Rock Paper Pencil x Lettre.app: A Match Made for Digital Handwriting Lovers

Lettre is all about thoughtful communication and the handwriting experience. People send long-form letters to penpals, craft notes to friends and reflect in ways that go beyond texting or DMs. The Rock Paper Pencil…

By

2 min readBehind Lettre

LETTRE BLOG · BEHIND LETTRE · 13 JUN2025

When we first built Lettre.app, we had a simple goal: bring back the magic of handwritten letters; the pauses, the imperfections, the personality but make it beautifully simple and accessible on the iPad.

And now, with the new Rock Paper Pencil from our friends at Astropad, we’ve found something that makes that experience even better.

If you’ve ever written with an Apple Pencil on glass, you know the deal. It’s precise, sure but it doesn’t feel like writing. It feels like skating. For anyone who writes a lot of letters or does extended journaling, it can feel unnatural and fatiguing. That’s exactly where Rock Paper Pencil comes in.

✨ First Impressions

Astropad’s Rock Paper Pencil is a magnetic matte screen protector designed to simulate the feel of real paper and unlike most matte films, this one is removable. You can pop it on when you’re writing and take it off when you’re watching videos, editing photos or just want that crisp retina display back.

It also includes a pair of custom metal tip for your Apple Pencil that adds even more friction; subtle but it makes a big difference.

The setup took under 30 seconds. No bubbles. No stress. Just snap it on, swap the Pencil tip, and you're ready to write.

💌 Writing Letters in Lettre.app, But Better

Once we had it installed, we jumped straight into Lettre.app. The results were immediate.

Suddenly, writing felt… honest. Each stroke carried weight. You slow down a little. You breathe more. And just like real stationery, the screen now had toothl; that soft, whispery friction that makes handwriting feel real.

Lettre is all about thoughtful communication. People send long-form letters to penpals, craft notes to friends and reflect in ways that go beyond texting or DMs. The Rock Paper Pencil doesn’t just make the app better, it makes the experience more immersive.

🎯 Who This Is For

If you're someone who…

  • Sends regular handwritten letters on Lettre.app
  • Journals or sketches digitally
  • Finds the iPad writing experience too slippery or clinical
  • Misses the analog feel of pen and paper

…then Rock Paper Pencil is absolutely worth trying.

🧠 A Few Final Thoughts

We’ve tested a bunch of matte screen protectors over the years, many of them degrade display quality or are a nightmare to install. This one doesn't. It’s subtle, swappable and so far feels surprisingly durable. And it plays incredibly well with apps like Lettre, where the writing experience is everything.

This isn’t a sponsored post (we wish it were, Astropad if you’re reading this, we like you a lot - please give us money) , just a genuinely enthusiastic recommendation because when you find something that complements what you love to build, you share it.

📫 Try It Yourself

You can find the Rock Paper Pencil here and if you haven’t yet downloaded Lettre.app, we invite you to join our cozy community of digital penpals today and get started on one of the best habits you will ever pick up!

  • Behind Lettre

    Hello PenPal Stacks, Goodbye Doomscrolling

    Words are infinite. But infinity can be a bit extra. Infinity is doomscrolling. Infinity is the library of Babel.

    Atik Hossain1 min read

  • Behind Lettre

    How We Designed a “Daily Freebie” Feature Without Inducing FOMO

    Daily rewards are a dangerous game.Done wrong, they quietly turn into obligation loops: log in or lose out. Miss a day, fall behind. Fall behind, disengage.…

    Atik Hossain3 min read

  • Behind Lettre

    Lettre Earns an Apple Editorial Spotlight & We’re Over the Moon! 🎉

    Chosen by Apple’s editors for connection, creativity, and community; Lettre is officially an App Store Editorial Feature

    Atik Hossain3 min read