Looking For Writers for Postcards by Hasif
Hello Fifi’s,
One of my favorite things that has come out of Postcards by Hasif this year has been the collaborations.
Every month, I get the opportunity to read perspectives that are completely different from my own. Different lives, different experiences, different ways of looking at the same feeling. And every single time, I’m reminded of how much depth people carry within them that rarely gets spoken about openly.
For those who are new here, these collaborations aren’t traditional guest posts.
They’re more like written conversations.
A writer begins by sharing their thoughts, experiences, observations, memories, or reflections on a topic that matters to them. After reading their piece, I write a response where I engage with their ideas, connect them to my own experiences, challenge certain perspectives, expand on others, and continue the conversation from my side.
Two people. Two perspectives. One shared piece of writing. Posting in my publication!
And honestly, that’s what I enjoy most about this format. It feels much closer to how real conversations happen in life. Not everything is about finding a perfect answer. Sometimes it’s simply about understanding each other a little better through honest reflection.
With that said, submissions are now officially open for August collaborations.
As always, I’ll be selecting 4–5 writers throughout the month to collaborate with.
Each selected writer will submit a 500–600 word essay, and I’ll follow it with a response of around 500 words. Together, the final piece becomes a collaborative essay that reads like a thoughtful dialogue between two people exploring the same idea from different angles. And it will be posted in my publication, Postcards by Hasif.
Topics You Can Explore
Here are some themes you can write about if you’d like inspiration:
The Loneliness of Becoming Someone New
Why Some People Only Exist in Certain Versions of Us
The Quiet Panic of Time Moving Too Fast
The Human Need to Leave Something Behind
The Strange Intimacy of Being Remembered Incorrectly
Growing Older While Still Feeling Emotionally Young
The Things We Pretend Don’t Hurt Us
The Invisible Pressure to Have a Beautiful Life
The Emotional Weight of “Maybe”
Why Closure Rarely Feels Like Closure
The People We Become Around Different People
Missing Places More Than People
The Fear of Wasting Your Potential
The Soft Ache of Almost Relationships
Learning to Live Without Constant Validation
The Versions of Ourselves We Abandon to Survive
The Emotional Aftermath of Being Too Self-Aware
Why We Romanticize the Past Even When It Hurt
The Quiet Grief of Realizing Nobody Fully Knows You
The Exhaustion of Always Trying to Be Better
The Strange Art of Starting Over
The Fear of Becoming Replaceable
The Comfort of Imaginary Futures
Why We Keep Revisiting Old Conversations in Our Heads
The Emotional Distance Between Online and Real Life
The Feeling of Watching Your Life Instead of Living It
How Silence Changes Between Two People
The Hidden Loneliness of Independence
The Unspoken Competition Between People Online
The Desire to Disappear Without Actually Leaving
The Strange Ways We Try to Earn Love
The Fear That You’ve Already Met the Best Days of Your Life
Becoming Difficult to Reach Emotionally
The Tiny Lies We Tell Ourselves to Keep Going
The Quiet Embarrassment of Caring Too Much
The People Who Changed Us Without Realizing It
Why Certain Songs Feel Like Entire Time Periods
The Emotional Side Effects of Constant Self-Improvement
Learning to Sit With an Unfinished Life
The Strange Sadness of Outgrowing Your Dreams
The Comfort of Being Around People Who Expect Nothing From You
Why We Archive Our Lives Online
The Feeling of Being Emotionally Homesick
The Unnoticed Moments That End Up Defining Us
The Pressure to Turn Your Life Into Something Meaningful
Missing Who You Were Before the World Hardened You
The Quiet Fear That Everyone Else Understands Life Better Than You
The Emotional Impact of Living Through Screens
Why Some Goodbyes Never Fully Happen
The Relief of No Longer Needing to Prove Yourself
The Way Certain People Make Time Feel Different
The Loneliness Hidden Inside Productivity
How People Slowly Become Strangers
The Desire to Be Chosen Without Asking
The Quiet Shift From Dreaming to Surviving
The Feeling of Carrying Too Many Versions of Yourself
The Emotional Attachment We Form With Temporary Things
The Internal Conflict Between Wanting Attention and Wanting to Hide
The Strange Comfort of Knowing Nothing Lasts Forever
Learning to Accept That Some Questions Never Get Answered
You also don’t have to limit yourself to this list.
If you already have a personal essay, reflection, memoir-style piece, or story you’ve written that explores something meaningful to you, you’re welcome to submit that as well. Some of the best collaborations we’ve published came from people simply writing honestly about something they couldn’t stop thinking about.
And I think that honesty is what matters most here.
How the Collaboration Works?
You’ll write a 500–600 word essay on a topic of your choice. It can be personal, reflective, analytical, observational, narrative, emotional, or anything in between. There is no "correct" style.
You do not need to arrive at a perfect conclusion. Sometimes the most meaningful essays are simply explorations of a feeling or question.
After reading your essay, I’ll write a response where I engage with your ideas and continue the conversation through my own perspective and experiences.
The Final Piece:
Your essay will appear first, followed by my response, creating a collaborative essay of 1100+ words that feels more like a conversation than a traditional article.
Submission Details:
Submissions are currently open for August.
You can submit your essay anytime during the month of June, but earlier submissions naturally have a better chance of being selected since there are only a limited number of collaboration spots available. (Prefer by the end of June)
You’re also welcome to submit older essays you’ve already written, as long as they fit the reflective tone of Postcards by Hasif. (Yes! You can also submit for next month as well like for Aug, you can submit in June)
If your essay gets selected, I’ll personally reach out through email to confirm the collaboration and discuss scheduling, titles, thumbnails, and publication dates.
Submission Guidelines
• Original writing only
• Essay length should be around 500–600 words
• Please send your submission as a Google Doc, Microsoft Word document, or PDF
• Avoid pasting the full essay directly into the email body
• Use a simple font such as Arial or Times New Roman, size 12
• Include your name and your Substack publication at the top of the document
• You may also include a short optional bio at the end
Send your essay to: hasifnewsletter@gmail.com
Subject line: Co-Author Submission
In the email body include: [Chosen Topic] – [Your Name]
You’re also welcome to include links to your Substack or social media.
If Your Essay Is Selected
You’ll receive a confirmation email & payment link.
A $50 feature fee will be required only if your essay is selected. Entry to submit your essay is completely free.
Before you jump in, I just want to say something important. I know when I introduce something like this, it can feel a bit… transactional. But please don’t take it the wrong way. Postcards by Hasif will always remain free to read. I have no intention of turning it into a paid publication, and I never will. Every piece I write, your submissions, my reflections, and my essays will always be accessible to anyone who wants to read them. I also don’t want to bring in brands, sponsorships, or ads. This space is not about marketing, it’s not about influencer culture, and it’s certainly not about monetizing in a way that compromises the essence of what this publication stands for. This is about creating a genuine community of thinkers and writers, exploring topics that matter, sharing perspectives, and giving both you and me a chance to engage meaningfully with readers. The $50 fee isn’t about making a profit; it’s a small way to ensure this collaboration is valued and taken seriously, while also helping me maintain the publication sustainably. Postcards by Hasif will always be my voice, my vision, my space. This collaboration is simply a way to bring in other voices I respect, share ideas, and build something together without compromising what this place stands for.
Once payment is completed, we’ll coordinate with you via email to finalize the title, thumbnail, and posting dates.
Your essay will be published in Postcards by hasif (130,000+ readers).
Exposure to 130,000+ readers: Your voice will reach a large, engaged audience that values thoughtful, reflective writing.
Recommendation of Your Substack: As part of the collaboration, I will recommend your Substack publication for a week. This means followers will see “Postcards by Hasif recommends {Your Publication Name}”, increasing traffic to your page.
Collaborative Content: This is more than just a guest post. You’re collaborating with me in a meaningful way, creating a written conversation that will resonate with readers.
What You’ll Receive
• Publication on Postcards by Hasif
• Exposure to 130,000+ readers
• A collaborative essay featuring my written response
• A one-week recommendation of your Substack publication
Your publication will appear as: “Postcards by Hasif recommends [Your Publication Name]”
which helps introduce your writing to new readers within the community.
I’ve genuinely loved reading the perspectives so many of you have shared through these collaborations over the past months. Every essay has brought a completely different lens to feelings and experiences we often carry quietly without talking about openly.
If you’ve been thinking about submitting something, this is a really good time to do it.
I’m genuinely looking forward to reading your work.
Best,
Hasif



ahh i’ve been looking for an opportunity like this, so excited!
this is so cool, im so excited!!