Stamping ground
Melissa Penfold delivers a missive on writing a keepable letter.
LETTERS are becoming special these days, so they need to be written in the right tone, on the right paper and sent at the right time. A single page – two at most – is ideal, and conveys the right personal touch without imposing on the recipient’s time and eyesight.
GET THE STATIONERY RIGHT Something appropriate for the occasion and circumstances. Good paper can be cheaper than greeting cards. Rather than expensive one-offs, buy a box of decent stuff from a specialist. WHEN TO WRITE A LETTER Friendly reminders, best wishes, greetings, good lucks, condolences, get wells, congratulations, changes of address, welcome homes – there’s always a reason to write. All thank-you notes, invitations, love letters and birthday greetings should be sent by post. So should juicier letters you want people to keep, laugh at, cherish or even burn. Make sure yours is everything a letter should be – heartfelt, interesting, thoughtful and well-constructed.
KEEP IT SIMPLE Good writing is simple and clear. Sentences are short (up to 20 words) and broken up with even shorter ones. Really. It adds interest and variety. Big sentences are scary. So are long paragraphs. GET THEM IN Make your first sentence a winner. Funny, inviting and conversational, as if your reader is curling up on a sofa with you.
BE WITTY, NOT WINDY Express your ideas in as few words as possible. ‘We hope’, not ‘It is hoped to be’.
NO ROUND ROBINS Be personal rather than ‘Dear All’ and a litany of the triumphs and travails of everyone. IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU Forget me-me-me letters whose sole reference to the recipient is in the rst two words (‘Dear Jane’). Express interest in their lives and refer to them throughout – for example, ‘I’ve got 20 people coming for dinner, I wish I could cook like you.’ HOW TO WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER This neglected piece of correspondence, when done right, makes the biggest impact. If you’ve received a present, re off a thank you enthusing about its thoughtfulness. Something like, ‘Darling Sophie, It was so kind to give me such a perfect vase. I keep running out into the garden to nd bunches to pop into it. It makes even my amateur arrangements look special. I can’t thank you enough. All my love …’ Write the way you speak, as if you were chatting to them. Write from the heart. THE RULES ON STATIONERY These haven’t changed in the last few centuries – quality, restraint and simplicity. Anything stiff – parchment or card and deckle-edged – suits all occasions. Colours ? Anything pink or green to oyster or ivory works. Weight and feel is vital. Watermarks are a formal touch. Letterhead makes you look establishment – emboss is better than printed. Keep it simple, just name, address and email. Your envelopes should match the paper and be lined. Never frank an envelope. A stamp is so much nicer.