Postcrossing Blog

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites 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!

We’re big fans of the “Think global, act local” motto, and though we don’t usually read newspapers these days, we still keep an eye on our local news online or through the town’s radio station. While the local headlines are definitely small-scale in the national or global context, the issues covered are interesting and offer a glimpse into the life of the region.

June’s writing prompt comes from Jetske's suggestion on the forum, which resonated with us:

So let’s see… at the time I’m writing this post, the headlines are focused on the prevention of forest fires before summer starts, a controversial new offshore drill off the coast of Algarve, as well as the local soccer team being promoted to the second tier championship over the weekend. Not terribly exciting stuff, but a mix of environmental concerns and entertainment which seems characteristic of our region. I could easily write a bit more about these topics.

What is concerning the people in your area at the moment? Let’s make the world a little smaller by sharing some of the local stories on our postcards this month!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites 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!

These days, music is everywhere in Europe as the continent gears up for the Eurovision song contest taking place soon. Millions of people throughout the world will be viewing the event and cheering for their favorite singers, and this got us thinking about a suggestion from Jetske on the forum:

So, what are your favorite singers or musicians from your country? What makes them special or dear to your heart? Writing about them is your mission for the month of May!

One national artist that we like here at the headquarters is called Rodrigo Leão. He’s an influential musician and songwriter in Portugal, whose best instrumental compositions can easily transport us to a different time and place.

Let’s share our musical heritage on the postcards we write this month… and hopefully finish the month with eclectic and multi-national playlists to write our postcards to!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites 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.

Of all the meals in a day, breakfast has always been my favourite. When I was a kid, it was mostly because of the chocolate milk and bread with marmelada (quince cheese) combo… but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the versatility of breakfast and experimented with other variations of this meal. So I’m very happy about this month’s writing prompt suggestion by ColorfulCourtney on the forum:

These days, I’m all about coffee and eggs. Omelets, scrambled, fried, poached… anything goes! If we’re feeling especially hungry, I’ll do a big pan of shakshouka and pair it with orange juice from the local farmer’s market. Paulo is a fan of fluffy croissants, but those are reserved for special days! 🙂

What about you? What’s your normal breakfast, and what would you consider a treat? Write about it on your postcards this month and feel free to illustrate it with a little drawing, if you feel so inclined. 🍳

Have a delicious month!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites 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!

Another month will soon start and it’s time for a new suggestion for the messages on your postcards! But first, let us ask: did last month’s writing prompt help you unlock some creativity and write more on your postcards? And did you discover any new writers that you’re looking forward to read? Let us know in the comments below!

The writing prompt for March was suggested by nyassa on the forum:

This is such a simple prompt, but so interesting! I’m writing this post from our office, and we use our big window here as a whiteboard, to jot down ideas and things we’re working on… so it’s a bit busy! Through it, I can see the blue sky, the palm trees swaying in the wind across our quiet street, our elderly neighbours walking their elderly dogs… aaaand the mail carrier that has just arrived on their scooter! Time to go pick the mail! 😀

We hope you enjoy this monthly prompt — feel free to take a step further, add extra details, or even draw it on your postcard!

The writing prompts are an ongoing experiment that invites 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!

We’re posting February’s writing prompt a couple of days ahead of schedule because other good things are coming… 😉  Stay tuned!

This month’s writing prompt was suggested by Norway_girl on the forum. Here it goes:

If possible, write about someone whose work you know and enjoy, so that others can discover it too! It could be a contemporary or classical author, or perhaps even a favourite poet, children’s book or cookbook’s author. Make it interesting and help others discover a bit of your country’s literary heritage.

In the past few years, as friends got married and started having babies, we’ve been slowly rediscovering Portuguese children’s books and fell in love with a publisher called “Planeta Tangerina” (Tangerine planet). Their books are filled with beautifully illustrated and irreverent stories, making it hard to pick just one… A particular author of theirs that we enjoy is Isabel Minhós Martins, whose many books are often translated into other languages. “Don’t cross the line!” is our favourite — a quirky story on dictatorship, revolutions and the power of people, taking place in felt-tip illustrations on the left and right sides of each two-page spread.

What about your country? Which authors have you been reading or having fun discovering? Which ones do you think the recipient of your postcard would like to hear about? Don’t be afraid to skip the classics and recommend some little-known authors on your postcards — if you like their works, it’s likely that some other postcrossers will too!

PS – Got some cool ideas for more prompts? Feel free to share them on this forum thread!