“One liner” generic postcards

Fairly new to Postcrossing. I always enthusiastically correspond with a letter of substance. Yet, more often than not, I seem to receive one-liners,or rather generic or boring postcards sentiments. I’m sorry, yet I can’t say it any other way. Are there people who just pump out their sent cards with simple one line greetings? These postcards with messages of very few words or those with little significance have been the more the rule than the exception.They are a disappointment to receive!

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I also find a lot of my received cards are like yours - reason for this obviously varies, but in some cases, lack of fluency in English could explain it.

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Remember these are postcards, not letters. There’s only so much you can convey in 3 to 5 sentences eh? - it’s like haiku poetry really.

Many people do have language or literacy issues or just want to keep it simple. For many it’s more about the card than what’s written on it.

People participate in Postcrossing in their own way and there are many, many ways to participate and all of them have value to someone - you have control over how you participate so do what makes it work for you and brings you enjoyment.

You will find people who write more about the card or themselves, but you might want to consider finding some penpals - I did after a time on Postcrossing when I wanted a deeper connection with people.

I still send postcards, but I have a bunch of penpals now where I can have longer, deeper conversations.

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Be happy that you at least get a one-liner. I’ve gotten a few that had no message whatsoever.

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There are a number of options in the various round robins where you can become more involved in deeper correspondence with Postcrossers. For instance, Postcard Diary RR, where you are paired up with a partner for a month of weekly exchanges. It’s nice to get to know another Postcrosser a little more. In the Happy Fat Mail, there are some specific letter exchanges. And so on.
Have a look to see what meets your interests and needs. There are so many possibilities … :partying_face:
Finally, many Postcrossers post invitations for PenPals. You might find some connections through those postings in the Forum.
Welcome to Postcrossing … the possibilities seem endless…

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The most lines I’ve managed to fit in a postcard is 19, but it’s not so easy to read since my handwriting is super tiny! I’m just very excited and I want to explain why I chose that postcard, explain its personal meaning and add information I found on the person’s profile.

Maybe the people who sent you those cards agreed with the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Or they may have health problems but still enjoy sending postcards. Or, as others have pointed out, they may not be as fluent in English as in their own language. Or feel self conscious and don’t know what to say. The possibilities are truly endless.

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Yes, the postcard texts are often quite disappointing. Quite frequently it’s little more than “Happy postcrossing!” and “Hope you like this card”… As if the very act of sending it does not sufficiently express that hope :confused:

But then, traditional postcards are also often written that way - “Best wishes from X sends Y” - at least here in Poland. They’re just like a hardback version of an MMS, saying “Look, this is were I am! Thinking of you!”

And then there ARE also people who manage to write long stories on a postcard. Myself I can squeeze in up to around 200 words - but the record among my received cards was over 400 words. Takes very tiny handwiring, but there are true artists among us :wink:

If you are a writer yourself, you might want to try the Fully written tag or some other content-centered tags.

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I see you’ve “only” received 31 cards. I think, if I pick 31 cards, there is likely one liners as well.
But also some longer, sometimes so long, you can’t read it because part is under post marking.

At a couple of threads there were also part of the postcard message shared here, and how it was interpreted very badly, like the sender intentionally meant to hurt their feelings. (And I think many made assumptions of even worse.) So things like that and cautiousness in general may be reason for people with no good skills in English not write much, in order to not create trouble (especially if people seem overly sensitive.)

Sometimes I write short, sometimes long, but I think generic in any ways, because that is how I am :slight_smile:
if it’s “not generic”, some are annoyed by it.

I’m sure you will get some longer, or even shorter, but very personal and remembrable messages as well. A card from a bunker, a teddy or a cat.

(I looked at you profile obviously, and you seem to use a lot of “&” mark. I know you didn’t ask for my opinion about this, but as for non English speaker, for me it is heavy to read and little confusing, since & is not the same as “and”. (I’ve learned to use it in different way, so I had to go back and forth reading your profile.)

Of course I understand your profile, and I’m not telling to change it. (I’ve got comments on my profile, but it’s mine, I can’t change it to please every one.) Still, because it might be heavy to read for others, they might think, I won’t read this, and then just write short message to get another address.

Also, you mention the generic messages in your profile, not to write such, but I think you can’t force yourself to write something exciting. And, to me, the impression is, you only got so few card, and don’t seem happy. I would know what to write to you, but at the same time I’d think this is soo boringly generic, I won’t write this, this too, what is she expecting…)

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Do not worry, you added in your profile crucial info, so I am sure that you will receive many complex answers.:wink:
I received more interesting postcards since I added some questions. Some answers even touched me, some made me smile.
There will be always people who would prefer to write short and we shouldn’t be harsh on them, we don’t know why. People can have different approach to postcrossing and that’s OK.:slightly_smiling_face:

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as others have said before, there are a bunch of reasons why people don’t write that much. i always write quite tiny and use all the space i have but i don’t expect the same from everyone back. would be a bit boring as well if everyone sends their cards in the same way.
also i don’t get funny and personal with everyone. only when i read someone’s profile and feeling it, you know?

i’m not overly excited when someone only writes ‘hello my name is x and i live in z i hope you like this card’. but at least they took their time to find me a nice card, write something and send it out. and the next card i’ll receive will probably have a longer/different message. i’m sure you’ll notice more variation once you’ve received a bit more cards.

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Hello there- I’ve often shared your sentiment.
It does bother me when I get a one line note. I try and always make an attempt to write a substantive message, although I’m sure there are times when I’m
more in a rush then others. What I would suggest to you is to become active in the forums. In the tags and the round robins you interact with people really passionate about Postcrossing- so much so that the regular postcard traffic isn’t enough for them- and I get much better cards and messages through them.

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Interesting that you have had so many. I will soon reach 100 postcards received and have only had two one liners.

I would recommend just having two or three questions on your profile.

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Postcard writing is like a small conversation with a random stranger for a short moment. I think of it like riding the subway or the bus or waiting in line for coffee. Starting a conversation for a fleeting moment with the pen, a small place to write, a stranger your addressing and your mind.
Writing is intensely personal. What is on your mind at that moment? Are there issues or challenges that you are facing? Is English your first language?

More than anything there is a cultural context to consider. It’s more than what you see.

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A few months ago I received several postcards that were all generic messages, one or two even without message whatsoever. And yes that frustrates me. I consider generic those cards were people introduce themselves too, I find it a bit weird “I am X and I have 3 children and I like reading”. A lot of people seem to confuse the postcard with their profile…(and often they write the exact same thing with the exact same words).
A few months later, I received another series (like many, I receive in batches, which we discuss elsewhere) and all the messages were so lovely and heartwarming. It really is random.

When I get a bit frustrated I just focus on my penpals and postcardpals and people I have a conversation with. Maybe I slow down sending officials and send more to my regular friends, things like that. I think the advice some posts above is good, if you are looking for more connection you can participate in relevant games or get regular swappers/penpals. I like a mix of both: some personal connections, and some randomness from officials.

I write an awful lot and I usually don’t have enough space to say all I want to say. I started writing in capitals because I realised I can fit in more words (of course have to keep it small). I often have to waste a line or two to explain I am not from the place I am sending from, or why I am writing in Russian (to practice) and where I learnt it. That kind of annoys me but it feels weird not to explain, even if they can read it on my profile later.

All in all, I try to remind myself that Postcrossing official is based on randomness, and so you get all sorts. And even if sometimes for a minute I am frustrated about stuff, I remember that I enjoy the randomness way too much to focus on other feelings.

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You know, for all the “received” postcard, even for those who write very little or nothing, I ask them in the “message” if they want a postcard from my area. Almost always I get a positive response. Like a subway, I prolong the chit chat for a few more stops, we say our pleasantries and move on our day.

If it bothers some people to receive some or no writing, I recommend journaling feelings. :+1:

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I recently got my 50th postcard and have had all sorts of versions with it. One card arrived with just the ID and my address pasted on it. Another was filled with very small written long text. Another had a recipe on it, with no name or even a personal word. But most write a few nice sentences and that’s all I expect on a postcard. If you want a longer exchange there is the possibility of a pen pal.

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Out of curiosity, what does “&” mean to you?

As a native English speaker I have only ever known it to mean “and”, so I’m very intrigued by your comment about its alternate uses. :smiley:

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I have received less cards than you. Of the postcards I’ve received…One had no writing at all, just my printed address and beautiful stamps, one postcard talked about the weather, another stamped a message as their English was not so good. I love them all. I recommend penpals if you are looking for more deep and meaningful conversations. I have a vintage postcard from over a hundred years ago and the message on that postcard was only that they “never heard of such a book. I’m coming home tomorrow. No other boat”. I look at the message like a work of art, some people create something elaborate and others go for something very minimalistic.

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For me as someone with language skills, that is as good or bad as google translate and auto fill.
It is sometimes difficult to fit a nice meaningful message on a postcard, especially when handwriting is also not so neat…
But i try to find a nice card and stamp that is “fitting” and the message sometime it works well and sometime it’s more general.
But always with a lot of afford and good intentions…

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In Germany too. I received my first postcards 40 years ago, from family and friends on holiday, and there were fully written cards and cards with just the two usual lines “Greetings from XY, we have great weather, the hotel is good.” :grimacing:

Some people have their approach via the picture, some via the stamps or decoration, some via the message. When your number of sent & recieved cards gets bigger, you’ll see all varieties of Postcrossing. :wink:

I also like writing long messages in English or French because it’s improving my foreign language skills - looking up words and grammar… But I guess it can be stressful for other people who are struggling with foreign languages.

Postcrossing is a short one-way-contact - some people don’t put so much time or work in writing their cards like I do. That’s ok for me. And: They often choose great cards or stamps instead. :slightly_smiling_face:

A long or non-generic message is indeed personal, and sometimes I just don’t feel like it, or the profile doesn’t appeal to me. There are members with a lot of demands what you should tell them about you, but all they’re telling in their profile is their list of postcards they collect. :roll_eyes:

I think it’s kind of unfair to put pressure on other members how they should exercise their hobby. It’s their choice. Honestly, I don’t like reading complaints that someone wasn’t happy with cards they recieved before. I just got this address and don’t want to fret about how I could satisfy this member… :worried:

And since I’ve encountered several cases where people posted photos of the recieved messages on social media, although this is against the Postcrossing rules - I must admit that I’m getting a little bit more cautious of what I’m writing…

But I’d never write just “Happy Postcrossing”. It’s against my writing rules - and I believe in Postcrossing karma. :blush: Send nice cards, get nice cards. Most times, I can rely on it. :wink:

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