A Letter a Day
Thirty days of writing exercises that prove a blank page is a lot less frightening when it's addressed to someone.
Each day for thirty days, you'll get a short letter-writing prompt: someone or something to address, a form to try, a moment to put into words. There's no marking and no feedback. The point is to show up and write a letter, not to produce a polished one.
Some days lean toward a specific occasion (an apology, a thank you, a complaint you'll never send). Others focus on who or what you're addressing (a stranger, a place, your future self) or a playful constraint. Every so often there's a lighter day built around rereading what you've written so far, but you'll still come away with a new letter.
It's a lighter-touch course than some of our others: daily prompts and an optional tracker to log what you write, without check-in emails or streak reminders along the way. None of the letters need to be sent, this is about the writing, not the sending.
How does it work?
After enrolling, you'll have access to Day 1 straight away. Each day after that, we'll email you to let you know the next prompt is ready, and you'll log into the course to read it.
There's no need to keep pace with the calendar. Everything stays available once it's unlocked, so you can catch up or work ahead, and you'll have lifetime access to all thirty days.
Most days take ten to twenty minutes, prompt included.
This is a one-off purchase, not a subscription. You pay once and keep the full course, including all thirty prompts and your tracker, for good.
For more information, see our FAQ below.
Course level: Aspiring, Emerging and Developing
Writing NSW members receive a $5 discount. Email Writing NSW for your discount code. Not a member? Join here.
FAQ
Do I need any writing experience?
No. This course is designed for total beginners and experienced writers alike. Every prompt explains what it's asking for, no prior experience with letter writing is assumed.
Do the letters need to actually be sent?
No. Most people won't send most of what they write, and that's completely fine. A letter is simply a piece of writing addressed to somebody, real or imagined, living, distant, or gone. Whether you send it is entirely up to you.
Is this a subscription?
No. It's a one-off purchase. You pay once and have lifetime access to all thirty days.
Will I get feedback on what I write?
No. This is a self-directed course, not a tutored one. If you'd like structured feedback on your writing, Writing NSW's tutor-led courses are designed for that.
Do I have to write every single day?
Not at all. If you miss a day, nothing is lost, every prompt you've unlocked stays available, and you can catch up or work through the month at your own pace.
Are there check-in emails or reminders?
You'll get a daily email letting you know each new prompt is ready. Unlike some of our other on-demand courses, there are no extra mid-point nudges or streak reminders, this one is designed to be lower-pressure.
What's the tracker for?
An optional personal log to note what you wrote each day, if you'd like one. It's for your own use only, nothing is submitted to Writing NSW.
Who is this course for?
Any writer curious about letter writing, whether you write letters often or haven't written one since school, looking for a low-pressure daily practice for a month.
Your Instructor
Writing NSW is the state’s leading provider of services to writers, including courses, seminars and workshops, writing groups, festivals and events, grants and prizes, and information and advice. A not-for-profit organisation formerly known as the NSW Writers’ Centre, we have been providing quality support to the writers of our state since 1991.