“If I’d had more time, I’d have written you a shorter letter” – Mark Twain Mark Twain effectively and famously summed up the importance of devoting care, thought, and time in order to communicate succinctly and efficiently. In this era of informal emails and casual text messages, many of us have lost that natural “knack” for communicating in a genuine, heartfelt, and meaningful way. Letter writing is becoming more than just a “disappearing art form,” as it’s recently been labeled, It’s also an important tradition and a practice worth preserving.. .for good reason! Letter writing can be a great way to communicate, to reconnect, and to build relationships. And, as Mark Twain reminds us, it shouldn’t always be about communicating quickly or even extensively rambling about the little details, but about communicating meaningfully. Whether you are a consistent letter-writer, or just learning the tricks of the trade, here are our top tips to help you craft beautiful correspondence and say what you want to say; be it in a friendly casual note or a flawless professional letter.  Over the next several days we will be posting articles with tips for writing both social and business letters. Read:  Intro  | Social Letters...Read More

All human beings make mistakes, feel unhappy, dislike certain things, and have issues with certain actions or individuals. Thus, at times we complain regarding certain things, instances or individuals, and this has given rise to the concept of complaint letters. While dealing with family and friends, we do not need complaint letters, because here we have the liberty to speak up our mind, and do not need to follow any formal procedures. However, in some cases, it is necessary to communicate your disagreement or complain regarding something or someone, through a proper medium like a letter. Thus, used mostly in a formal set up, this letter is a formal letter, and thus abides by the guidelines of the formal letter writing. Each one of us should know how to write this letter, because we might feel the need of writing this letter at any stage, or situation. There are many situations wherein this letter is written to express disagreement, dissatisfaction or anger. Although you express your anger, dissatisfaction or disagreement with this letter, you need to be careful about the language. You are not allowed to use abusive or provocative language. The letter has to be written in a polite and decent language....Read More

It’s the holiday season, and for most people, that means sending out cards to friends and relatives. If you have the time, it’s customary to jot a little note in each card. With lots of kids, we’re lucky if we remember to get the cards in the mail at all, much less in time for holiday delivery. We all want to communicate with our friends and family and keep up with their activities, writing an annual holiday letter is a great way to do that. A holiday letter will more or less cover the holiday you are having, providing details on the destinations that have been visited and anything else worthy of note. When done properly, holiday letters can be a wonderful thing. Sometimes the only contact we have with certain family and friends is at weddings, funerals, and through the yearly holiday card. Therefore, if done right, a Christmas letter is a great communication tool. The idea of letter writing may terrify most people–there doesn’t seem to be a lot of middle ground. How do you write a holiday letter that people want to read, and actually look forward too? As with any writing project, a holiday letter is...Read More

As we grow older, it sometimes seems that we lose touch with the people we care about. Old friends become distant memories and family members drift away into their own lives. The longer you go when you lose touch, the harder it seems to get back into contact with the ones you care about and sometimes it can even be nearly impossible, short of hiring a private investigator, if they have moved and changed addresses and telephone numbers. It can be easy to let relationships fade if you don’t see someone everyday, but with just a little effort you can keep in touch. Staying in contact with people shouldn’t be a burden or a hassle. Most people only find the task tedious because they go so long in between contact that they feel nervous and getting in touch again, they don’t know where to begin or because they feel like they need to “catch up” and they don’t have the time to do so. Take some time in your daily routine to devote to staying in contact and it won’t be so hard for you. Make lists of all the people you want to stay in contact with and then...Read More

Letter writing is definitely a dying art, I think the only time anyone puts pen to paper now is when writing Christmas or Birthday cards. I must say I do like getting cards through the post instead of junk mail and bills. Despite what many people suggest, I refuse to believe that the handwritten word is dead. With all the emails and instant messages flying around, people often need a refresher on how to write a good, old-fashioned letter. Nearly all writers in all levels find it sometimes hard to start writing what they have in mind. Writing is a complex skill that requires time to develop as many elements are weaved together to form one final product. Writing is more than just putting words and sentences together. Creative writing allows you to vent a personal thought, subjective feelings and practically anything that comes to mind. To achieve a good piece of writing, there are some essential and well defined stages within the writing process that make sure you will actually end up with the piece of writing you intended to have. A formal style of letter is required for professional correspondence, business letters and occasions when you must show respect to...Read More

Love letters are not reserved for the overly-romantic or poetic. A love letter is a great way to express your feelings for someone…and it doesn’t have to be cheesy or mushy to make a real impact. As with all letters, the most important element of a love letter is sincerity. It is somewhat counter-intuitive, but you should actually pay detailed attention to the spelling and formatting of a love letter. Clear handwriting and correct grammar will make your letter much easier to read, and will convey the time and thought you put into compiling your sentiments. On a similar note, do not get too wrapped up in trying to incorporate an impressive vocabulary. Sometimes simplicity is best. Besides, you do not need to sound like Shakespeare…in fact, it is more genuine if you sound exactly like yourself. One important thing to consider is the degree of romance you want to express, which will of course be based on the status and stage of your relationship. You may not want to begin a letter, “To the Love of my Life and Soulmate, Ellen,” when you and Ellen have only been out a few times. Use your judgment. Love Letter Tips Consider...Read More

Apology letter vary greatly in significance and weight. If you have gravely offended someone or done something you seriously regret, the best course of action is to first apologize in person and then send an apology letter as a follow-up. Of course, the format and formality of the letter will depend on the action or event for which you are apologizing, as well as the nature of your relationship with the person to whom you are apologizing. Above all else, simply be sincere. Some general rules that may help you get started: Address the person by name (formally, if necessary). Apologize…at the beginning. This is one instance where it does not pay to embellish your words. Be clear and humble and say you are sorry. Briefly state what you did wrong. This is the only way to truly acknowledge your wrongdoing. If you avoid the subject, it can come across as insulting to the person to whom you are apologizing. Send the letter as soon as possible. This can often repair damage and even save relationships before the damage becomes too great. Begin rebuilding trust by promising sincerely that the offense will not happen again. Hand-write your apology on a...Read More

A letter is more than a means of communication. In this modern era of the quick text, the easy email, and the last-minute voicemail, a handwritten note stands out as a thoughtful and personal gesture. In this day and age, receiving a letter is in fact like receiving a gift. The recipient will recognize the time and thought that goes into putting pen to paper, and feel special for having received such a personal gesture. Many of us haven’t sat down to write a letter since the day we discovered email. For this reason, many are calling letter writing a "lost art." We believe this to be far from the truth. A huge misconception is that letters are boring or antiquated because they necessarily must follow strict rules of formatting and function (rules which most of us forgot the day we graduated high school). This couldn’t be further from the truth. When you purchase your personal stationery and begin to write, you’ll realize that letter writing can be a fun, personal, and even inspirational experience that doesn’t have to follow any rules but your own. Of course the best trick of the trade is to have plenty of quality stationery...Read More

We’ve all become accustomed to emails and text messages, neither of which requires us to write in complete sentences or even complete words! The result is that some of us have literally forgotten how to sit down and write a cohesive, logical, thoughtful letter. If you are feeling stuck, you are not alone! Simply ask yourself the following questions. Jot down your answers on a piece of scratch paper, and keep your notes close as you begin drafting your letter. By incorporating your answers into your letter, you’ll be sure to say what you want to say in exactly the way you want to say it. To whom am I writing? Consider your reader’s point of view. Put yourself in his or her place and envision how you might react upon receiving the same note. How do you want them to respond or react? (i.e. Happy, sympathetic, encouraging, grateful, etc.) What am I trying to say? Sometimes we all need to go back to basics when it comes to communication. Think about the most important thing you wish to get across in your letter. It may just be a word or two. (i.e. I miss you, I’m sorry, I need...Read More

In many ways, taking the time to write letters is both sensible and memorable. Think back to your last birthday…how many generic birthday birthday cards did you receive? Do you remember what any of them said? Instead of sticking to the standard store-bought cards, you can start sending the types of cards everyone will remember. If you have a stash of beautiful stationery on hand, you can create special, personalized cards for any occasion that may come up. Believe it or not, your personalized stationery or note cards can stand in the place of any type of card. There is a logical, sensible side to stationery as well. The national average for the cost of a greeting card is $4. The average U.S. family purchases an average of 30 cards per year, or $120. Don’t wait until you get to the checkout counter to buy your greeting, birthday, anniversary, holiday and thank you cards. Choose instead of stock up once a year on beautiful, personalized stationery. Purchasing a beautiful set of versatile stationery will ensure you are always ready for any occasion…and will save you some serious cash in the long run. << Prev