How to Write a Postcard Worth Remembering

When was the last time you got a postcard design in the mail? Or let alone write one?

Some people might think you’re being ridiculous for using up your resources to write one. But truth be told, there’s something sweet and memorable about postcards that some people fail to appreciate. Not only are they appealing to look at, but they’re also quite meaningful. You could even use them as a bookmark, a Christmas tree decor, or something to put up on your fridge for display.

But as simple as a postcard can be, people still struggle with what to write on it. To help you out, here are a few tips on how to achieve that picture-perfect postcard for your loved ones:

Gather Physical Addresses of Your Recipients

Not to sound like some sort of a stalker, but how do you suppose postcards reach their respective recipients? Sorry to burst your bubble, but owl posts only exist in the world of wizardry.

Start by making a list of the people you want to send postcards to, it could be your friends or family members. After which, it would be best to send personal messages online or through a text to ask for home addresses, for privacy and security reasons of course. Once your list is filled with addresses, save it in a Google document or keep it somewhere safe. But if you’d rather make it a surprise, ask for one’s address indirectly by looking for a sneaky way to do so. It might seem like too much effort, but everyone loves a good surprise.

Pick Out the Right Postcard

The kind of postcard you pick out would solely depend on the situation you are in. If you’re making postcards for the holidays, a personal family photo would be the most festive way to do so. But if you’re looking for travel postcards, it might be necessary to run to the nearest store to find a really good one.

• Choose the ones with high-quality images and graphics. For travel postcards, you’d want to capture the beauty of the location you are in, whether it focuses on scenery or culture. Take the time to actually look at what is featured on the postcard before you decide on spending good money on it.
• Look for high-quality, full-color, glossy printing postcards. In terms of visual impact, these postcards take the crown. And thanks to the advancement of technology, they don’t cost as much as they used to.
• Go big or go home. Always go for the oversized, 6×11 (or more) postcards. Not only do they stand out, but you also have enough space to insert a few photos, coupons, and what not.

Finally, the postcard you pick doesn’t really need to be perfect in every aspect, especially since you’re sending it to people who are close to you. If you’re one with an outgoing personality, postcards with cheesy typefaces and witty captions would be a perfect choice.

Practice Writing

Not to say your handwriting is hideous enough that it needs some extreme polishing, but you have to remember that once it’s written in ink, there’s no turning back.

Living in the age of technology, we probably spend more time typing on an electronic device than writing on paper. You could try to freshen up your penmanship by practicing on a piece of scratch paper. It’s important to consider the size of your natural handwriting to assess whether or not it would fit on your postcard. It would be best to use a nice fine-point pen in writing to make your message appear visibly and legibly as well.

Keep it Brief

Ever heard of writer’s block? Believe it or not, but some people also face this problem when writing a postcard message. Then again, it’s easy to see why.

Sometimes, we know what we want to say but experience difficulty in actually expressing it with words. To help you out, here are a couple of ideas on what to write:

• Share some interesting facts about the place you are in.
• Tell a short story about the good and bad experiences of your trip so far.
• Write about your current sentiments and your reason for writing.
• Recall childhood memories you share with the person you’re writing to.
• Start off with a really bad, but extremely relevant to your situation, pun.
• Say something in the language of the place you are in. If you’re somewhere that speaks the same language as you do, try adding a few local slang words you just learned.
• Write a poem or make your own. Not only is this fun to do, but it’s really sweet too!

Remember, the content of your postcard would also depend on who it’s addressed to. Family members would want to know how you’re doing, while close friends would rather get some inside scoop on the fun, crazed details of your midnight rendezvous with some locals. Regardless of what you choose to write, just make sure it’s everything you want to say for the time being. Try to avoid long paragraphs as well, as this can take up too much space and the reader could overlook the central point of the postcard.

Photograph Your Postcard Before Sending

This is optional, but it can be a good form of memorabilia to treasure in your end. Unlike emails and other digital exchanges, once you send a postcard, you lose a copy for yourself. This might even come in handy if your postcard gets lost in the mail, at least you have clear proof that you cared enough for a person to send them a postcard. It would also serve as an advantage in the future, just in case you forget to sign the postcard with your name and the receiver would need to know what it looks like.

At the end of the day, postcards are more than just paperboard pieces used as a unit for communication. In an era of instantaneous digital messaging, there’s something heart-warming about postcards that senders and their recipients can appreciate. After all, there might come a time when physical letters, newspapers, greeting cards, and thank-you notes would be replaced by all things digital. So why not make the most of what we have now, right?