The Art of Letter Writing

It takes practice to be a good writer. To be a great writer is a gift. However, writing isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition because there are so many forms of writing. For example, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, script or screenplay, grant or speech writing just to name a few. But of all the ways in which we express or memorialize ourselves through writing, I believe letters are the truest form. Granted, it can be a difficult and daunting endeavor, to sit down to write….something… anything, but to write a letter is so personal. I mean an authentic, handwritten letter, in cursive, on actual stationary with proper grammar and punctuation. A letter filled with your personality and passion. Your laughter, lust, or grief. What could be better than that? We send emails and text messages in code or emojis. Blogs, magazine articles, and books are published daily and yet we rarely share the events of our day or week in an authentic letter written longhand, in script. In fact, a short story is nothing more than a series of well-penned letters. They establish a theme, introduce characters, create plot, provide intrigue, conflict, and, possibly, romance, all through personal narrative. Entire books have been devoted to the retelling of love, espionage, and historic events garnered from the pages of letters. Simple day-to-day correspondence between two people. In fact, letters helped establish “these united states” as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson corresponded through letters before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.  You can check out some of their correspondence at https://www.founders.archives.gov/   Don’t underestimate the power of a well-drafted letter. The pen really is mightier than the sword. The art to writing a good letter is to write conversationally. By sharing events and experiences as if you were telling the story directly to the reader. Remember, it takes practice.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Listen to yourself talk
2. Listen to others talk
3. Write as if you are talking
4. Talk in your head as you write
5. Write short sentences
6. But don’t be too informal
7. Remember to punctuate
8. Write often
9. Proofread