6 reasons why writing a letter can unlock your inner author
At first glance, one might wonder about any claim that connects the act of writing a letter to being an author. But, I dare say, that this lost art of putting pen to paper and writing a piece of handwritten correspondence, in fact, could unlock many unexplored gifts for a writer.
Listen in as I chat with the hosts of Write Along Radio podcast on this very topic.
1. A source of Inspiration:
- Writing a letter can lead to other ideas. You may find yourself inspired by the stationery, the whole ‘old-school’ notion of going analog, or perhaps the postage stamp itself will prompt a new direction for that unfinished chapter you are struggling with.
2. Time offline:
- Many of us spend a lot of time online. A change of scenery can do wonders for creativity. Penning a letter forces you to explore writing in a different medium. Not to mention the absence of a delete key might be unexpectedly refreshing.
3. Tackles Perfectionism:
- Try writing a letter, first draft, no edits, no corrections and mailing it straight away. How did this make you feel? Tough? Try it again and see if it gets any easier. This exercise has the potential to teach you to ‘let go’ a little and not to always strive for perfect. This keeps things moving rather than getting mired in the quest for perfect.
4. Character Development:
- Imagine if one of your characters wrote another one of your characters a letter. Juggle any number of combinations of author and recipient. You may discover things you didn’t even know about your characters. What a rich mine field of potential ideas this could be.
5. Fiction or non-fiction:
- Writing a letter to a friend is usually from a non-fiction perspective. The writer shares the comings and goings of their life with another. Perhaps a fictional letter would delight the recipient or might lead to a yet undiscovered short story.
6. Consider the reader (audience):
- Dropping that postcard in the mail is a deliberate remembering of that person who will receive it. You have consciously thought of them. You have taken the time to stop and scribble a few lines so that they might share a wee bit of your experience. How often are we as deliberate in remembering our readers?
Any of you out there aspiring authors?
P.S. Graphic above courtesy of Write Along Radio. My thanks go out to Catherine and Kevin for having me on their podcast.