Correspondence

Handwritten letters, mailed to you. A real correspondence, if you'd like one. For me, this is painting, but with words. An extension of my art practice.

What this is

I've been writing letters all my life. I grew up overseas, and mail was how I stayed connected with my friends across oceans. I never stopped. This isn't a card. This is a letter. With sentences and paragraphs.

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

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

Why

Everything I read is written for everyone.

I thought about what I'd pay money for. And honestly, this was it. Something written for one person.

How it works

1. Subscribe.

2. Your address is collected at checkout.

3. Your first letter goes out within five days, then monthly after that.

4. Reply, or don't.

What you get

• Handwritten correspondence, mailed monthly

• Written specifically for you, never photocopied

Cap and price

I'm capping this at 40. I write by hand, and I don’t want to get carpal tunnel.

Correspondence is $50/month.

Questions you might have

Is this actually personal?
Yes. Every letter is written by hand for one person. This is about someone writing with you in mind.

How long is a letter?
It varies. Some run a page, some run four. It depends what's happening, and on what you've told me.

How often does mail come?
Your first letter goes out within five days of subscribing, then 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. Sometimes I might write about the places I visit, in real time.

Can I gift a subscription?
Yes. You give me their address, the letters go to them.

Can I cancel?
Anytime. The letters stop at the end of that month. Anything already in the post still comes.

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.