Do you hand write letters anymore?

Letter writing - Writing a letter with pen and paper - a dying art?
By Barb
@abbey19 (3106)
Gold Coast, Australia
April 17, 2007 1:26am CST
Or have we lost the art of writing with pen and paper? It would be a shame if that were so. Most of us write letters on our computers or contact each other via email, but don't you miss the thrill of getting a letter in your letterbox from a friend? I still write letters to my grandchildren by hand, and my daughter says they are really thrilled when they get them - they get really excited reading them - more so than when I email them! Do you still hand write letters?
7 people like this
49 responses
• Philippines
17 Apr 07
I love receiving hand written notes or letters. It doesn't matter whether I got it from the mailbox or personally given to me. Hand written b-day cards, thank you, or personal letters has the real emotions of the sender. So I also hand write letter for my dear ones. I use special scented papers and blue ink. Sometimes I even design my own greeting card.
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
I agree - hand written letters have the emotions of the sender in them, and mean a lot more to the recipient. I'm glad to hear you still do it. Good for you gemmaris!
1 person likes this
@kodie420 (872)
• Canada
17 Apr 07
I used to love hand writng my letters but nowa days I dont really do it anymore. Although on special occasions I like to write a letter to someone special on a special day and send it snail mail. Technology in some ways is taking the little things away from humanity that use to make us somewhat more in touch wiht each other. Hopefully down the road this will soon become more popular again because I dont know about everyone else but I love getting a hand written letter from someone because it shows they took the time out of their day to think about you to write to you.
3 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
So you got pleasure out of writing letters kodie - just think of the pleasure the recipient of your letters must have felt! Email is great and quick, but we are losing that personal touch of taking the time to personally write a letter and it's a shame. When someone has taken the time to put pen to paper to write to you, it means so much.
1 person likes this
@Sm00tH (2037)
• Belgium
17 Apr 07
i haven't written alot of letters, in fact i can't remember the last time i did... if i will ever need to write one it will be one for a job application and you can't do that in hand writing.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
You could hand-write a letter for a job application as long as your handwriting is legible, then attach your CV to it.
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@Sm00tH (2037)
• Belgium
18 Apr 07
exactly my point =D my ahnd writing is practically unreadable, only i can read it, and others if they realy try hard =D
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@elisa812 (3026)
• United States
30 Apr 07
I do handwrite letters occasionally. I don't do it all that often since it's just so much quicker to email (and free! hehe), but my mother-in-law likes to write letters to me sometimes, so I always respond to her with a hand written letter cause I think she likes that. There is something fun about getting an old fashioned written letter in the mail! I also do it if I'm sending someone a birthday card or a gift or something, cause then it just doesn't seem very personal to include a typed letter for something like that.
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@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
30 Apr 07
That is so nice that you write back to your mother-in-law by hand; it's so nice to get a letter in the mail, especially from someone we care about; it's special. You are right - email is free and it's fast, but I hope we never stop this way of communicating.
@neglitex (347)
• Latvia
18 Apr 07
I guess it's very exiting to send letters like this. But the thing is that most of us don't have much time for writing one. Emails are so much faster and they are free. But yes, I'd like to send some hand written letters sometimes.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Having time to hand write a letter these days is a point, but don't you think we should make time to write with pen and paper to someone we care about? It makes it much more special to them on receiving such a letter, more so than an email. I think we are all caught up in wanting everything done double quick these days.
1 person likes this
@neglitex (347)
• Latvia
18 Apr 07
Yeah. That's for sure.
1 person likes this
@xcjune (162)
• China
23 Apr 07
I don't write letters with pen and paper for several years,Email is convenient,but I still think writting is full of feeling.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
23 Apr 07
Yes, email is more convenient and faster of course, but it's still a thrill to receive a letter in the ordinary mail. You know that person has taken the time to sit down and take the time to put their feelings down on paper. More effective than an email I think. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@nandans (1160)
• India
18 Apr 07
No, in the days of mobile, email etc, we have lost the old traditional way of writing letters.
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Well, it seems not - have you read some of the responses to my discussion? It has surprised me how many people do still write letters with pen and paper (myself included).
1 person likes this
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
ink and paper - writing a letter
I still do write in letters because it is best when you write a letter with your hands rather than printed. sometimes, it can mean that you write the letter with all your heart.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Exactly! When you write with pen and paper, it does seem to come from the heart, and the recipient can tell that when they are reading it. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
18 Apr 07
nope i dont since all my realtives are living in the same places not same houses though..im lazy for that stuff..but i do write on papers groceries list ..
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Ha ha, you still write your grocery list by hand! I guess that's something then!
1 person likes this
• Australia
18 Apr 07
Well I must admit I dont write letters anymore but If there's a party invite or a formal invite then I would use the regular mail cause it seems like the right way to do that sort of thing and you kinda know people are going to their letter box eveyday cause most of us still get the phone\electricity bills posted.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
But isn't it thrilling going to the mail box and pulling out a letter personally addressed to you? Then the excitement of ripping open the envelope to read the contents? I think most of us enjoy getting personal letters like that.
1 person likes this
@OURDEW (4809)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Yes, I write letters to my grandma. She doesn't have a computer. I also write to my mom. She just moved and her computer isn't on yet. I do like to get letters in the mail. I feel It's more personal.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Your grandma must love receiving your letters, your mom too. It makes them special knowing that you have put pen to paper just to write to them.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 07
I just stop writing with the traditional pen and paper because it just seems very unprofessional to me. I think that in the business world it would be an impossible feat to hand write every single letter and send it out to be. I just perfer typing things out on my computer and just send it out to my email. Its much quicker that way and by typing things out, it becomes much easier to read also. If I were to try writing things out by hand, no one would be able to read what the heck I was trying to say.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
I didn't mean to write business letters by hand - they should obviously be typed on the computer and printed off. I'm talking about writing personal letters by hand to someone special; it shows we care. I'm sure your handwriting is not as bad as you say!
1 person likes this
@marababe (2503)
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
Not anymore. I use my computer in writing long letters and stuff but I get to use pen and paper every time I leave a short note at home and that's it. I used to love writing notes, quotations and letters in stationary pads before but ever since I've been into computers I just type my notes, quotations and letters and save them in a folder. It's much convenient and easier to organize.
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
It is easier to type everything, and easier to organize with the computer, but wouldn't it be a shame to lose the art of letter writing altogether? From the answers to my discussion, it's obvious that lots of people still do this, and more of us enjoy receiving hand written letters.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 07
I have a friend in PA that I write as often as I have time for. Sometimes when it has been awhile since i last wrote her and I know that it will be awhile before i can write her again I will e-mail or call her. But we really prefer to exchange news by snail mail. It's a dying art.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
I agree, it's a dying art and it would be a shame to lose it altogether. It's good that you still hand write letters to your friend though.
1 person likes this
@healwell (1268)
• Ahmedabad, India
18 Apr 07
I am still using paper and pen to write poems and stories and letters also. I prefer to write by hands because we learnt writing that way and have to use because otherwise the writing ability will be affected! Computer is based on technology and so many time this technology has also provided indication that it could be also repairable and at that time writing with hand has helped me again. So i am still using pen paper and hand-writing methodology for writing letters and poems and so on...
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Good for you healwell, still using pen and paper to write your poems and stories, and letters too. I think it's great that you still use this skill.
1 person likes this
@clod0327 (817)
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
I can’t remember the last time I ever wrote a hand written letter. Since the advent of Internet and emails, I always send letters and cards via electronic mail. First, because it’s faster to send compared to snail mail. Second, it’s free. And third it’s so convenient to use and it’s much easier to type the letters instead of writing it. But I think, it would still be nice to send a hand written letter once in a while because you put more effort in doing a hand written letter so it would be more appreciated by the receiver.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
I agree with all your points about sending emails - they are fast, free and convenient, and it's much easier to type than write. But I'm glad you agree that it's nice to receive a hand written letter too.
1 person likes this
18 Apr 07
I have to admit I prefer to type, its the fact that I spent money on getting this Pc. I do get a thrill out of letters, but more so with emails. I think its because I can put some special effect in an email, where as with a letter you have to get the stamps and an envelope. I cant say I remember when I sent a letter, other than for business. Good point though, maybe letter writers will be a secret art one day.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Yes, typing is quicker and easier to read than some people's handwriting, but it would be a shame to lose the skill of hand writing letters. Haven't you ever received a love letter and felt the thrill on opening it?
1 person likes this
@vamisola (905)
• Australia
18 Apr 07
Yes, I still do. Everytime I send letter to my grandparents, I hand-write it. The reason is because they do the same and i treasure every hand-written letter given to me. Though my parents send mails electronically but I still prefer hand-written messages. When they send me cards, I ask them to hand-write the message.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
You just confirmed my point vamisola by saying that you treasure every hand written letter you have received from your grandparents! I'm sure they love to receive your hand written letters too, it makes them more special and meaningful. It would be a shame to lose this art.
1 person likes this
@iris0718 (58)
• China
18 Apr 07
hehe,i wrote letters with pen and paper when i am a child,in the meddle school ,the children always have one or above two of pen-friend ,they come from each place,but when the internet store front wells up to us time,i didn't use the pen ,when i miss my friend i will wirte a e-mail to her,i think this is very fast.but like you said,when every person read the them,they are really thrilled .
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Yes, there is a thrill in receiving a letter in the mail and ripping open the envelope, eager to read the contents of the letter. I only write letters to special relatives and friends now, the rest I send emails to.
1 person likes this
• United States
18 Apr 07
you are absolutely right.. there was a time in the near past ..not that far away..when every day we would be eagerly waiting for the postman to get the letters... but now in this digital age of computers n internet hardly anyone pens any letters these days.. even greeting cards are send as e-greeting card !! heights of digitization..
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Apr 07
Yes, technology has a lot to answer for! It would be a shame to lose this art of letter writing by hand; I hope we don't.
1 person likes this