About ULP
Is there someone, anyone, alive or deceased, that you want to write a letter to or have been wanting to say something to? Sometimes it’s too difficult to come right out and say how we feel, and I have found that letter-writing helps alleviate a lot of emotional pressure. For as long as I can remember, I’ve written letters to people whether it be in my diary or scribbled on a napkin. But I did not send those letters — they were a way to get it all out. I hope I am not alone in that. My wish is for all of YOU to come out with your emotions once and for all, write a letter to the people you wish (or wished) you could tell these things to, and see how you feel afterward. This project is very important to me, and I welcome any and everyone to participate. The letters do not have to be long. Filter through the ones posted on the HOME page to get some inspiration. Experiment with how writing these letters make you feel.
My initial goal was to turn this into a book project and I, thanks to LeClere Books, was successful in this endeavor. The book is available at the Publisher’s website as well as on Amazon. You can expect another book out in 2010.
Inspiration:: After participating in a Family Communication class and watching the movie, “The Land of Women,” I was inspired. I wondered how many letters people have written and not sent or wanted to write and never did. To whom would they write these letters and why were they never sent? I wanted everyone to have the chance to send the letter and have their thoughts read; even if they’re not read by the original person they are addressed to.
This is not a class project. Some University class(es) participate in the project, but the letters will be used for this website and then will be used for publication in the books.
If you are uncomfortable with publication, then please let me know in your submission. Remember, anonymity is respected to all of those who choose to be anonymous — submissions can be however you see fit. There is a “Submit a Letter” tab at the top of the page where you can send your work. Please remember that you don’t have to be a great writer, poet or novelist to submit a letter, the only prerequisite is emotion.
Final thought: Even if this helps ONE person, it’s worth everything we all contribute to it. Think about it.
Express Yourself
© Copyright 2010 Unwritten Letters Project and Alex Boles
Hello,
I thought this was a really cool project when I read about it. Then I actually did one. Words cannot express my thanks for putting the idea in my head. It was a really hard letter to write, but I feel like I have let something go that has been bugging me for almost five years now. I feel healed, and I thank you for that.
I recommend everyone try at least one. For serious.
When I was fifteen years old I was violently assaulted and raped by my boyfriend. I did nothing about it and hid it from everyone. As I got older I told a few people, including my sister, but the pain never seemed to go away. This incident had a huge impact on my life. Years passed (I am forty-one now) and I finally stopped thinking about it. I am on facebook and a few weeks ago a message came from this person asking how I was and requesting to resume our friendship. It was a very glib letter with no mention of the incident that took place, just some veiled references. All the old feelings came flooding back and they were crippling. The letter I sent to you is what I wrote the next day when I was still angry and in shock that this person would contact me as if we were still old friends. I read the letter to my therapist, and she suggested I send it to him… but that would mean he could see my profile and have a glimpse of my life. So I did not take her advice. I did finally tell my mom what had happened. We had a good, long cry and then a good, healing laugh, and I felt a million times better. I never sent the letter because telling my mom and sharing the letter with her made me feel so much better. I didn’t feel the need to respond to him. When I saw your project I thought this would be the perfect place to leave my letter. I am sending it out into the universe without sending it directly to him. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
Sincerely, Kristin
I’ve just found you blog and this project!
I like it a lot! as I see, you’ve managed to do it!
Good luck and many blessings!
Just thought I’d say, I absolutely love the idea of this project. I personally submitted a letter made out of a couple fragments I previously wrote on the subject. Sites like yours give me hope. Keep on doing this great job
Good luck with your book, too. I think it would be very interesting. This website definitely is 
This is an awesome project. It has really helped me express my thoughts and stories.
Where online can we order the book?
The book will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders as well as through this website and my publisher’s website (leclerebooks.com). Thanks for your interest. Should be available by next Wednesday.
hi, I’ve been writing letters all my life. I remember the early ones when I just started writing and lying in the garden sun sharing my deepest feelings with my grandmother on paper. I sent those letters.
I remember letters accompanying my first and very traumatic relationship and the words of love (and obsession in them). I rather forget those.
I remember all the letters and letter books I shared with friends in school and those abroad and always put lots of things in them, made them smell nice and each be more special than the next.
And now, in my box of letters that I’ve kept (only a drop in the ocean of the numerous ones there were), I’ve collected a small fragment of my past. In this box, I have a special place for those that were ‘unsent’. Those I could never send because they were far too intimate to ‘bring to the surface’, ‘break through to reality’ and because I never dared. Also some to people I just lost touch with and never found again. Those are very special to me, mainly because they show the deep pain I’ve felt (among the joy) during parts of my life and because they are often just a line long. Because I couldn’t get the words out. Not even on paper.
Writing letters is healing. And writing, in general, if you heal from the first, is too. For that reason, I want to write professionally in the future and publish my work ideally. I’ve written one book (a diary, for the first) and am on the second (a love story). I really hope to publish one day.
I think this is a great idea and good for this day and age, where a lot of writing and time is spent on a computer and where this has taken over the good old typewriter (before my time!).
I wish everyone who writes an entry on this site, that the hope, the intension, their wish is fullfilled and that they learn through their own letters, to become better, prouder people.. where the world so urgently needs better people. I hope you spread your wings wide and far and reach all corners of the world, even in a small way.
Yours sincerely,
roebok