Correspondence

Handwritten letters, mailed to you. A real correspondence, if you'd like one.

What this is

I've been writing letters since before I could reliably spell. I grew up overseas, and mail was how you stayed connected to a person to people who couldn't see you. I never stopped. I've kept up handwritten correspondence across seven countries, more addresses than I can count, and every technology that was supposed to replace it.

When you subscribe, I write to you. By hand, on paper, with a stamp that has to physically cross some distance to reach you.

What arrives depends on the month and on what's worth telling. Sometimes it's a long letter. Sometimes it's shorter, with a drawing. Sometimes there's something else in the envelope. Whatever arrives, it was made with you in mind.

You can write back. You don't have to. If you do, I read it, and it changes what I write next. That's the whole mechanism.

How it works

1. Subscribe. Founding rate below. It's locked for as long as you stay.

2. Send me your mailing address.

3. Mail arrives.

4. Reply, or don't.

What you get

  • Handwritten correspondence, mailed monthly

  • Written to you specifically, not photocopied at you

  • Whatever else fits in the envelope that month

What you don't get

  • A newsletter printed in a cursive font

  • The same letter as everyone else

Founding correspondents

I'm capping this at 30. Not as a scarcity tactic — I write by hand, and my hand has limits.

The first 10 are founding correspondents: $20/month, locked permanently. When those spots are gone, the price goes up for everyone who comes after you. Never for you.

Questions you might have

Is this actually personal?

Yes. That's both the point and the constraint. It's why there's a cap.

How often does mail come?

Monthly. Twelve a year. International mail being what it is, "monthly" is doing some work in that sentence.

Do I have to write back?

No. Some people will, some won't. Both are fine. The ones who write back get a correspondence; the ones who don't get letters. Either way you get mail.

What if I move?

I've moved more times than almost anyone you know. Send me the new address. I'm not fazed.

Where are the letters coming from?

Everywhere. I'm a painter, I've lived in seven countries, and I'm not done. The postmarks will change. That's part of it.

Can I gift a subscription?

Yes. You give me their address, the letters go to them, and the first one explains who's responsible.

Why would I pay for mail?

You wouldn't. You'd pay for someone to sit down once a month, think about you, and write by hand, with no algorithm in between. The mail is simply how it gets there.

Until then,

Jessica

Correspondence is written by Jessica Taylor. Painter, letter-writer, serial emigrant. More of her writing on Substack.