So, you have a new penpal. You’re ready to send your first
letter and excited to get to know this new person. But the big question,
especially if this is your first time writing to a penpal, is how to start.
Penning your first letter to a penpal can be an overwhelming
experience. You want to introduce yourself, but you don’t want to sound
self-centered. You want to talk about your interests, but you don’t want it to
get boring. Today we’re going to give you a few tips to write a great first
letter!
First off, don’t overwhelm your new friend by giving them
every detail about your life. When you meet someone new in real life, you don’t
get into very asinine details such as your favorite color, the name of your
first pet, or your favorite high school memory. Treat your letter like the
first meeting with a potential friend. Tell them about your hobbies and
interests. Your job or school. Where you live. Just make such not to give too
many details, or they have nothing else to learn about you!
Once you have these personal details out of the way, talk
about what inspired you to find a penpal. It’s not an activity everyone participates
in, but you and your penpal do! It is one thing you already have in common, so acknowledge
it. Discuss why you were drawn to it. Ask if your new friend has had a penpal before.
Don’t make the letter all about you. Make sure you ask some
questions too! A letter should feel like a conversation. Ask about their life
(but keep it general, not too personal). You may ask what they do, what their
interests are, their favorite movies or books, etc. If you already know about
something you have in common, ask some more specific questions about that. You
have to give them something to respond to as well.
It’s also a good idea, at some point in the letter but
generally the beginning, to mention where you got this person’s information.
This is simply polite and we highly encourage you to include this in your
letter.
For the first letter, don’t make it too long. A page or two
is sufficient for an introduction. And, this is important, don’t make them feel
obligated to write back. You don’t want to make this person uncomfortable. The
goal of course is that they do write you, but pressuring them into it isn’t
going to do you any favors.
That’s it! You’re ready to reach out to a new potential
friend. Good luck!
