I am a self-confessed snail mail addict. Why do I edit letters in a digital age? Why not send email?
Writing on paper I find is cathartic, be it letters, journal of even blog post drafts. Writing by hand soles time to think, to be creative, a chance to slow down, to concentrate with fewer distractions perhaps. I read somewhere that students who handwrite (or at least who do handwritten drafts for) essays had better structure of arguments and reasoning. Perhaps the writing process cements memories and improve recall otherwise why would students take notes in lectures?
I have tried email correspondence by found the almost instant nature of it (back in the days of dial up) rather demanding with, “Why haven’t you replied to my email?” The instant gratification doesn’t last long.
The time it takes for letters to arrive allows for stories to develop so there is something to write in addition to direct responses to the letter received.
A childhood hobby of mine was stamp collecting by although I do not collect stamps at the moment, I still love them as they are used to send letters and postcards around the world. I seek out new issues to use for postage. Some become talking points in letters. Next issue celebrates Game of Thrones.
February is around the corner and from the last few years, I have been participating in some letter writing madness in he shortest month! As I write, the two updated projects, A Month of Letters and InCoWriMo-2018 where you write (by hand or typewriter) letters every day (or postal day) of the month. Both projects have their merits. Both are enjoyable.
For these projects, out can choose to write to strangers, or even to friends and family. But what should you write? This is a good question. When I started this session of letter writing in 2008, I initially wrote all about me.. me this, me that. I didn’t try to connect with the other person. You don’t want to send a letter that looks like a CV.
So, what should be written?
Letters should be dialogues, and can be conversations spread over more than one letter, or stories that develop too. Every letter should be different. You must find your own way.
Writing on paper I find is cathartic, be it letters, journal of even blog post drafts. Writing by hand soles time to think, to be creative, a chance to slow down, to concentrate with fewer distractions perhaps. I read somewhere that students who handwrite (or at least who do handwritten drafts for) essays had better structure of arguments and reasoning. Perhaps the writing process cements memories and improve recall otherwise why would students take notes in lectures?
I have tried email correspondence by found the almost instant nature of it (back in the days of dial up) rather demanding with, “Why haven’t you replied to my email?” The instant gratification doesn’t last long.
The time it takes for letters to arrive allows for stories to develop so there is something to write in addition to direct responses to the letter received.
A childhood hobby of mine was stamp collecting by although I do not collect stamps at the moment, I still love them as they are used to send letters and postcards around the world. I seek out new issues to use for postage. Some become talking points in letters. Next issue celebrates Game of Thrones.
February is around the corner and from the last few years, I have been participating in some letter writing madness in he shortest month! As I write, the two updated projects, A Month of Letters and InCoWriMo-2018 where you write (by hand or typewriter) letters every day (or postal day) of the month. Both projects have their merits. Both are enjoyable.
For these projects, out can choose to write to strangers, or even to friends and family. But what should you write? This is a good question. When I started this session of letter writing in 2008, I initially wrote all about me.. me this, me that. I didn’t try to connect with the other person. You don’t want to send a letter that looks like a CV.
So, what should be written?
Letters should be dialogues, and can be conversations spread over more than one letter, or stories that develop too. Every letter should be different. You must find your own way.
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