Post Secret Adventures

I am proud to announce that I can cross one more item off my list of "Things to do before I die."

On the morning of February 8, 2009, I sat down in front of my crappy IBM ThinkPad with a hot cup of coffee & logged on to the amazing Post Secret blog... my favorite Sunday ritual. Every Sunday morning, Frank Warren (the author of Post Secret) selects 20 out of thousands of post-cards to share with the public. The post-cards Frank receives throughout the week contain his contributor's most intimate secrets. Only the best, juiciest, most interesting secrets land a spot on his Sunday blog.

I was giggling to myself while scrolling down the post. I was enjoying the week's secrets about irritable bowels, hideous wedding dresses and ugly lingerie. It was like any typical Sunday morning... until I saw it. I started choking on my coffee and almost fell out of my cozy spinny-chair. My post-card... MY POST-CARD... that I had made from scratch and mailed into Frank 5 days before... was staring back at me from the center of the nation's 10th most popular blog!

I was alone in the house and therefore felt no shame in screaming... "AHHHH, Holy Shit, I'm famous!" I called a bunch of friends, changed my facebook status and spent the rest of the morning basking in my profound accomplishment. Now here's the irony/coincidence in all of this: that very afternoon, I was starting my internship at Post Secret because of a kick-ass article I wrote about Frank's presentation @ GW University... It was fate!

When I walked into the Post Secret intern meeting that afternoon, I proudly announced to Frank and the other interns that MY post-card had made it on to the blog. Frank smiled and shook my hand, the other interns glared in jealousy and awe... it was spectacular :)

While sifting through hundreds of post-cards and sorting the secrets into piles: "Blog," "Book #5" and "Stash"... Frank showed me some of the email replies that he had received in response to my post-card. Needless to say, I was tickled pink. Where was my tiara? I felt like a princess!

As an official "insider" of the Post Secret phenomenon, I've learned which types of secrets- according to Frank- are most likely to be published on the blog or in the books. I'd like to share with you all some tips on how to create a post-worthy Post Secret post-card...

1) Make sure your secret is original: Don't send in a secret that you've seen published before on the blog or in the books. The more unique the better!
2) Verbose is toast (Don't make it too wordy): Frank knows that people get bored and have serious A.D.D. issues. You want your secret to be short, sweet & catchy.
3) Include some memorable images and artwork: Most secrets that get published are pleasing to the eye and creativity designed. Decorate your secret with colorful pictures, but whatever you do- DON'T use glitter! Frank hates glitter.
4) Risque is okay: In the Post Secret world, nude isn't rude. Do you have a sexual fantasy or a passionate memory? Just add a graphic and send it in!
5) Don't send in Copyrighted images: Frank's publishing company won't allow any post-cards featuring images that could get them sued. Famous paintings, magazine pictures and other copyrighted clips are capital N-Os.
6) Think inspirational: Frank loves to publish secrets that are hopeful and touch the heart. Happy endings are appealing to the Post Secret team. Send in secrets about your happiest moments, greatest accomplishments, success stories, etc.
7) Sneak famous people into your secrets: Do you dream about getting it on with Helen Keller or baking cookies with Harry Potter? Share your secret... because if it's bizarre... it'll be a star!

Visit the Post Secret blog every Sunday: http://postsecret.blogspot.com/

Mail your secrets to Frank and the Post Secret team:

Post Secret
13345 Copper Ridge Rd.
Germantown, Maryland 20874