You are currently viewing Let’s Get More Personal: Let’s Engage Outside the Box #penpals
Image by Dmitriy Gutarev from Pixabay

Let’s Get More Personal: Let’s Engage Outside the Box #penpals

Hey, blogging friends, here’s a personal note from me to you today. And the bravery
I exhibit arose after reading a few of you opening up to topics on blogging, reblogging,
publishing, and networking: issues close to my heart.


You empowered me, friends, and
so today, I wish to talk about newsletters.

The way newsletters are thought of in this day and age is geared toward businesses–
a cornerstone of any email marketing strategy. In the words of the Brafton website,
this is what newsletters are:

"A newsletter is a tool used by businesses and organizations to share
relevant and valuable information with their network of customers,
prospects, and subscribers. Newsletters give you direct access to your
audience’s inbox, allowing you to share engaging content, promote sales,
and drive traffic to your website."

Source: https://www.brafton.com/what-is-a-newsletter/

Very interesting. It’s a marketing/networking tool for organizations that wish to
sell you products.

I don’t have anything to market to you, but I hope to promote ideas and sentiments
I consider worth sharing. And whenever I happen upon someone else’s ideas or
products I deem worthy, I want to have a stage where to pass on that information.

In the future, I hope to use this platform to tell you about the Good Books I
self-publish. But in the meantime, I’d like to form meaningful interactions.


If you’ve ever browsed my website, you’d have noticed that I make a big deal about
wanting to start a pen pal connection with my audience. I’ve been in love with letter
writing. And so, when someone in a networking class I took mentioned the trendy
idea of newsletters, I jumped at the thought.


To me, this sounds like writing letters and nurturing friendships–
like what pen-palling is– and right in your inbox!


Do you have an email newsletter?

I do, and faithfully write and send out newsletters to a few dozen
souls who click the reply button to interact with me. What a joy!

In my emails every month, I strive to add value through the exposure I get from
surfing the web– issues I deem helpful to ordinary living. And share photos of my
life and my surroundings. This way, I hope to build trust.

I like promoting my fellow writers’ book-related news best of all, and every month
share brief details of bloggers’ fantastic books, book launches, and such. All books
can be purchased online, and I get nothing but the satisfaction of helping someone out.

I derive so much pleasure from these interactive newsletters whose aim is to spread
goodwill while you and I shorten our distance across the miles in a world we’re told
people are so disconnected.

There’s nothing fishy going on here: I want to share with you the love of letter writing,
share the pleasure such connections bring, and give you something positive to look
forward to monthly. 

*wink* I wish to extend a special invitation to my blogging lovelies to voluntarily
opt-in to receive my interactive newsletters using the sign-up form I provide.

(SPAMMERS NOT WELCOME–
I will scrub you off as soon as I smell you)

Everyone else, you have the option to unsubscribe anytime, no hard feelings.

Sign up to engage and receive a short story of encouragement.

Let’s be pen pals.

Photo: Image by Dmitriy Gutarev from Pixabay 

Thanks for reading & connecting and I hope to see you inside. As always, I wish you miracles.

Publish date: October 24th, 2021
This offer is still valid.

Selma Martin
Follow me

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. Ingrid

    Great idea, Selma! I’ll sign up once I get on my laptop ❤️

  2. SamSahana

    This is an interesting post! I like how you promote your fellow bloggers’ work. It’s a very kind gesture and I truly appreciate it. Oh, I sooo wish I had a pen pal myself 😉
    Writing letters is a real thrill.

    1. Selma Martin

      I totally agree. A real treat.
      And in my time, snail mail was the thing. Such respect for the mail deliverer. 👏 I don’t want to be pushy but if once a month works for you, I’m open for a new pen pal. Just sayin’
      (Though I could very well be your mom) 😀 👏
      Thanks for reading and commenting, Sam. You rock! I bless you (again)

      1. SamSahana

        Once a month totally works for me 😉
        Moms are the best 🥰
        I’m an older teen and my closest friends are younger than 8 or older than 80. I have more “older” (50+) friends than friends my age. So that would be just perfect! 😉😁

        1. Selma Martin

          this reply went to spam. *cry* I just found it. Thanks for acknowledging: Moms are the best, indeed.

    2. Selma Martin

      Hey, Sam, my sweets– I’m picking this up from the comment you left me on the other poem that ‘you loved’ where you talk about starting being pen pals. ‘When do we start,’ you said and I smile big-big. Oh, my princess. Yes. Let’s do that.
      You have two options, my lovely: 1. click on the link embedded in this post. It will take you to where you can opt in to sign up. That’s the preferred option. And when you confirm you get a free short story for your enjoyment. That’s for you to keep.
      2. You can give me your email address and I can add you. But exposing your email address like that is not advisable. Unless, you don’t mind others knowing.
      People who read me here, are safe, methinks, still, Let’s do it the safer way. Yes?
      Let’s be pen pals. xoxo

      1. SamSahana

        Yay!! I’ll drop in my email id! Thank you!!! 💕

  3. rajkkhoja

    This is a very nice post.Beautiful idea. I like

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for commenting on this post. I’m glad you found the idea beautiful. Be well, Raj. Blessings.

  4. Bernie Egerton

    This is so lovely Selma, I look forward to your monthly mail 😊🙏

    1. Selma Martin

      Oh, my sweets. You did? Thanks so much. Yay. You rock, li’l sis. xoxo 💃🏼

  5. Jaya Avendel

    I have just started a newsletter as I have discovered it is a lovely way to communicate directly with people, as well as share news that does not fit as well into a blog post. Love that you explore the reasons why you have a newsletter and link to the post that inspired the thoughts!

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for checking me out and for opting to give me a chance. I usually send out letters late in the month. But this month end, being Halloween and all… I’m debating whether I should send out earlier.
      We’ll see. It all depends on how well I administer my allotted time.
      Things are busy for me in October and with bloggers’ reactions to that blogpost (many have opted in) I’m a bit nervous about what to write about this month. Oh my! 🙈 How to go over that hurdle?! I’m so flattered.
      Thanks for the kind words you bestowed on me. Give me time to digest and find my way to yours. Be well. I wish you miracles.

    1. Selma Martin

      You are by far the coolest, Jeff. Love having a new pen pal. Gosh… so very cool. Thank you, my friend.

      1. Jeff Flesch

        It’s my complete pleasure. Ready to pen pal. ☺️ You’re most welcome. Always.

  6. WildChild47

    I too grew up writing pen-pals – in fact, for many years one of my pen-pals was Japanese, lived in Hokkaido – talk about exotic to a young-ish Canadian girl! It was pretty darn cool. Of course, there were many others too – and well into my twenties, I still wrote letters – this pre-dates all the cyber stuff. There is something so lovely about receiving an envelope, with all kinds of weird and unusual stamps etc., knowing there’s going to be all kinds of wonderful inside – just the “ordinary” – and wow, does snail mail teach you all kinds of valuable things …. like patience and anticipation, excitement etc. Anyhow, a lovely idea, I think, choosing to use a newsletter in a different way – and why not?!? I’ve signed up. And hey, I read in the comments that suddenly you’re feeling nervous about content? JUST BE YOURSELF – this is MORE than ENOUGH – no, I’m not yelling/shouting (the caps and all – just emphasis) … and everything will be all good 😁

    1. Selma Martin

      Bless your heart. Snail mail: what a joy. So glad we’re kindred in that experience as well.
      And now pen pals. Gosh! Beaming like that moon. xoxoxo

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