The Lost Art of Writing

Before you throw something at your screen, let me explain.

I’m not talking about the writing that you and I do on a daily…okay, at least weekly basis, the writing that we send out into the world, hoping to make a bit of money. I’m talking about the warm fuzzy writing, the thank you notes, the letters, the sticky-note or maybe even messages-in-a-bottle—writing that reaches out from our hearts to other specific hearts. I’m beginning to think that kind of writing is falling by the wayside of technology and that makes my heart more than a bit sad.

And so as we dash into the last month of the year, maybe you and I can do our part to bring back the lost art of writing. I just happen to have a couple of ideas to help us find it!


Model Writing

Do your kids see you writing? I’m sure they know you write—we certainly talk and/or complain about it enough! But do you ever write around them? Do they see the process? When you model your writing, you give your children the opportunity to see how thoughts become words, words sentences, and sentences can become anything!

Take community politics. If you’re that citizen who rallies the governmental troops for changes through a letter-writing campaign, share that process with your kids.

Or maybe you rally the troops on a smaller scale. Instead of telling your family about the wants and needs of the household, get a chalkboard and write messages. Encourage your kids to write a letter to Santa, not just a list. Put a sticky note in a backpack with a sentence or two of encouragement.

Look for ways to include writing in everyday life and then watch how your family’s skills grow.


Resist Short Cuts

Oh, the short cuts technology provides! It’s so much easier to grab the cell phone and call to say thanks or congratulations to our friends and family. But sending a note is something to be treasured.

A few years ago, a dear family friend in failing health had moved to North Carolina, and we made several trips to see Ann. My daughter was unable to go, and so instead, she wrote to her. I assumed it was just a short note, but when I arrived for the last time in North Carolina, Ann’s brother showed me the “note.” It was a two-page long letter!

He went and on and on about that letter and how much it had meant to Ann! He practically knew it by heart, since she’d read it so often. It had been a small thing to my daughter, taking the time to write that letter, but it had been a whole treasure chest of love for Ann.

Sure, a text or comment may last forever out there in the internet world, but no one ever bundled a bunch of texts or comments and tied them with a ribbon. A face-to-face call is nice, but memories fade with time.

Which brings us to the probable reason why the art of writing is fading from our busy lives. There’s no denying that it takes more time to write a meaningful thank you note, a cheery letter, or a happy congratulations. But if we can write 50,000 words for Nano, we can manage a few more words for the people we love.

Let’s challenge ourselves this holiday season to send a true gift from the heart. We’re writers! And we can bring back the lost art of writing, word by lovely word.

Cathy C. Hall is a kidlit author and humor writer and she's challenging herself to write letters--actual letters--during December. Though she'll probably put them in an envelope and mail 'em, she does love a good message in a bottle. (Isn't that the best photo? Check out Pexels for more fabulous and free photos. And check out more about Cathy here! She's kinda fab, too.)

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10 comments Cathy C. Hall, letter writing, Pexels, thank you notes, writing from the heart

The Art of Letter Writing

I woke up thinking about writing a letter and found myself torn. Do I write the letter via e-mail or do I pull out my nice stationary that I have had stored away for a long time?

But, then my thoughts grew deeper on the matter. I realized that the art of writing letters is practically gone.

Oh sure, we still get formal business letters from companies in the mail. But when was the last time we actually received a complete letter from someone in our lives? For me, it has been an extremely long time. This, of course, stemmed to another thought, a thought about our wonderful internet and how it has changed our lives. But, to what degree? In many cases, we tend to just forward some profound message that someone from somewhere else sent to us. It isn't our own words, it isn't something we've written. Have we grown so far away in the lines of communication that we don't actually write letters to the ones we love or to our friends?

Not many people realize it, but the art of letter writing is one of the many ways that our great authors got their start in the writing world. When you think back through history, how each writer would communicate to family and friends that were far away, it was through a letter. These letters are what kept the lines of communication open. Mind you, by the time many family members would receive the letter it would be several months old and left the family in anticipation for the next. This anticipation is the same our readers get when they are reading a book, a book that has drawn them in and holds their attention. They want more, they want to know what is going to happen in the end, so they read on and on.

Now laugh if you must, but I want to start a movement, a movement to bring back this dying art. This art of communication that so many of us have walked away from because of technology. We have lost the art of communication through words that we can write rather than speak, or in the case of our younger generation, text. That almighty shortened abbreviated work that has been created on cell phones. In my opinion YUCK!!!! Yes, I own a cell phone, but I don't text. I can't stand it. I would much rather hear the person on the other end of the telephone or actually receive a full letter from them letting me know how they are doing, what they have been up to, any changes in their lives.

Technology has given us many ways to get creative with our writing today, but alas, who actually uses it? With e-mail available to almost everyone, we could create some very pretty letters to send out, virtual stationary if you will. But the stationary alone is not enough, you must fill the pages with communication. This brings us back to our writing basics, the ones that all of us have learned in grade school. Who, what, where, why and how, the many questions we could give answers to through a nice lengthy letter that we could be sending to our loved ones.

If all of us as writers could help this movement, wow, think of how it could re-sculpt our lives. Communication that was once lost, found again. Think of our children, do yours truly know their grandparents? Do they communicate with them other than the occasional telephone call or summer visit? How about that long lost Aunt that you found? So many questions in our lives could be answered. How many marriages could be saved through the art of bringing back the art of letter writing? You may laugh, but to be honest, a friend of mine actually began leaving her husband letters on his pillow in the morning. She felt she couldn't express to him in actual words for a while and began putting pen to paper. She felt ashamed that this was one of the only ways she could open up to him, it was her safe zone. But this safe zone helped open her up to him, they found and understanding and it saved their marriage. Oh, sure, this won't work for all marriages, because of different situations etc. But think of the ones that are out there that many of us feel are worth saving.

As I rattle on I begin to think of a way I can actually help start the movement of letter writing. I have decided that each day, I am going to attempt to write at least one letter to someone I know. This letter will either be sent electronically or via regular post. I want people in my life to know that they mean more to me than just as a relation. So today, I am going to start my first letter.

Dear Friend,

How long has it been since we last talked? Probably longer than we both remember. I know that we don't stay in touch much, but I feel it is time that we change this. Everyday our lives change, we change, even if we don't see it, others around us do. I want to get to know you again, I want to know what brought us together as friends. So today, I am writing this letter to you to say how happy I am to have you in your life. Thank you for being my friend.

You probably don't know much about what is going on with me these days and I am sorry, but starting today, we can turn over a new leaf. A leaf that has turned brown, we can now bring it back to life into a lush beautiful green. From now on, my goal is to write a letter to you and others in my life. To let them know how I am doing, not one that simply states an answer to a question. I want you to know that you mean more to me than a simple e-mail forward. You are more important to me than that.

I hope this message finds you well. I know you have probably gone through a lot as well in your life and it would be nice to know if in some small way I have helped you through a bad time or if I have made you laugh today.

Maybe today, we can begin a new life together, a life in the art of writing once again. Something we did when we were in school, passing notes back and forth planning what we were going to do for lunch or how cute that boy was sitting next to us today in class. Do you remember those times? Help me bring those times back. I want to know how you are.

With all my friendship and love for you!
Carrie


Happy writing!

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8 comments Carrie Hulce, e-mail vs. letter, letter writing