Correspondence Policy

Last Updated: July 2026

Correspondence

Friends in Soft Focus began with a simple belief: that correspondence still matters.

Every issue is an invitation—to pay closer attention, to notice something worth keeping, to write back.

Whether it's a postcard, a letter, a photograph, a drawing, a pressed flower, or a passing thought, we welcome responses offered in the spirit of the project.

This page explains how correspondence is handled when it arrives.

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Writing to Friends in Soft Focus

You're welcome to write to us for any reason.

There is no expected format, subject, or outcome.

Correspondence may include:

  • letters

  • postcards

  • photographs

  • drawings

  • reflections

  • observations

  • memories

  • questions

  • creative responses

  • or simply a hello.

Publication

Sending correspondence to Friends in Soft Focus does not automatically grant permission for publication.

If we hope to reproduce, publish, or otherwise feature your correspondence beyond internal review, we will contact you whenever reasonably possible to request your permission.

Whenever practical, we believe publication should remain a conversation rather than an assumption.

Creative Submissions

Occasionally, Friends in Soft Focus may invite submissions for future issues or editorial projects.

Unless otherwise stated:

  • submitting work does not guarantee publication;

  • editorial decisions remain at the discretion of Friends in Soft Focus;

  • contributors retain ownership of their original work unless a separate written agreement provides otherwise.

If your work is selected for publication, we may work with you on presentation, formatting, attribution, and reproduction details before publication.

Original Materials

We deeply appreciate the trust involved in sending something through the mail.

While we make every reasonable effort to care for correspondence entrusted to us, we cannot guarantee the return of mailed items unless arrangements have been made in advance.

For particularly valuable or irreplaceable works, we encourage sending high-quality reproductions rather than originals whenever possible.

Privacy

Private correspondence remains private.

We will not intentionally publish personal letters, identifying information, or private communications without permission, except where required by law.

Respectful Communication

Friends in Soft Focus is built on curiosity, generosity, and thoughtful exchange.

We ask that correspondence remain respectful toward others.

We may decline to publish or respond to correspondence that is abusive, threatening, discriminatory, unlawful, or inconsistent with the spirit of the publication.

Editorial Stewardship

Every issue of Friends in Soft Focus is carefully assembled through editing, sequencing, design, and conversation.

Not every submission will find its place in every issue.

Sometimes timing, theme, pacing, or practical limitations simply mean a piece belongs elsewhere—or nowhere at all.

An editorial decision should never be understood as a judgment on the value of the work itself.

Response Times

As a small independent publication, Friends in Soft Focus is produced by a very small team.

While we read every message we receive, we may not be able to respond to every piece of correspondence individually.

Please know that every letter is appreciated, even when no reply follows.

Thank You

If you've taken the time to write, thank you.

We're grateful you've chosen to be part of that conversation.

If you have questions about this policy, or if you'd like to discuss a submission or piece of correspondence, you're always welcome to write to us.

Friends in Soft Focus
28 Spring Street, Unit #619, Princeton, NJ 08542
pigeon@friendsinsoftfocus.com