The Muse: On January 1, I made an unusual resolution. I committed to sending one hand-written letter per week—and not to relatives, or friends, or former teachers, but to other professionals. What would these letters say? That would depend on the week and the person. (Basically, I’d wing it.) My only rule was the letter wouldn’t include any requests; I didn’t want it to come off as a polite way of asking for something.
3 comments:
Writing letters is truly a lost art form. Back in the day, all communication was done through letters. Today, thanks to all the technology that is literally at our finger tips all of our communication is short and simple. The worst part of this is that our messages to each other have become cryptic. Texting has basically created it’s own language of abbreviations and emoticons. When I go to write letters I have so much trouble trying to put the words on the page. I know exactly how I would communicate the information over text or in person, but have no clue where to start when it comes to writing a letter. I feel that this is why people are so impressed, in general, when they read a very well written cover letter. A cover letter should not sound like a formal essay but a letter. This is a skill that simply comes with practice. This is why I think letter writing is a lost art.
Even if you communicate with someone frequently through phone calls, and emails, and modern methods, the act of writing a letter inherently necessitates more thought, time, and investment. Beyond the actual monetary investment of the stamp, to write a letter, someone must actively stop their day. Handwriting also requires more time than pounding out a quick email on their keyboard. The time investment elevates and lends weight and gravity to the thoughts expressed.
As someone who has a distinctive script - long slanting cursive - people can always tell my handwriting apart. In other words, they look at something I've written and associate it with me as a person. When emailing, I know I am often translated into a piece of information, or neutral type, indistinguishable as a person from the list of names in someone's inbox. Handwriting conveys so much. Indeed, we are almost at a disadvantage when we are deprived of it. I really appreciate this author's emphasis on handwritten correspondence.
There is something incredibly genuine and thoughtful in writing a letter that cannot be found in an email or text message. Once much more common than it is now, letter-writing requires a level of effort that most people simply aren't willing to put in anymore. My mother is a huge advocate of the personal letter. She probably sends out 10-12 personal letters a week, usually directly after she's met with someone so they get it the next day or so. This is a very kind and personal gesture that I think does wonders for the way people see her as a realtor; and she doesn't treat it as a task either, she really loves doing it because it helps to form strong relationships with her clients. My mom has set a good standard for me as well, since now I feel I have a stronger ability to reach out to people in "unconventional" ways. I am able to send letters and talk on the phone as well as I am able to send a text or email. I think this is a very valuable skill, especially when working with people a generation or two above me.
Post a Comment