Creating Great Letterboxes

George: Wow! This box is freakin' awesome!
Marjorie: Yes, dear, but how are we going to get it open?

You've just discovered the world of letterboxing. Maybe you've even found a few already. Or maybe you've found a lot more than a few. Regardless, you're now itching to start hiding your own boxes so you can spread a little fun and cheer to others. Hiding letterboxes can be just as rewarding as finding them, but if you're going to go to the effort to hide them, let's be sure we make them worth while. Just as a great letterbox can spread happiness and joy to others, a poorly planted letterbox might have people cursing your name.

There are no hard and fast rules that separate a great letterbox from a mediocre one. A little of this, a little of that, a tweak here or there. While there is no one thing that makes a letterbox great, they all tend to share one thing in common: A truly spectacular letterbox, the stuff of legends, will require a great deal of thought and planning. This tutorial will show some pointers to keep in mind while creating such a box.

• Know Your Audience: You do have one, right? If not, you're box is in trouble.
• Location! Location! Location! As they say in real estate, locations count. Read about what's in, and what's out.
• Clever Clues: A great letterbox doesn't have directions, it has clues.
• It's In the Details: A simple detail can be the difference between a great box and a failure. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind.
• Rules of Thumb: Learn from other people's successes and mistakes.
• Conclusion: Final thoughts and suggestions.