Historical Pen Pal

[Nonstickron]

So, here's a crazy idea I had.

 

I just got my first fountain pen (not counting crappy cross pens I got from Walmart in my teens) and I'm a bit sad I don't have a reason to write more. So journaling in some fancy leather bound notebook sounds nostalgic and romantic, but writing a journal is dumb cause somebody will end up finding it and reading something you wrote about them when you were upset about something... or using personal info in it against you when you run for office or something.

 

Getting letters is nice, but even email is dead nowadays with the prevalence if chat apps. Plus once you wrote someone. Couple times you'd kinda run outta (bleep) to say. And the reason for that is our lives are boring aside from catching someone up on our day to day drama.

 

But...What if we weren't boring American suburbanites? What if we were interesting historical figures. What if we picked one, and researched them, and wrote to each other as if we were them? Stayed entirely in character.

 

I'm picturing Genghis Khan and Alexander The Great as penpals. Does that sound fun to anybody else?

[Mezzie]

That sounds AWESOME.

 

I do not use all caps lightly.

[CraigR]

Welcome to FPN and the wonderful and wacky world of pens, papers, inks and creativity.

 

A number of years ago, I heard tell of a couple of older geezers (I are one) started a pen pal relationship with each other but with an interesting twist. They each assumed a historical personality. Not a known person, but actually concocted the person from scratch using a certain period in time as the basis. I don't know the details, or at least can't remember them but it sounded like a great idea - as does yours! The possibilities would be endless and far from boring I would think.

 

You should continue to get something like this going and keep us up to date on it.

 

Best wishes,

 

Craig

[Nonstickron]

After some googling this is called a "Ghost Letters" penpal. I'm not sure the Snail Mail Writing List is the appropriate place to show interest in this. A personal bio/intro might actually take away from this concept. Any thoughts?

 

There are several results on google when searching for "interesting historical figure", many in top # list format.

[pen2paper]

Made me chuckle.. since this forum is quite global, but perhaps, still chuckling, you're suggesting that only Us boring US burb dwellers may participate?

 

Actually, I do dress in period garment or costume during history based collectible programs. But, have yet to adopt a persona. A fellow I knew in school is a living historian, which is great fun... but when I've given thought to whom I might portray???, I sort of stop short when considering their foibles.

 

...have recently mulled developing a study page on Lydia the seller of purple, which would be a stretch for me.

[Nonstickron]

Well no, anyone could obviously participate. I just assume life here is more uniformly distilled. But this is due to my own inexperience with travel or worldliness. Please disregard that detail.

[pen2paper]

take that as a cheerful comment, not criticism

[Nonstickron]

Of course. Care to play anyone?

[Kosmic-kowgirl]

this is brilliant! I could finally be called "Your Majesty" and say things like "Off with thier head!" Lol,jk. But this could really be fun!

[Runnin_Ute]

This does sound kind of fun.......

[LisaN]

...They each assumed a historical personality. Not a known person, but actually concocted the person from scratch using a certain period in time as the basis.

Craig

We do something like that in my family but it's somewhat unintentional.

The holidays are ummm... interesting.

[Nonstickron]

I'll probably draft an initial letter, I can send out to several people, as a way to get the ball rolling, once I decide on a character or characters. Vlad the Impaler could be fun, but not for those with delicate sensibilities. I DO find him fascinating. I may select a few different personas and let people choose who they'd like to have as a penpal.

 

I've never had reason to visit the biography section of the library, I might take a trip over there this weekend.

 

A couple people have asked me about the rules, as far as who you choose, and if they're real people or not. There are no rules, as it should be in anything you do for fun creative expression. After all any persona you decide to portray will be fictional, even if it's based on real historical figure, since the best we could do is attempt to BASE the persona on them. From there its all fiction.

 

I've certainly never done this before, so we are just making it up as we go. Just keep in mind that the goal is to present something interesting that will elicit a response.

 

Also something to consider, is the initial communication. The icebreaker for the characters. Do we just jump in blind with them, as if THEY have a new penpal, regardless of differences in the eras they may come from? Or do we want to establish a connection before hand, to give them some common ground to stand on from the get go...(ie Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth)? I have no idea. Either way could work probably, might be good to get on the same page with the person on the receiving end of your correspondence on this though.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nonstickron

[Paddler]

Even more fun would be to make your own life interesting enough to write about.

 

. . . or, you could make an interesting read by describing something mundane in an interesting way.

[Nonstickron]

Even more fun would be to make your own life interesting enough to write about.

 

. . . or, you could make an interesting read by describing something mundane in an interesting way.

 

There are fine reasons not to talk about yourself. Getting personal with people you don't know may make you uncomfortable. You may have more responsibilities than opportunities to "make your own life interesting enough to write about" and spend most of your day in a cubicle, and then chasing after kids when you get home, leaving you no time to "make your life interesting". You may HAVE what others may consider an interesting life, but maybe it bores you to talk about yourself. You may just like the concept of playing a character from history, and having an excuse to research interesting people. Etc.

 

I, however, do believe you have a great topic idea for another thread.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nonstickron

[Notgatherox]

I would love to participate in something like this! If this takes off, I am so becoming a Chinese royal! Seeing how there was the imperial system in China for over 2000 years, finding an emperor to write on (especially the famous ones) wouldn't be too tough XD

 

 

~Epic

[Nonstickron]

Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

Sir Francis Drake

Darwin

King Tutankhamun

Blackbeard

Alexander The Great

Send me a PM with who you'd like to correspond with, the character I'm writing to, and your address. I'll accept the first 3 requests, for now.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Nonstickron

[Paddler]

 

There are fine reasons not to talk about yourself. Getting personal with people you don't know may make you uncomfortable. You may have more responsibilities than opportunities to "make your own life interesting enough to write about" and spend most of your day in a cubicle, and then chasing after kids when you get home, leaving you no time to "make your life interesting". You may HAVE what others may consider an interesting life, but maybe it bores you to talk about yourself. You may just like the concept of playing a character from history, and having an excuse to research interesting people. Etc.

 

I, however, do believe you have a great topic idea for another thread.

Ah, shuttling between the prairie dog town and the peewee football field. You could write a series. Call it "Letters From Inside the Biological Trap".

[Notgatherox]

 

Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

Sir Francis Drake

Darwin

King Tutankhamun

Blackbeard

Alexander The Great

Send me a PM with who you'd like to correspond with, the character I'm writing to, and your address. I'll accept the first 3 requests, for now.

 

 

Do you still have space for one more here?

 

 

~Epic

[Nonstickron]

 

Do you still have space for one more here?

 

 

~Epic

 

Indeed I do. I'm researching Sir Francis Drake for correspondence with another person though, so would probably make sense to stick to that now. To reduce the amount of homework, become comfortable with that character and identify with him more fully, etc. Does that sound ok?

Edited July 11, 2014 by Nonstickron

[Notgatherox]

 

Indeed I do. I'm researching Sir Francis Drake for correspondence with another person though, so would probably make sense to stick to that now. To reduce the amount of homework, become comfortable with that character and identify with him more fully, etc. Does that sound ok?

 

Yeah sure, I'll pick a Chinese Emperor

 

PM you my address and all soon. I'll start the ball rolling, since you're researching Sir Francis Drake now, I should have some info on the emperors on hand...

 

 

~Epic