I’ve only been doing Postcrossing for a few months. What I have discovered very quickly:
I love fully written postcards, whether I receive them or write them myself! The more text, the better! But I also like to decorate my postcards (washi tape, stickers, stamps and using more than one stamp). Often there is not much space left to write and I have to shorten my texts and therefore only tell half of what I would have liked to share.
I have bought finer pens and try to write as small as possible, but I personally find this very tiring to write and I am not sure if the recipient will enjoy deciphering my miniature writing
Recently, as part of a tag, I received a postcard where a small envelope was folded from a normal-sized sheet of paper and then glued to the back of the postcard. When unfolded, the sheet of paper was of course many times larger than the postcard and therefore had much more space for text. I thought it was so clever and creative!
I was honestly surprised that something like this is even possible and that you can stick things on the postcard. I wouldn’t have thought of it before and even now I wonder if the post office/sorting machines can actually cope with such glued postcards and forward them? In my case it obviously worked, but I’m not sure whether I should also try it and whether the postcard will actually make it to its recipient.
Do you have any experience in this regard?
Do you have other techniques for adding more text to your postcards?
Do you modify your postcards regularly and if so, how?
If I sense a user wants to read a mini-novel, I’ll select a larger postcard. Coupled with a very tiny artist liner pen, you can write quite a bit as-is.
On occasion, I’ll put a card with a stamp on it inside an envelope with some stationary written on. This is more rare and only typically when someone whom I draw politely requests the added protection of an envelope.
One time I was able to glue on a mini-transparent “laminating” type material for a makeshift pocket, which allowed me to insert a Polaroid. This made it safely roughly 800 miles. I’ve yet to test this specific method internationally, but I’m confident it could be used for additional correspondence. Here in USA since it costs the same to mail a postcard or a letter internationally ($1.45 USD), I don’t believe many people encounter many issues with at most a few pages of correspondence.
There are some reprints of vintage postcards that actually have some additional writing space on the picture side.
And there are modern Polaroid-Style cards, where I also occasionally use the blank space beneath the picture for writing.
In some countries it is also tolerated when you use part of the address space for text - as long as it’s clearly visible where the address is. Here in Poland for instance I can do this - German Post in turn doesn’t accept it anymore.
Another tip would be to use thinner washi tape or regular tape cut lengthwise. This way, you can still have the fun of decorating the card, but it won’t take up quite as much space. Many of the washi tapes I use can be written on, so if you have similar ones you could use them as a “backdrop” rather than a “picture frame”. Additionally, the space on the address side of the card can also be used, as long as the address and the stamps are still clearly visible.
A few times I have taken a pre-printed postcard (picture on one side, pre-printed text that matched the recipient’s interest on the other) and then used a glue roller to stick down the corners of a piece of writing paper over the top of the text. Then I wrote my message, put the address and stamp on the writing paper and sent it off - they have all arrived just fine so far. I always made sure to let the recipient know that they could read more by using a letter opener or knife to lift the glue. This might work for two layers of written text, but I have never tried it. The glue roller I use is called “Pritt Kleberoller”, in case you want to look up what I am talking about - it also works great for attaching old washi tapes that have lost their “stick”.
Other options that may or may not work, depending on the recipient, are larger postcards or multiple cards in an envelope.
Thank you all for your answers and insights on how you handle this. It’s exciting to learn and in fact there were already some points that I would like to try out for my own postcards in the future
I wrote text on a piece of paper, folded it, glued to the postcard from one side and also the folded part stuck with a watashi tape so it didn’t unfold. Watashi tape doesn’t stick strongly so it is easy to unfold it. I think one can also use a congratulation card (you know, the folded ones), write your text, than stick it with watashi tape on the perimeter so that it won’t unfold. The address and marks put at the back of it.
Imho it is part of the game to reduce text and decoration so that it fits on the left part of the text side, is still large enought to be read easily and still makes sense. Yes, that is challenging, for it means I cannot write evrrything I want to, so I have to make a decision.
if writing a long message is the most important thing then I suggest reducing or eliminating the stickers & washi tape unless the recipient asks for those.
This is a small piece of paper and really only meant for a few sentences so I wouldn’t stress over the amount of text
I saw that clever idea in another thread - putting a little envelope on the back. It’s genius and I plan to try it. Since the poster of that comment was from Germany, I was planning to “test it out” on a card going to Germany. I also plan to “washi” around it to make sure no sorting machines accidentally tear it off.
I just got my 150th card this week, and so far only one card has arrived torn, and even then the folks at the post office bagged up the "pieces’ and added an apology note. I taped that sucker back together - kein Problem! (and of course I couldn’t know how many cards may have “expired without reaching me” - always a sad subject.)
I’ve received one card from Latvia. The back was full of beautiful stickers on it so the sender chose to write in a little envelope and put it onto the card. It arrived well and safe, but the envelope broken when I opened it because she sealed the envelope with washi tape firmly
On cards with very little space, I use extra-fine nibs (Japanese EF nibs are really extra extra fine), skinny washi tape, and only the smallest of rubber stamps or stickers. Some time back I bought a bunch of skinny washi tapes and tiny stamps for exactly this purpose. On round robins I often send funny vintage cards, and as they typically have very little writing area, I’ve had to be flexible!
Oh, and sometimes I’ll use a skinny washi tape to create a new border between the address area and the message area. Basically I encroach on the address area to create a little bit more space. Also, if you’re really desperate, you can paste a plain white label over any printed text that may be on the back of your card, just to give yourself even more room to write.
I’ve also received 2 or 3 cards that came with an extra, removable layer of paper (held on with washi), and those arrived safe and sound. But I am nervous about sending my own through the Canadian postal system, as I don’t know whether this trick would work with an outbound card.
P.S. And of course you can just choose a larger card, or put the card in an envelope along with an extra handwritten note (although a lot of people really dislike it when you send a postcard in an envelope, so I never do it unless their profile says they don’t mind getting a postcard that way).
I use my PIGMA MICRON 003 (black, 0.15mm line) for writing very tiny and also to write addresses in chinese and japanese letters in a row. WHen using my normal ballpen it’s impossible.
So when you have a pen with a 0.15mm or lesser, it’s a very good start and chance that you can write more text on a postcard. ^-^
Sometimes - depending of the barcode and other things I want to cover - I spin the postcard. I pass on using stickers because I have more bigger stickers as smaller ones. But I cut my washi tapes and also try to lay on top of each other.
When you can find a square postcard (Edition Gollong offer square postcards with some glitter on it), you can also write more text as on a normal standard postcard.
Hope my experience will help you in the future. ^o^
Different view to this:
I didn’t think ( ): even if the long message can be fun, it can be pain to read to some. Or impossible.
I have had members told me, my writing is so small they needed a magnifying glass to read it, and that they read later, because it’s so small.
As I know how members often don’t say negative (or some could take this negatively) things like this, I assume there are more who thought like this. So, I bought some thicker pens (I used to write with 0.05 tip and 0.02 I guess).
In different topics it often is mentioned how people have disabilities, they can’t type thank you, they can’t cut a card straight etc. so it is reality some people don’t see well enough to read small text, or if there is no “break” so that all is one long text. Not all members have the flexibility in fingers to open small envelope (in the card).
I think, if you like to write, leave the decorations to minimum, or don’t decorate so it takes room.
Maybe glue another colour paper and write message there. I like drawing dots where it write the hello or to, it doesn’t take room, but adds colour.
This is postcrossing site, for postcards, it has limited message area, I think people know they won’t get long letters, they have accepted, or maybe even wanted just small nice messages from someone.
But you also have to pay more postage for them. I think “Großbrief” is the right one for them, so the postage within Germany is 1.60 € and it is 3.70 € internationally.
I put all my decorations on first. I try to put them near the stamp and address (i try not to use any decor with words). This way there is more space. Then i write around the stickers. I place the stickers to the sides of the writing area. Then i can always go back and add my micro star and heart stickies. Hope this helps!
But I also like to decorate my postcards (washi tape, stickers, stamps and using more than one stamp). Often there is not much space left to write and I have to shorten my texts and therefore only tell half of what I would have liked to share.
The address and marks put at the back of it.
): even if the long message can be fun, it can be pain to read to some. Or impossible.