Postcrossing Blog

The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

This month’s writing prompt was suggested by a member on the forum, and I had to have a bit of a think about how I’d answer! So we’re very curious about this one… what’s something you wish you had the courage to do?

In general, I’m pretty content with my life and don’t have a lot of regrets. That’s not to say I’m not scared of doing stuff—there are a lot of things I found difficult to start doing, like the volunteering work I did with the Royal National Institute for the Blind in the UK, or high-end raiding in Final Fantasy XIV, or applying to a dream university for further study. But I had to have a good think about something I still haven’t done because I was scared.

In the end, I think my answer is: more travel! I’ve been to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Canada and the US, and of course I’ve travelled within the UK. But I’m a bit of a homebody and I don’t travel a lot, even though there are places in the world I’d love to visit, like Germany, Greece and more of Italy… Since I mention in my profile that my wife and I like to visit zoos when we travel, I’ve had a lot of postcards suggesting destinations, and it’d be great to visit some of them, too!

It’s not impossible that I’ll travel again in future: maybe I’ll pluck up the courage someday. Where would you recommend I go, as a bookish person who likes museums?

And of course… if you’re stumped for what to write on your postcards this month, you can take this as your theme! We’d love to read your answers on the blog as well: what have you wanted to do that you’re scared to actually try?

The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

Have you ever thought about what a biography of you would be called? Or what the individual chapters might be called? We got an interesting prompt on the forum from Simi_91 asking about that:

For me, I definitely think that the title of my memoir/autobiography or a biography of me would have to be something to do with books. For some reason I always think about the nursery rhyme, 'The House That Jack Built'… something like 'The Person That Books Built’ seems pretty apt. Books have always been a massive influence on me, after all.

I even wonder if the chapters should be named after specific books. Given that I ultimately ended up doing a degree in Infectious Diseases because of David Quammen’s book Spillover, for example, maybe the title of the chapter that just ended in my life should be 'David Quammen’s Spillover', and end with my graduation. It’d certainly make the point about how important books are to me, and previous chapters would include 'J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings' and (when I was much younger) 'Hazel Edwards’ There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake’!

As for the current chapter, well, that probably remains to be seen, really! My friends are taking bets on what I might study next and when, but I might just take a little break and spend lots of time reading everything I can get my hands on. Inspiration might be just another book away…

We’re very curious to hear ideas on what you’d call the current chapter in your own lives! You can comment here if you want to share more widely, and/or use it as a prompt for something to write on your postcards if you’re stumped!

The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

How much do you know about the history of your own country? There are things that every schoolchild seems to be taught, for every country: in the UK, I think everyone is taught that 1066 was the year of the Battle of Hastings, for instance. But we don’t always learn the little things, the quirky facts, the odd corners of a country’s history. So this month’s writing prompt is a chance to share what you know!

In Wales, between 1839 and 1843, there was a series of protests collectively referred to as the “Rebecca Riots”, which resonated throughout Britain (the illustration I found and included here is apparently from the Illustrated London News, as late as 1855!). The protests were directed at toll-gates, during a time of low prices for farming products coming right after a famine. To pass the toll-gates to take goods to market to sell, the farmers had to pay high fees, which weren’t adjusted according to the hardship people were experiencing.

In response, farmers dressed as women, calling themselves “Rebecca’s daughters”, and marched to the toll-gates. At the gate, one of the group would act as “Rebecca” and lead a sort of mini-play ending with the “daughters” forcing the gate open to let Rebecca pass (and usually trying to destroy it so it couldn’t be immediately closed again).

The Rebecca riots occurred in a really serious context, of course… but it’s still rather cool to picture these burly farmers dressing up in women’s clothing as a way to protest and destroy the toll-gates. In writing this post, I learned that it was likely linked to methods of community justice called Ceffyl Pren; apparently getting dressed up in women’s clothing in order to hide their identities was a key part of how communities regulated themselves and called out bad behaviour. I don’t know how much it would’ve really helped to hide people though. I feel like I’d still know my neighbour even if he wore a dress!

Is there anything quirky you know about your own history? Some little-known fact, or something everyone in your country learns about in school? Let us know! You can write about it in the comments here, as always, or use it as a prompt for something to write on your postcards this month!

The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

February already! I hope 2026 has been treating people well, and that you have all been getting some really fun mail. Not many postcards so far for me, but plenty of books, so I’m happy…

Anyway, looking at my calendar, it turns out that Pancake Day (as we call it in the UK—also known as Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, etc) is in February, and that brought this prompt to mind for reasons that will become clear fairly quickly: what dishes are you great at cooking?!

Okay. Confession time it is: I can’t really cook. When fending for myself, I usually put pre-made things in the oven, like a pie or pizza or something. However, the one thing I taught myself from a student cookbook has fairly reliably been a hit, when I actually achieve it: pancakes! Specifically the thin type, as in this photo I found (not my pancakes, alas), which can be rolled up and eaten with a filling. (Nutella, how I love you! Though I also like maple syrup or lemon and sugar with them.)

I don’t have a special recipe or anything like that, so I have to conclude that part of the great reception is actually surprise that I’ve actually bestirred myself and made something from scratch… and the pancakes my dad and my wife make are both better, in my humble opinion. Still, it’s proof that possibly with the guidance of a cookbook and a quiet kitchen, maybe I’m not unteachable!

Alright, now it’s your turn! What are your go-to meals, your signature dishes? Feel free to share the recipes and make us all feel hungry. You can let us know in the comments here, and use this as a prompt when writing postcards this month!

The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to visit another planet? Aficionados of sci-fi and fantasy have probably thought about this already, and probably everyone who ever dreamed of being an astronaut… so we thought it’d be interesting to ask about the planets that everyone would love to visit!

Those who’ve been reading my writing prompt posts for a while probably already know that I’m a huge fan of the massive multiplayer online roleplaying game Final Fantasy XIV (don’t worry, I won’t launch into the full joke/meme about the extended free trial, etc). It’s a world “I” spend a fair amount of time in as my avatar, the Warrior of Light, getting up to all kinds of adventures—learning a dozen different fighting styles from mage to monk, becoming a master crafter, catching all the “Big Fish” the game has to offer, etc, etc. (I’m a terrible monk, though.) So I think it’ll have to be my choice now!

There’s so much variety in the world of Final Fantasy XIV, after all, starting with Eorzea (where the story begins) and spreading across the world to Tural, the home of the most recent expansion. There’s something for everyone, and while I don’t possess the skills of a Warrior of Light, I’m pretty sure no one could object to me slipping into the huge library in Old Sharlayan and finding myself a book (or two, or three). And surely I couldn’t get into too much trouble if I took ship for Tuliyollal, to indulge in what look from the cutscenes like truly awesome tacos.

Of course, there are so many other worlds I’m a fan of from fiction, from various fairylands to utopian societies on planets orbiting stars we can see in our night sky. But I’m a humble and unadventurous soul, really, so curious as I am, I’d have to leave the heroics to someone else… but what about you? Is there a planet you’d love to see, and would it be full of adventures?

You can share in the comments here, if you like, and use this as a prompt when you’re not sure what to write on your postcards this month!