Correspondence

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

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.

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.

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. Your address is collected at checkout.

3. Mail arrives.

4. Reply, or don't.

What you get

• Handwritten correspondence, mailed monthly

• Written specifically for you, never photocopied

Founding correspondents

I'm capping this at 40. I write by hand, and my hand has limits.

The first five people become founding correspondents: $30/month, for as long as you stay. After those spots are filled, correspondence is $50/month.

Questions you might have

Is this actually personal?

Yes. Every letter is written by hand for one person. In a world where everything is increasingly mass-marketed, this is about someone seeing you.

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. 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, 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.