If you only have time to read one post in this section of rolling thoughts and prompts on postcard writing here on the Plates website, let it be this one.
Feel free to bookmark this page and come back to the prompts as and when needed.
Creating space
If you’re in a noisy, enclosed environment (e.g. stuck in a place due to COVID-19 movement control restrictions; your favourite cafe space/reading nook is closed; the neighbours are renovating; the) and find it hard to carve out a space to create, here’s what I’ve done:
- Wear earplugs (seriously)
- Put on noise cancelling headphones
- Turn on surround sound
Recommended playlists for options #2 and #3 include (keyword search) “nature sounds” “water sounds” “ocean sounds” and “white noise”.
Finding time
We’re all busy. Busy by our own definitions. Yet there always seems to be time to “play the next episode” or for a habitual phone scroll.
Tally them up and there’s at least two hours right there. If you must, put “postcard writing” in your calendar.
Bonus points if you schedule it as a recurring event monthly/quarterly.
Here are a few postcard writing prompts and practices to try. Use one/all/none at once. You decide.
Write upon waking
If you check your phone from bed, why not try putting pen to paper first thing in the morning? Who knows what the half-awake/half-dream state might bring to your words?
(Also, if you’re self-conscious about any errors that may come through in your half-asleep state, you can always add a postscript telling your recipient about your practice for some “fun facts” / “behind the scenes”.)
Finish these sentences
Pick one and go from there
- At first I thought ____ But then ____ And now ____.
- One thing I learned this week ____.
- The last time I sent a postcard was ____.
- This month I tried ____.
- This month I read____.
- This month I cooked ____.
- Have you ever wondered ___?
- As I walked to ___, I ___.
- I’m looking at ___ and I ___.
- I’m thinking about all the times I ___.
- I hope tomorrow will look like ___.
“Wish you were here”
Describe your surroundings with as much detail as possible: sight, smell, sound and taste. If you have exceptionally small handwriting, you can further explain what you like about it and what you would change or do differently.
I hope these suggestions spark some ideas about the possibilities of putting pen to paper. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to write a postcard.
Whatever you decide to do with your postcard is a personalised message that is uniquely yours, in your handwriting, crafted not for everyone, but someone.
