Typewriter Video Series Episode 400: Typewritten Letter Writing

#typewriter #letterwriting
In Episode 400, Joe discusses the wonderful world of typewritten letter writing. Imagine sharing your love of typewriters and writing with fellow aficionados from around the world!
Become a typewriter correspondent at: www.typepals.com
00:00 Introduction
00:35 Paper Quality
03:31 Letterheads
04:58 Corrections
07:43 Personalizations
09:37 Envelopes
13:51 Embellishments
15:52 Organizing
21:00 Addressing Envelopes
22:50 Final Thoughts

[@typepals]

Thanks for the shoutouts, Joe! Dozens of new members have joined from all over the world since you released this video. Much appreciated.

[@burneshollyman2621]

I took your advice and got a pen pal, a fellow typewriter, on Type Pals, who lives on the other side of the earth on a small island off New Zealand. So we corresponded via typed letters and airmail. He has a fine collection of machines as I do. I would only have done this with your channel and discovering Type Pals. It is a blast and super old school. And the stamps are amazing! Best of all, I have made a new friend. We each collect typewriters and do film photography. I use onion paper and old-school "airmail" envelopes. I am starting to use carbon paper so I have a copy so I can remember what we talked about in the previous letters. Thanks!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Much thanks to Gregory Short for starting Type Pals.

[@mx5701]

Regarding corrections: I am member of a thriving penpal community and I send out plenty of typewritten letters due to getting bad handcramps when writing long letters with pen and ink. I correct my letters just as you correct your journals. Lots of XXXXXX. In my opinion, it adds to the handcrafted feeling, the realness, the unedited vibe of a typewritten letter. It's a feature, not a bug.

[@rodjapavlik5730]

Back in the 1980ies, when I learned typing on a typewriter, everbody said that a handwritten letter is more personal and has more style. Nowadays they say the same about typewritten letter instead of E-mails. 😀

[@saulysw]

I can confirm that you write excellent letters, and that they are a joy to receive! Cheers.

[@dianemaher3538]

Congratulations on episode 400 of the TWVS!! I have appreciated your efforts making these videos. They have been both entertaining and instructional. Keep up the good work!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Thank you very much!

[@harleyn3089]

A little off topic, but I'm new to your channel and wanted to say hi. I'm a semi-retired engineer and decided to start writing (again). I might write a book. I was searching for distraction free writing tools like the Alphasmart and Freewrite, and came upon your channel. Based on binging your videos, I just purchased a Canon Typestar 220. It was $10 on ebay, and I think it's in good condition. It's currently on the way. When I was growing up, I hung out in the video game section of Mongomery Wards a lot. Between there and the home audio section, there was a typewriter section. I used to lust over the Canon Typestar 5 that they had there. So buying a Typestar 220 is fulfilling something I wanted as a kid, and hopefully will also be a good tool for writing first drafts. I actually owned a typewriter as a kid. It was a blue and white cursive script manual typewriter. I believe it said "De Luxe" on the front of it. Based on research, I think I had a Olympia De Luxe. My mother gave it to me when she got an electric typewriter. Her electric was a Smith Corona I think. I just remember it being really noisy. The motor was noisy the whole time it was running, and pressing a key made a painfully loud "thwap!". I also wanted to mention.... Target dot com has thermal fax paper in 164 foot rolls, for the typical price of the 98 foot rolls. I am going to order some of those. Thanks for your content. 🙂

[@RyanKnop-eh2fd]

Joe, thank you so much for your videos, I am new to typewriters and through your videos I got the courage to purchase my 1st vintage typewriter, a Adler J 5, which I am loving and have started writing a book!!! Thanks again for your inspiration.

[@elliotwhite32]

Congratulations on 400. Here's to 400 more!

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

Congrats on 400 videos! This was, as always, extremely well done. I like your system of organisation. I particularly like the little notebook to keep a record of correspondence. I make a photocopy of my sent letters and postcards for future reference of what I wrote. You inspired me to sort senders alphabetically. Daniel

[@christophermckellar1352]

Very enjoyable. Thank you.

[@WiseSkies144]

400 videos Joe, congrats, that's a lot of hard work and dedication. Thank you for all the tips and tricks and good ideas. Always enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work. 👍

[@andrewnicholls3730]

I do need to get back into letter writing. It is too easy to use alternative methods of communication which aren't so heartfelt or thoughtprovoking. Good episode for your 400th in the series Joe!

[@olegpostnikov6400]

Спасибо, Джо! Thank you! Subscribed!

[@Channelscruf]

I am what is commonly known in some circles as first. Great video! I always type letters on my Correcting IBM Selectric II. Doesn’t matter what color paper I use, the corrections come out perfect, every time. 🙂

[@Alptraumification]

Amazing information, thanks for letting me know.

[@Channelscruf]

@@AlptraumificationYou’re welcome.

[@nilsastrand8708]

I use to use a carbonpaper when I write my letters. So I can keep a copy for my own. Oterwise I don’t allways remember what I has written. OK? /Nils, Sweden

[@michaelh.gerloff3659]

Remembering what I wrote is the reason why I use Evernote and their simple scanning app. So everytime I answer a letter I read the letter I wrote before. And because I scan the letter and the envelope I had the chance to re-send a nicely designed letter after the original got lost.

[@AtelierDBurgoyne]

I photocopy my letters before sending them off.

[@tomtrompowsky8806]

Hallo, Joe. I must for the Optima defend. It is no Erika; however, it will take the full envelope if you lift the paper conductor, bypassing the guide. Not every Euro-maschine will, but my Elite 3 delivers.

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

Papers matter. 🌎👍❤.

[@AArtVarkVark]

#400 w00t!

[@christophermckellar1352]

Ain’t mail great? Thanks.

[@NUHistorian]

I love those strip stickers, but I can't find anything like that on Amazon. If anyone has a link, please post it!

[@Joe_VanCleave]

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097CVTC7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@Joe_VanCleave]

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089S6ZCQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@upturnedkangaroo]

America really needs to adopt the ISO paper system like the rest of the world

[@larryfromenthal6371]

New to typing world here on computer age. Do u have an address to mail to u ? Thanks.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Sign up to Type Pals (typepals.com) and you can get my mailing address.

[@BoulderJR]

I send with wax seals and have never paid extra including to my son and grandkids who live over seas.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

It all depends on your local post office staff. By postal regulations they can reject your letter if it can’t easily bend through the automatic sorting machines. I’ve had one of mine rejected and sent back to me, of course they didn’t reimburse me for the stamp!

[@BoulderJR]

@@Joe_VanCleave Important to use flexible wax designed to pass through sorting machines. I have mailed 50+ letters without a problem. The type of wax is important. Great channel!