In the modern world it seems that there really is much calling for the writing of letters, especially given the speed by which we can send messages between ourselves in the modern age. Having said this, there is a big call for more of us to continue to write letters to our friends and family. I watched an interview with the brilliant writer Roger Wolfson, an author, scriptwriter, speech writer, attorney and director, to name just a few of the career moves which he has made. Roger is a great American writer and he was discussing the importance of sending letters, and why it matters. Following this interview with Roger, and of course in total agreement, I began to write letters again to some friends and family, who thankfully reciprocated.
Today then I want to cover why this practice matters, and why more should look to do it.
Personal Touch
Regardless of what anyone says about the way in which we communicate in the modern world, there is nothing which delivers the level of personal care and attention which a letter can. To begin with there is the fact that it has been written by hand, in the person’s own writing, something which so few of us do these days. Writing by hand takes far longer than if you were to write on a keyboard, so there is also the fact that they have invested the time in doing this for you. Ultimately this is the most intimate and special way in which you can send a message to someone.
Excitement
For me there is a genuine excitement at receiving the post and finding that there has been a letter written to me. There is nothing that can replace this excitement within the world of technology, no message, no email and no mention on social media, the two are just poles apart. I write to 4 people with a level of consistency and that ensures a steady income of letters, which brings me a great amount of joy.
Writing Style
Something which I have noticed, both in my own letter writing and the writing of friends, is that we put a much more personal touch on the style of the letters, than say, if we were writing an email. When I watched that interview with Roger Wolfson this is exactly what he was talking about, and given his broad range of writing abilities it is clear that he perfectly grasps this. For whatever reason, we come across as more honest, more vulnerable and ultimately more intimate and raw when we write letters, versus when we send emails or messages. This could very well be that handwriting brings that out in us, and it is certainly one of the benefits about investing your time in this kind of communication with friends and family.
If you have close friends who you perhaps haven’t spoken to in a while, then this could be the perfect way for you to communicate with them, why not give it a try?