From the circulation desk
Frequently Asked Questions
Plain answers about the proposed service, Box Numbers, privacy and prices.
- Is The Lonely Hearts Gazette™ open?
Not yet. This website and the sample e-edition show the service as proposed. There are no accounts, payments or letter delivery, and every form is a preview that sends nothing.
- How much does it cost?
As proposed, reading the Gazette, placing a standard notice and receiving letters are free. Sending a printed, mailed letter is proposed at $3.99, or $19.99 a month for five letters. Prices are not final.
- Will my correspondent see my address?
No. Letters are planned to be printed and mailed by the Gazette's provider and routed so that neither person sees the other's address.
- What is a Box Number?
An anonymous number assigned at random to each notice, in the tradition of old newspaper personals. Readers write to the Box Number, never to a name or address. It is never based on your name or e-mail.
- Who can join?
Adults aged 18 and over in the United States. Members would confirm their age, and identity checks are planned before anyone can place a notice or send a letter.
- Are the personals on this site real?
No. Every personal on this preview website and in the sample e-edition is fictional, written to show the format. Real notices would appear only after the service opens, after e-mail verification and moderation.
- Can I include my phone number or e-mail in my notice?
No. Notices may not contain phone numbers, e-mail or street addresses, links, social media handles or requests for money. They are screened automatically and reviewed by a moderator.
- Can I send photographs?
Not at first. Photographs, contact details or a video call are exchanged only if and when both correspondents agree.
- Can I write by hand?
Not in the first version. Letters are typed on the website and printed. Handwritten letters may be explored later.
- Is The Lonely Hearts Gazette the final name?
It is a working title and may change before launch.
- What happens to what I type into the forms here?
The waiting list stores your e-mail (and, if you give them, your city, state and interests) so we can tell you when the Gazette opens. The free-notice coupon and the letter desk are still previews: what you type there stays in your own browser and nothing is sent.
More detail: How It Works · Rates · Safety & Privacy