Whatever Happened To People Just Writing A Damn Letter Once In A While?

[His Nibs]

A terrific article promoting a monthly National Send a Handwritten Letter Day.

 

Article

Edited February 6, 2012 by His Nibs

[rwilsonedn]

And for my taste, a very well-written article. It reminded me of a stash of letters I have in a box somewhere: letters I haven't read in years but that I still remember.

Thanks for sharing this!

ron

[PAKMAN]

Very good article and what better way to hand write a letter than with our trusty fountain pens! I had to stifle a laugh at the end when they indicated the way to join the movement was to go to Facebook and click like! But hey using electronic social media to get people back to pen and paper may just work!

[wallylynn]

Last year, on vacation, I sent postcards. Lots of postcards, the outgoing box was jammed. It was long work, hours, just to say "weather's great! wish you were here!" over and over. (on top of looking for postcards and postage)

 

I got a letter over the holiday. It was typed, a end-of-year update letter to many friends. If I had to handwrite that, I'd still be at it.

 

Thus, once in a while... until my next vacation, e-mail and facebook are quicker and more convenient, and cheaper. And most of my friends, I'll see again before the letter arrives.

[keepitfresh]

Awesome! I wish people would write letters more often! Being a teen in today's technologically advanced world is quite disappointing, with all the different frosm of instant messaging and the little regard to the power humankind possesses with the pen. The moment when I open my mailbox and discover a handwritten letter with a couple nice international stamps on it is honestly quite the ecstatic feeling.

[Sasha Royale]

Have you ever bought a mass-produced greeting card (one of ten identical ones in the rack) that begins "Especially for You" ?

I won''t send one of those. I find them to be offensive.

 

I want to tell you personally that I like you. So, I write a small

paper note with my pen in my own hand. Yes, I spend the money for a

stamp, too. Or, I click a button next to your name that says "Like".

Which would you believe ?

 

A tweeter announces proudly, "I have 500 friends !"

Really ? Have you ever so much as smiled at one of the 500 ?

 

My letter begins, "Dearest Pamela,"

A text message reads, "U Me Lnch".

 

Too bad, if I offend, but I AM MORE CIVILIZED than a lot of other people.

[danahn17]

The article said that "most people under 30 have never received a handwritten letter." I wonder if there are any statistics to back that up?

 

I'm part of that demographic (though towards the upper end) and I've sent many handwritten letters...even before I discovered fountain pens. I've also received a good amount too, even from abroad. I have email, various social media, and a smartphone... they all have their uses in contacting people. However, there is something intrinsically special about a handwritten letter or note.

 

Maybe I'm just weird though...after all, I've come to like fountain pens a lot, insist on printing/developing my photographs (RIP film), and love the feel of a newspaper in my hands. :embarrassed_smile:

Edited February 7, 2012 by danahn17

[estie1948]

Mark Twain once wrote “Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” The only thing that would have made this article better, in my opinion, is if the author's editor had deleted a "damn" or two. I agree there are times when the word must be used to adequately express the true emotion, but a thing can be over done.

 

As to the article and its purpose, I whole heartedly agree. Thanks for posting it.

 

-David.

[matt385]

My mother insisted we write thank you notes when we were growing up. During my career I have continued to write thank you notes after major presentations. I have seen CEO's open a file during a meeting and there is my thank you note.

 

At a party a friend mentioned when he was in the service he loved to get mail so the next time I was writing notes I sent him a note. The next time we met he went out of his way to thank me for the note.

[Bo Bo Olson]

:embarrassed_smile:

I should, got the nibs, got the paper and ink.

Handwriting?

[fuchsiaprincess]

Last year, on vacation, I sent postcards. Lots of postcards, the outgoing box was jammed. It was long work, hours, just to say "weather's great! wish you were here!" over and over. (on top of looking for postcards and postage)

 

I got a letter over the holiday. It was typed, a end-of-year update letter to many friends. If I had to handwrite that, I'd still be at it.

 

Thus, once in a while... until my next vacation, e-mail and facebook are quicker and more convenient, and cheaper. And most of my friends, I'll see again before the letter arrives.

 

You could always hand-write your letter using your pens, in various coloured inks, then photocopy it in colour

[mark e]

yeah, i thought "liking" on facebook was ironic, too, but there are advantages to instant electronic communication---instant (sort of) organisation!

 

i like the idea for the 17th of the month---- lemme seeeeee.....today's the 7th, that means 10 days from now.....hmmmmm---OK---i think i can hand-write a letter by then

[ajoe]

Whatever Happened To People Just Writing A Damn Letter Once In A While?

Nobody every wrote back.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/214135-im-disappointed/page__pid__2241568#entry2241568

[Bo Bo Olson]

I wrote one...today.

some times all it takes is a swift kick to the left of my wallet. :blink:

[NeelsK]

I regularly write letters to family and friends. Guess what, they reply by email. Sometimes people just don't get the message.

[ajoe]

I regularly write letters to family and friends. Guess what, they reply by email. Sometimes people just don't get the message.

 

Yep. Even had one reply by email telling me how refreshing it was that someone still sent handwritten letters.

[rwilsonedn]

Mark Twain once wrote “Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” The only thing that would have made this article better, in my opinion, is if the author's editor had deleted a "damn" or two. I agree there are times when the word must be used to adequately express the true emotion, but a thing can be over done.

 

As to the article and its purpose, I whole heartedly agree. Thanks for posting it.

 

-David.

I guess one person's style is another person's sloppy editing. My copy desk would pounce upon "to adequately express" as both an unnecessary adverb and a split infinitive. Me, I enjoyed both the article and your post.

ron

[Silas]

Just got a letter from an old colleague of mine from the College Board.

 

Handwritten in a dark green ink.

 

It WAS a thrill to go to the mailbox and see a handwritten letter and card.....reminding me it is "The Year of the Dragon" with some special drawing of a dragon.

 

And somewhere, hidden, is a box of old "love letters" written to me.

 

I don't really think that somewhere, an old box of emails is cherished....but, maybe there are!!

 

To each his own.

 

I still made my students write personal "Thank you" notes to those giving them a graduation present. And, they did it with fountain pens and ink.

 

Their relatives were simply "astounded!"

[fuchsiaprincess]

I regularly write letters to family and friends. Guess what, they reply by email. Sometimes people just don't get the message.

 

I have friends like these too

[jbb]

I hand write a lot of letters but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water. I think all efforts to connect & communicate are good.

Edited February 8, 2012 by jbb