Letter Writer of the Month - Tessa
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 700+ 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 October is Tessa.
"My favorite letters were always from my dad. He was active duty Navy for most of my childhood and into my young adulthood so our primary form of communication was through letters. This was back in the day- before emails or texts- and phone calls were few and far between as it was very expensive for him to call from a deployed ship. My dad appreciated letter writing so much (still does) and he would fill those pages with descriptions of the places where his ship would dock. It was always fascinating to hear where his travels took him."
Name: Tessa
Age: 51
Job Title: Office Manager and part-time Stationery Store Shopkeeper
Location: South Carolina, USA
Member since: May 2024
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became interested in letter writing?
My name is Tessa Kidd. I've been a devoted letter writer since elementary school. Since I grew up a US Navy brat and we moved so often, I used letter writing as a way to stay connected and keep from missing family members and dear friends. Over the years it also became a way to mark the passage of time and to document my family/children's memories. I love letter writing so much that I started a local "snail mail club" about a year ago. We meet once a month at a lovely, local stationery shop and we dedicate time and space to catching up on our own correspondences while enjoying each other's company and getting to know other letter-writing lovers! It will be a year in September and I've experienced and witnessed some of the most beautiful friendships that have been born because of our snail mail club.
What is it about letters that you think makes them special?
What I think makes letters so special is the fact that it takes the writer's time and energy to craft one so if a letter is written to you personally, it has a way of making you feel loved.What type of things do you write in letters, compared to digital communication?
I write about anything and everything in letters. I feel it's especially important to set the scene - describing where I am when I am writing the letter, what the weather is like, how I'm feeling, or what's on my heart, etc. My goal is to make my recipient feel like he/she is sitting across from me at that moment. I think in comparison to digital communications, letters feel more personal and I approach them with more thoughtfulness.Do you have a favourite letter, either a famous one or one you’ve personally received?
My favorite letters were always from my dad. He was active duty Navy for most of my childhood and into my young adulthood so our primary form of communication was through letters. This was back in the day- before emails or texts- and phone calls were few and far between as it was very expensive for him to call from a deployed ship. My dad appreciated letter writing so much (still does) and he would fill those pages with descriptions of the places where his ship would dock. It was always fascinating to hear where his travels took him.Do you feel any positive benefits to your mental health when you write?
When I sit down and put pen to paper, I can physically feel my blood pressure drop. A sense of calm and peace immediately fills me and I get into a blissful zone. I feel happy because it's as close to sitting down with a dear friend as possible. I have no doubt that there are positive mental health benefits to letter writing.Describe your letter writing set up to us. Do you have a favourite pen or paper? Where are you when you’re writing?
My favorite spot to write letters is mostly at my desk. I have a lovely, vintage roll top desk that has a bunch of drawers and cubbies where I stash all my favorite stationery artifacts. I always feel inspired being surrounded by these found items. I have a small collection of fountain pens and my favorite paper is usually the Japanese Tomoe River kind. I love the feel of my fountain pen gliding across that paper.
What made you sign up to our pen pal club, and take a leap of faith by writing to a stranger?
I signed up for the pen pal club because I wanted to expand my reach. I've had pen pals when I was growing up but lost touch with most of them as we all got older and graduated from high school. I've wanted to rekindle that love of letter writing with more than just my family members so I did a search for pen pals and stumbled across London Letters. I have been happily matched with 3 lovely ladies in the UK. It's very exciting!Do you believe letters still have a place in modern society?
I wholeheartedly believe letters will always have a place in modern society. Just like books. While the world is more digital, I think people will always want the kind of connection that only hand written letters can provide. Likewise with physical books. E-readers are great for travel and portability but most book lovers will agree that nothing can replace the feel and smell of a real book. I think it's the same for devoted letter writers. Emails are great but a handwritten letter is special.What would you say to someone to encourage them to give letter writing a try?
I would encourage someone who has never written a letter to just start. As with anything new, starting is the hardest part but know that with letter writing, it doesn't have to be long or even eloquent, just honest. Simple honesty is where connection begins.
A huge thank you to our Tessa for her time, and we hope you enjoyed getting to know her! Why not try Tessa's chosen letter writing companion and browse our range of fountain pens for your next letter?
Would you like to join our club? We're always open to new members, you can learn more about the club here.