TIME IS SHORT and so are our communications; emails are often non-grammatical bursts of information. Status updates are ephemeral and often trite. Blogs can help you express and communicate, but usually aren’t written for a specific person.
Nothing electronic is as intimate as a letter for personal communication. There’s the tactile sensation of the paper. The swirl of the script. Nothing will ever replace it.
Follow These few simple rules and write a letter anyone would be touched to receive.
1. Take your time.
Writing a good letter takes time. Your recipient will value the thought and time you spend with your letter so allow as much time as you need.
2. Craft good salutations.
Be creative with your salutation, it sets the tone of what’s to come. Let your salutation describe the person to which you are writing i.e “My Dearest Mother.”
Accordingly, at the end of your letter describe yourself and your feelings toward the person you are writing ~ “Your Loving Son” or “Your Faithful Lover Who Waits with Passion Burning.”
3. Make it personal.
Your letter should come from the heart. Dig deep. Try to express your emotions and thoughtfully describe your thoughts and the journey you are on.
No one wants to get a letter that sounds like it could be to anyone, so go ahead, get personal.
4. Don’t make it all about you.
Ask your recipient how they are doing. Inquire about their circumstances as you last heard…how is the new baby? Did that nasty rash ever clear up? Make your letter a two way street, ask questions that beg a response. Don’t just have a monologue, begin a conversation.
5 Write it by hand.
Do not type your letter. Subpoenas are typed, not letters. And don’t email it! Then it is an email and not a letter! Write your letter by hand in the most legible, pleasant script you can muster. Find a good pen, one that writes smoothly and evenly. Don’t use a pencil. Pencils smudge and should your letter be the stuff of legends you don’t want it to fade over the years.
When was the last time you received a handwritten letter? Who are you going to write you letter to? What’s the best letter you ever received or sent? Let us know in the comments.
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