Writing a letter to a pen pal can be an exciting way to build new friendships and learn about someone's culture that you've never known before. Relationships with pen pals can last for years and may be more intense than relationships with people you meet frequently in real life. However, writing your first letter can be difficult because you don't know the person and want to build a good first impression. By starting your letter with some basic information about yourself, not “flooding” it with too much information, asking smart questions, and writing a relatively short letter, your first letter can be written easily. You too are ready to build friendships that last.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Including Basic Information on the Letter
Step 1. Use the name
You don't have to repeat the name several times in a letter, but of course mention the name in the greeting section. You can also mention his name elsewhere in the letter.
You also need to mention your own name from the start, even if your name is already on the envelope. That way, you can introduce yourself while greeting him
Step 2. Write a simple greeting
Before getting into the main body of the letter, take a moment to greet him, say how happy you are when you write to him, and wish him well. You could write, “How are you today?”, “I hope you are doing well”, or “It is a pleasure to chat with you through this letter!”
The greeting helps the reader move on to another part of the letter, and not immediately know all the details you want to share. Think of the letter as a chat with someone, but only you speaking. Of course you will not immediately start the conversation by telling a lot of information without greeting the other person first
Step 3. Share basic information about yourself
Age, gender, and location (not necessarily full address) can be good basic information because they give you an idea of who you are. From here, you can expand your information by mentioning things like your education or occupation level, family members, and some characteristics about yourself (eg you like to laugh, don't like math homework, or you hold certain beliefs).
- The first letter serves as an introduction, so make sure you write it the way you want to meet someone. What would you say to someone you just met? Tell the same thing to the pen pal.
- Don't forget to take care of your safety if you are young (including teenagers). Talk to your parents before writing the letter, especially before sharing some personal information.
Step 4. Tell us how you found or got to know him
Maybe you use a service or some kind of pen pal forum so it's a good idea to tell us where you found the information about it. At this point, you can say that you've been writing to other people and using a pen pal service for a certain period of time. You can also tell him the reason for sending him the letter.
If there is certain information on their profile that interests you to send them a letter, mention that information and explain why it interests you. Tell him about your relationship with it and ask him to tell you more of the same
Step 5. Be specific about your purpose in writing the letter
You may want to find a pen pal for a specific purpose or reason (eg learning a new language or culture). Therefore, explain your goals to him. Maybe you're just looking for someone to chat with or are moving to a new stage in your life and need support or encouragement. It's a good idea to tell your intentions towards the friendship you want to build.
Don't overdo it by saying that you feel very lonely and need someone to listen to your complaints. Even if you do feel that way, such an excuse will only make the recipient feel uncomfortable and reluctant to write a reply
Step 6. Write the closing section
You have a variety of options for closing a letter, but for a pen pal it's a good idea to thank him for taking the time to read the letter. You don't need to end the letter by saying "Please reply to my letter, please!" or “I can't wait to read your letter!” because things like that make him feel burdened with the "obligation" to reply to your letter. Just say thank you for reading your letter and give a warm greeting (eg “Have a nice day!”).
Make sure you put your signature at the end of the letter
Method 2 of 3: Giving a Personal Touch to the Letter
Step 1. Find common ground
Often times, you want to have pen pals with similar interests. So, tell him some of the things you like and ask him if he likes those things too. To keep your first letter short, you can mention broader interests, such as "I like outdoor activities" or "I enjoy watching events like concerts and plays."
You can mention something more specific, like telling about a band you like, a park you usually visit, or an event you've been to. However, you can also list general and specific interests in one letter
Step 2. Ask some questions
For your first letter, it's a good idea to mention some specific points you want to learn from it. Thus, he already had an idea of when to write a reply letter. However, don't ask too personal questions in the first letter (e.g. “What was the worst thing that ever happened to you?”). Stick to simpler questions, like “What do you enjoy doing on the weekends?”
As a fun option, include a small questionnaire with a few questions or fill-ins that the reader needs to answer. You can add questions like “What books do you like?” or “What is your favorite food?” You don't need to ask serious or profoundly meaningful questions. If you want, ask silly questions like "If you were an animal, what would it be?"
Step 3. Tell me about your daily life
When it comes to choosing a pen pal, it's possible that the two of you lead different lives, especially if he or she is from overseas. Share new experiences with him by telling about your daily life.
- The daily life that you write will also encourage him to share his experiences or his own daily life.
- If he is from abroad, you can ask if the children in his country often do the same as you. Questions like these help create attachment or a sense of community with him. In addition, he can also tell about his daily life that might surprise you because of the similarities or differences.
Step 4. Include interesting attachments
Some items you can include to give it a personal touch are magazine clippings, paintings you drew yourself, favorite quotes, or photos of things you like. You can be creative with this step. There are a variety of options you can include in your first letter to a pen pal.
You don't have to say anything about the included "attachments". This attachment can give a letter a mysterious touch and encourage him to write a reply and ask what you sent him
Method 3 of 3: Building Long-Term Relationships
Step 1. Try to share a photo of yourself together
After texting each other a few times, it would be nice to share some photos of yourself and ask them to send you theirs. You can submit regular photos taken in a photo studio for school purposes or spontaneous photos (eg vacation photos).
- You can also send photos of your home, favorite places, school, or photo copies of places you've been.
- In addition to photos of yourself and places you frequent, you can also share photos of your favorite bands or movies, beautiful views of places you want to visit, or works and paintings you've made.
Step 2. Talk about something more personal
After knowing each other basic information about each other and writing long enough to feel comfortable having a more in-depth conversation, ask more personal questions. Ask him to talk about the problems he faces in life. Ask about her biggest dreams and goals. You can also share more personal details about your personal life. Maybe share some fears you have or problems you've had.
One of the advantages of a pen pal relationship is that you probably won't see the person in person, or at least until the two of you have been writing letters long enough. Because of this, you may feel more comfortable sharing personal things with him than with someone you meet more often
Step 3. Send gifts
In addition to exchanging letters, you can also send gifts for certain occasions, such as holidays or birthdays, or at any time. For pen pals who live abroad, you can send toys or trinkets typical of your area. If you want, try sending each other food that doesn't go stale and hasn't been tried before.
You may need to discuss this by mail before sending anything. Make sure he doesn't mind accepting gifts from you
Step 4. Talk about the big questions
One of the things that can build a strong relationship with a pen pal is discussing some of the deep things that you have in mind. You can ask him about destiny and share your own beliefs. Discuss issues in society that make you sad and say what you hope will change. In the end, the letters you send cover more than the mundane aspects of life, and at this point you will develop a real friendship with the pen pal.
Tips
- Don't write letters that are too long. This letter is an introduction letter. Therefore, do not make a letter that is too long so that the reader does not feel bored or feel that you are too insistent. Since your goal is to build long-term pen friendships, you don't have to tell everything you can think of at once. A letter as long as one page of notebook paper or 2-3 small pieces of paper is enough.
- Don't tell the whole life story. To keep the correspondence going, save some stories to share later. You can give hints, but don't give more details. These clues can entice him to keep writing and waiting for your letter.
- Writing letters to pen pals should be something exciting. Therefore, make sure the letter remains relaxed and don't take it too seriously.
- It's okay to write letters to several people at once when you're looking for a pen pal. That way, if someone doesn't reply to your letter, at least you still have other options.
Warning
- The recipient of the letter may not reply to the letter you send, depending on how you selected it and other factors. Don't be discouraged if you don't get a reply.
- Wait for a reply letter from your pen pal for about 2 weeks. Be patient and send a second letter if you don't get a reply within a few days. Maybe he was busy or the mailing took a long time.
