Introducing the print edition
Contraption essays delivered by mail
Philip I. Thomas
Independent newsletters are one of my favorite parts of the internet. They're a way to explore niche interests and connect with like-minded people around the world.
While the internet is useful for discovering content, it’s not always a good way to consume it. Email inboxes have become a tragedy of the commons - a communal to-do list, even in the most organized cases. When I'm in the mood to read newsletters, I don't want the frenetic energy of my email inbox. I also believe the growth of independent newsletters is being limited by the cultural stagnation around email use.
Last month, I published the post Snail mail exploring the idea of blog posts as paper letters. I imagined taking a stack of envelopes to a café on the weekend and working through them without distraction. The post seemed to resonate - many people responded positively.
After mulling over the idea during my vacation, I came back and built it.
Today I'm introducing the print edition of Contraption posts. Subscribers receive all essays on this site, including Workshop, as printed letters - arriving about once per week.
I built the letter delivery system using Lob, which turns letter-sending into a simple API. I connected this blog to Lob with a bit of code, and I use Stripe to manage subscriptions and shipping information.
Printing and sending physical mail costs money, so the print edition is paid. But my intention is not to start members-only posts - I think of this more as an “unlocking the commons” model inspired by Craig Mod. If you like my projects and writing, this is a way to help create more of it. (As a perk, print subscribers receive a free Postcard premium subscription.)
I’m excited to share this today. I just passed the third anniversary of publishing on this website, and it’s been rewarding to see it evolve and grow over time. Like all things here, this is an experiment, and I hope to use it to steer future projects.
If you’d like a fun reason to check your physical mailbox, consider subscribing to the print edition of Contraption Company.
Keep reading
Snail mail
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