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October 17, 2007
Rick Schrager's Letter Project
When we first incubated the idea of the Modern Letter Project, we set about investigating what letter projects already existed, and how ours could revive letters in a new way. We wanted it to be international, we wanted it to be fun, and we wanted it to be creative. It's important to us to have a dialogue with our letter-writing pals, and the internet allows us to do that--and we want people who are writing letters to experience the give and take of a hand-written exchange.
One of the projects we discovered is Rick Schrager's The Letter Project. The idea is simple--far simpler than the Modern Letter Project: email Rick your name and address, and he will send you a letter. That's it!
Rick writes, "I started this project after listening to an inner and insistent voice encouraging me to encourage you to keep letter writing alive. The project has a hidden plus for me. By crafting these letters my letter-writing skills are less likely to gather moss. Unless you are very specific in your request, I get to create the contents on my own accord. This being the case, your letter may contain things as banal as descriptions of what I encounter on my ride to work, abstruse quotes from ancient texts, or, something as simple (and useful I might add) as my recipe for the world's best cheese-steak sandwich. I might even be inclined to fabricate a tale or two, just to keep things interesting. The letter you receive should be as convivial for you as it is fun for me to write. After you read your letter you can choose to reply, or not, this is entirely up to you. "
Some of our participants have voiced concerns about sending out far more letters than they receive. Perhaps those adding to pad their numbers of letters received can sign up for Rick's great project, and find one more pen pal in this great wide world.
Visit The Letter Project.
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