F I F T E E N

Happy Birthday To Us!

The first Letters of Note blog header, September 2009. I wrote “Letters of Note” approximately fifty times, and this one was the least terrible.

Precisely fifteen years ago, in September of 2009, I hit “PUBLISH” on the first ever Letters of Note blog post: a rejection letter from Disney to a young, aspiring animator who was being told to aim for a less creative role because, well, she was a woman. I thought perhaps a few family members might read it, nod politely, and that would be that.

To my eternal surprise, the internet had other plans, and my obsession was embraced.

Since that day I’ve shared letters that have made me laugh out loud, cry like a baby, and ponder the complexities of life. We’ve peeked into the minds of presidents, artists, freed slaves, soldiers, architects, mothers, fathers, and even a cartoon character. We’ve learnt how to begin a letter, how to end a letter, how to resign, how to say no, and how to send thanks—or, in some cases, how not to do those very things. On occasion we’ve looked at the letters of the greats, including Kurt Vonnegut, Frida Kahlo, E. B. White, Dylan Thomas, and many others. Other times we’ve wished letters a happy birthday. Every now and then it’s simply time for a mixed mailbag. Elsewhere, always through the lens of the humble letter, I’ve looked at marriage, postscripts, depression, prison, typewriters, love, rejection, writer’s block, growing old, money, grief, cats, dogs, birds, and getting drunk. At one point I experimented with AI. The list really does go on.

And there have been books. Quite a few of them. And a star-studded live show that has raised money for various vital charities and continues to capture the imaginations of people who might otherwise have missed these remarkable letters.

In short, it’s been a journey, and your enthusiasm and shared passion for these windows into the past have made it extraordinary. Not to mention your suggestions, which have widened my horizons. So, at the risk of over-egging this, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you. Whether you’ve been with me since that nervous first post or joined somewhere along the way, you are the reason I still hit “PUBLISH.”

Here’s to the next fifteen years.

Gratefully,
Shaun

P. S. Please continue to forward this newsletter to others. Buy the books for your friends. And if you’re willing and able, please consider becoming a paying subscriber or making a donation. The realities of life mean that without support from its readers, this project can’t continue.