Have you ever checked your nation’s notifications and saw you got a telegram, only to find that this telegram was little more than an impersonal mass telegram or promotional message? Have you ever wished you could receive an actual letter from someone, one on one?
With this Pen Pal program, Home Affairs staff will send out individual, personalized telegrams to selected nations active on the RMB. We will be working with the Gameside Advocates to spot promising nations who would likely appreciate and respond well to a personal telegram. I will periodically be compiling a list of possible recipients, and then assign one Pen Pal to each new nation suggested by the GAs.
A Pen Pal’s responsibility is to research the post history (both on the forum and RMB) of their assigned nation and to draft an introductory message tailored to their recipient’s interests and personality. These introductory messages should include open-ended, leading questions such as:
“What brought you to NationStates?”
“What do you like or dislike about TNP?”
“Are you interested in nation RP?”
“What sort of things would you be interested in getting involved in?”
“Is there anything you’d like to know more about?”
The introductory message should also include some basic information about getting involved in our region, such as the link to our regional Discord, or, if they have yet to register on the forum or apply for citizenship, an encouragement to put in their application along with the corresponding link to the citizenship application thread. If you have trouble or would like for someone to proofread your telegram prior to sending, I or any of my Deputy Ministers (currently BluieGamer and BMWSurfer) will be ready and happy to help.
If you receive a reply to your introduction telegram, that’s awesome! Continue to engage your new friend in conversation, and help them find their way around TNP. If you don’t, do not worry. That will always be the case sometimes with outreach, but the important thing is that a line of communication was opened and the nation you telegramed will know that there are others who would like to talk to them and assist with their endeavors in NS.
There won’t be any single template or format for these messages- this is an opportunity for you to showcase your writing abilities, and for you to craft a sincere message for each individual you telegram. Because this is all based on the actual NationStates website, you do not have to be a forum mentor to serve as a Pen Pal- all you have to do is respond below in this thread expressing interest in the program, and I’ll add you to our list of Pen Pals.
With this Pen Pal program, Home Affairs staff will send out individual, personalized telegrams to selected nations active on the RMB. We will be working with the Gameside Advocates to spot promising nations who would likely appreciate and respond well to a personal telegram. I will periodically be compiling a list of possible recipients, and then assign one Pen Pal to each new nation suggested by the GAs.
A Pen Pal’s responsibility is to research the post history (both on the forum and RMB) of their assigned nation and to draft an introductory message tailored to their recipient’s interests and personality. These introductory messages should include open-ended, leading questions such as:
“What brought you to NationStates?”
“What do you like or dislike about TNP?”
“Are you interested in nation RP?”
“What sort of things would you be interested in getting involved in?”
“Is there anything you’d like to know more about?”
The introductory message should also include some basic information about getting involved in our region, such as the link to our regional Discord, or, if they have yet to register on the forum or apply for citizenship, an encouragement to put in their application along with the corresponding link to the citizenship application thread. If you have trouble or would like for someone to proofread your telegram prior to sending, I or any of my Deputy Ministers (currently BluieGamer and BMWSurfer) will be ready and happy to help.
If you receive a reply to your introduction telegram, that’s awesome! Continue to engage your new friend in conversation, and help them find their way around TNP. If you don’t, do not worry. That will always be the case sometimes with outreach, but the important thing is that a line of communication was opened and the nation you telegramed will know that there are others who would like to talk to them and assist with their endeavors in NS.
There won’t be any single template or format for these messages- this is an opportunity for you to showcase your writing abilities, and for you to craft a sincere message for each individual you telegram. Because this is all based on the actual NationStates website, you do not have to be a forum mentor to serve as a Pen Pal- all you have to do is respond below in this thread expressing interest in the program, and I’ll add you to our list of Pen Pals.
