enthusiasts from across the globe to celebrate the joy of receiving letters and the power of the written word.

Over the years we've grown slowly but surely in numbers each week, and we're so proud to now be a 1700+ community of snail mailers! We have members from different countries, ages, religions, sexualities, political views, careers, disabilities, and genders - and whilst our differences vary dramatically, we are all united by a love of letters.

'Letter Writer of the Month' is a monthly journal entry where we invite one member from the club to give us an insight into their journey with letters. Some have always been letter writers from a young age, others only began when they signed up to the club. Our members all have a unique story to tell, and we hope you'll love getting to hear it.

Our Letter Writer of the Month for April is Member No.1339 - Sherry.

"I would encourage anyone to try writing without prompts from AI, to take the time to think about the little things they experience that someone who doesn’t live near them would spur their imagination to describe. Not just the big things but the little everyday thoughts & things that are sometimes lost in busy lives but make up who we are & the places we call home & visit."

Name: Sherry
Age: 64
Job Title: Yoga Instructor and Business Manager
Location: Washington, USA
Member since: October 2025

Tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in letter writing?

I started writing letters to my grandmothers & great grandmother when I 8 & kept writing into my 30’s. Usually just to tell them what was happening. I grew up (until I was 15) on the street was my great grandparents farm & was named after them. I lived close to aunts, uncles & cousins so there was plenty to talk about. I also had a few penpals when I was young, mostly people I met when we used to camp in the summer on the Oregon Coast.

What is it about letters that you think makes them special?

I think letters are important to me because I enjoy writing & usually sit down & get lost in them. I love good pens, nice paper & stickers (the junk journal supplies these days have opened up a whole new world). It uses a different part of my brain than email or texting. Plus I spend most of my day using & dealing with tech, it’s a nice break.

What type of things do you write in letters compared to digital communications?

I am a talker so my letters are more conversational than anything I do digitally. Digital is usually a means to an end & social media is more observations on life & what is happening in the world.

Do you have a favourite letter, either famous or one you have received personally?

I have some letters & pictures my daughter & now my granddaughter have given me. My granddaughter has been quite prolific since living in Germany for the last 4 years. They come home this summer so there will be more pictures & letters when I get to see her every week.

Do you feel any positive benefits to your mental health when you write?

I find sitting to write helps me stay in the moment & relaxes me. I film my beach walks to post to my Facebook feed which does the same thing. Calming, helps to stimulate my memories of what has happened in a specific time frame.

Describe your letter writing set up. Do you have a favourite pen or paper? Where are you when you're writing?

I sit at my desk, move my keyboard out of the way & have a nice surface to write on. I face a window that looks out on trees & a small view of the water (I live on an island in the Puget Sound in Washington State, USA).

What made you sign up to our pen pal club and take a leap of faith by writing to a stranger?

I signed up because I love writing, have been traveling regularly to see my kids & love history & learning about different cultures & countries. My great grandparents were from England (maternal), my great great grandparents (paternal) emigrated from Denmark. I plan on visiting Chatterish in England & doing some searching in Denmark to see if there might be any long lost relatives still there. That was what made interested in signing up, to meet people from different places & learn about their lives. Especially with the world the way it is now, I feel I need the connection.

Do you believe letters still have a place in modern society?

I think there is something you get from a hand written letter that doesn’t translate from digital. And AI can’t physically write a letter so you get to see someone’s handwriting. I feel it’s more personal.

What role do you think letters will play in the future?

I hope that letter writing will become more popular as people get tired of digital everything. I have worked in & with technology since the 80’s & while I love certain aspects of technology, it can be exhausting & not as creative for me as writing.

What would you say to someone to encourage them to give letter writing a try?

I would encourage anyone to try writing without prompts from AI, to take the time to think about the little things they experience that someone who doesn’t live near them would spur their imagination to describe. Not just the big things but the little everyday thoughts & things that are sometimes lost in busy lives but make up who we are & the places we call home & visit.

A huge thank you to our Sherry for her time, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know her! Why not take that leap of faith and join our pen pal club too? We're always open to new members, and you can learn more about the club here.

Letter Writer of the Month - Sherry

Leave a comment