handwritten letter essay

February 21, 2024

Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

Engaging the fine motor system to produce letters by hand has positive effects on learning and memory

By Charlotte Hu

Studies continue to show pluses to writing by hand.

Image Source/Getty Images

Handwriting notes in class might seem like an anachronism as smartphones and other digital technology subsume every aspect of learning across schools and universities. But a steady stream of research continues to suggest that taking notes the traditional way—with pen and paper or even stylus and tablet—is still the best way to learn, especially for young children. And now scientists are finally zeroing in on why.

A recent study in Frontiers in Psychology monitored brain activity in students taking notes and found that those writing by hand had higher levels of electrical activity across a wide range of interconnected brain regions responsible for movement, vision, sensory processing and memory. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that has many experts speaking up about the importance of teaching children to handwrite words and draw pictures.

Differences in Brain Activity

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The new research, by Audrey van der Meer and Ruud van der Weel at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), builds on a foundational 2014 study . That work suggested that people taking notes by computer were typing without thinking, says van der Meer , a professor of neuropsychology at NTNU. “It’s very tempting to type down everything that the lecturer is saying,” she says. “It kind of goes in through your ears and comes out through your fingertips, but you don’t process the incoming information.” But when taking notes by hand, it’s often impossible to write everything down; students have to actively pay attention to the incoming information and process it—prioritize it, consolidate it and try to relate it to things they’ve learned before. This conscious action of building onto existing knowledge can make it easier to stay engaged and grasp new concepts .

To understand specific brain activity differences during the two note-taking approaches, the NTNU researchers tweaked the 2014 study’s basic setup. They sewed electrodes into a hairnet with 256 sensors that recorded the brain activity of 36 students as they wrote or typed 15 words from the game Pictionary that were displayed on a screen.

When students wrote the words by hand, the sensors picked up widespread connectivity across many brain regions. Typing, however, led to minimal activity, if any, in the same areas. Handwriting activated connection patterns spanning visual regions, regions that receive and process sensory information and the motor cortex. The latter handles body movement and sensorimotor integration, which helps the brain use environmental inputs to inform a person’s next action.

“When you are typing, the same simple movement of your fingers is involved in producing every letter, whereas when you’re writing by hand, you immediately feel that the bodily feeling of producing A is entirely different from producing a B,” van der Meer says. She notes that children who have learned to read and write by tapping on a digital tablet “often have difficulty distinguishing letters that look a lot like each other or that are mirror images of each other, like the b and the d.”

Reinforcing Memory and Learning Pathways

Sophia Vinci-Booher , an assistant professor of educational neuroscience at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the new study, says its findings are exciting and consistent with past research. “You can see that in tasks that really lock the motor and sensory systems together, such as in handwriting, there’s this really clear tie between this motor action being accomplished and the visual and conceptual recognition being created,” she says. “As you’re drawing a letter or writing a word, you’re taking this perceptual understanding of something and using your motor system to create it.” That creation is then fed back into the visual system, where it’s processed again—strengthening the connection between an action and the images or words associated with it. It’s similar to imagining something and then creating it: when you materialize something from your imagination (by writing it, drawing it or building it), this reinforces the imagined concept and helps it stick in your memory.

The phenomenon of boosting memory by producing something tangible has been well studied. Previous research has found that when people are asked to write, draw or act out a word that they’re reading, they have to focus more on what they’re doing with the received information. Transferring verbal information to a different form, such as a written format, also involves activating motor programs in the brain to create a specific sequence of hand motions, explains Yadurshana Sivashankar , a cognitive neuroscience graduate student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario who studies movement and memory. But handwriting requires more of the brain’s motor programs than typing. “When you’re writing the word ‘the,’ the actual movements of the hand relate to the structures of the word to some extent,” says Sivashankar, who was not involved in the new study.

For example, participants in a 2021 study by Sivashankar memorized a list of action verbs more accurately if they performed the corresponding action than if they performed an unrelated action or none at all. “Drawing information and enacting information is helpful because you have to think about information and you have to produce something that’s meaningful,” she says. And by transforming the information, you pave and deepen these interconnections across the brain’s vast neural networks, making it “much easier to access that information.”

The Importance of Handwriting Lessons for Kids

Across many contexts, studies have shown that kids appear to learn better when they’re asked to produce letters or other visual items using their fingers and hands in a coordinated way—one that can’t be replicated by clicking a mouse or tapping buttons on a screen or keyboard. Vinci-Booher’s research has also found that the action of handwriting appears to engage different brain regions at different levels than other standard learning experiences, such as reading or observing. Her work has also shown that handwriting improves letter recognition in preschool children, and the effects of learning through writing “last longer than other learning experiences that might engage attention at a similar level,” Vinci-Booher says. Additionally, she thinks it’s possible that engaging the motor system is how children learn how to break “ mirror invariance ” (registering mirror images as identical) and begin to decipher things such as the difference between the lowercase b and p.

Vinci-Booher says the new study opens up bigger questions about the way we learn, such as how brain region connections change over time and when these connections are most important in learning. She and other experts say, however, that the new findings don’t mean technology is a disadvantage in the classroom. Laptops, smartphones and other such devices can be more efficient for writing essays or conducting research and can offer more equitable access to educational resources. Problems occur when people rely on technology too much , Sivashankar says. People are increasingly delegating thought processes to digital devices, an act called “ cognitive offloading ”—using smartphones to remember tasks, taking a photo instead of memorizing information or depending on a GPS to navigate. “It’s helpful, but we think the constant offloading means it’s less work for the brain,” Sivashankar says. “If we’re not actively using these areas, then they are going to deteriorate over time, whether it’s memory or motor skills.”

Van der Meer says some officials in Norway are inching toward implementing completely digital schools . She claims first grade teachers there have told her their incoming students barely know how to hold a pencil now—which suggests they weren’t coloring pictures or assembling puzzles in nursery school. Van der Meer says they’re missing out on opportunities that can help stimulate their growing brains.

“I think there’s a very strong case for engaging children in drawing and handwriting activities, especially in preschool and kindergarten when they’re first learning about letters,” Vinci-Booher says. “There’s something about engaging the fine motor system and production activities that really impacts learning.”

A version of this article entitled “Hands-on” was adapted for inclusion in the May 2024 issue of Scientific American.

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The Benefits of Writing Letters

Sending Snail Mail Provides a Meaningful Way to Connect

Barbara is a writer and speaker who is passionate about mental health, overall wellness, and women's issues.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou

Friends and Relatives Feel Valued

Writing is healing, it slows down our communication, it lessens screen time, letters are tangible, letter writing connects strangers, letter writing connects loved ones.

Writing letters might seem like an out-of-date way to communicate when we have easy access to relatives and friends through text, email, FaceTime, and Zoom. Yet, snail mail is a powerful way to connect with others, which came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In research published in May 2020 by the United States Postal Service (USPS), 65% of people agreed that receiving mail lifted their spirits. About 67% said they have sent or would send mail to family and friends.

Letter writing may have gained more interest because it’s a reflective, slowed-down activity, rather than another quick chore. You can dash off a text in seconds, without paying much attention. But it takes time and purposefulness to send letters.

While letter writing may be an old-fashioned way to keep in touch with people, this form of correspondence shows intention. You have to compose the letter, get an envelope, find a stamp, and send it from your mailbox.

Recipients recognize that it’s harder to communicate through this method and appreciate the time invested. In the USPS study, 61% of respondents found that “mail is extra special during this time of social distancing” and 54% of respondents found that communication via snail mail fostered a “more meaningful connection to those they sent mail to.”

People feel special and valued when they receive personal letters. This is especially true during times when we are physically distanced from loved ones who live across the country or on the other side of the world.

James W. Pennebaker, the Regents Centennial Chair of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, is a pioneer in the field of expressive writing. He has written extensively about the positive benefits of writing in both articles and books including Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion and Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval .

With proven positive benefits, there are various ways to use writing as a constructive tool during the pandemic. For example, you could write in a journal, a popular way to express feelings and thoughts. Journaling helps you process the upsetting news you hear, make sense of it, and ultimately cope with it. Journaling is also beneficial in managing stress.

Letter Writing

Letter writing is another form of writing that’s especially helpful in processing difficult things. “I’m a psychotherapist and writer,” says Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW, author of four books. “I often recommend that my patients write letters to themselves and others. Whether they send the letters or not isn’t necessarily the point.”

She continued, “For example, let’s say I have a patient we’ll call Diane who has childhood wounds that keep getting triggered. Meaning when someone makes a comment that is upsetting, the pain she feels goes deeper than the thoughtless remark, opening wounds that still fester. I will suggest that Diane write a letter to her younger self, who suffered these grievous wounds. Many studies show that writing is a healing act.”

It's therefore very beneficial to use letter writing to share with, to confide in, and vent to your friends or relatives. Frustrations or sadness—or any emotion—can then be expressed as you write to caring people in your life.

Receiving letters of reassurance in return from your grandparents, for example, who may have lived through difficult periods in history, may help you feel reassured.

Recipients of reassuring letters feel more optimistic about getting through challenging times.

Letter writing, compared to digital exchanges, slows down our communication. Our society has become bombarded with rapid news and an expectation of rapid responses.

During the pandemic, our understanding of COVID-19 as well as the knowledge gained by scientists changed by the minute. We became attuned to quickly changing situations regarding childcare and schooling, racial protests and reckonings, earthquakes and storms, as well as political tumult. This barrage of stressors was, understandably, taxing.

Slowing down our communication is a big plus. With overflowing inboxes, we race to respond and move on to the next email. When we open our home mailbox, it’s unusual to find something that’s not a bill—a positive surprise. In the past, people anticipated, looked forward to, and got excited about receiving letters.

To find a letter in the mail, sit on the couch, and read something handwritten by a loved one is rewarding. We can take our time. We don’t need to multi-task with various items open on our laptop; rather, we focus on this one personal thing, this letter in our hands. We get the refreshing benefit of slowing our mind and body down.

These days, many of us have relied almost exclusively on electronic conversations even before the pandemic. It’s therefore understandable that we are exhausted by Zoom meetings and FaceTime happy hours. Thus, letter writing has become an old-but-new-again alternative.

Young People Are Interested in Letter Writing, USPS Report Finds

It’s not just older people who are interested in communicating by snail mail either. The Postal Service research points out that younger people in particular were more likely to want to send cards and letters during the pandemic.

Maybe all of us are saturated with screen use, even native users, and welcome an alternative.

It’s no surprise why people were baking bread, working on puzzles, and showing more interest in crafts when the virus limited our ability to get out. When we can’t hug our family members or hold an older friend’s hand, we reach for tangible ways to enjoy life. Writing a letter is creating something tangible and enjoyable, too.

You write letters with a pen and paper and the recipient can physically open and hold onto a letter. Older people, especially those in nursing homes and those living far away from family, felt isolated and depressed due to coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions.

Letters, even those merely about daily activities, are comforting and are opened with enthusiasm.

Letter writing can also connect strangers in beneficial ways. A New York Times article revealed the burgeoning growth of pen pal programs during COVID-19. Especially popular are intergenerational programs matching children and older people.

Limited interactions during the pandemic created a slew of negatives for older people. Dawn Carr, PhD, a sociology professor at Florida State University and faculty associate at the Pepper Institute for Aging and Public Policy, underscores that many older adults felt isolated and lonely during lockdowns and restrictions.

Feelings of isolation contribute to poor mental health outcomes including higher rates of clinical depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and development of dementia.

Pen pal programs serve as a way to increase interactions in a safe and beneficial manner.

Meanwhile, the pandemic adversely affected the mental health of children and teenagers, too. From not seeing friends at school to being disappointed by sports and other extracurricular activities being curtailed, kids too became anxious and depressed.

Pen pal programs, especially intergenerational ones, forge connections and benefit children and older adults alike. The lost art of letter writing unites people and is a boon to those of all ages.

While all kinds of letters can connect people, one of the best kind of letters you can send someone dear to you is a letter of gratitude. Expressing gratitude through a card or letter especially lightens the hearts of your recipients. 

Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW

I often tell patients to express gratitude for what you have versus dwelling on what you don’t have. It helps people focus on gratitude.

It takes extra effort to write and send a letter, but Amatenstein says “It’s a lovely gesture. You have to think ‘What do I want to say to express appreciation?’ I suggest you’re specific and heartfelt. For example, you can write, ‘I really appreciate that you came once a week during the pandemic. You shopped and delivered groceries to me, risking your own health. Your generosity means a lot to me.”

Amatenstein adds, “So many studies show the psychological well-being benefit of actually expressing gratitude. Especially when we are in this sad and lonely place, focus on someone else’s kindness and thank them for it.”

A Word From Verywell

Letter writing offers many benefits and is a rewarding practice that’s back in style. In its most basic form, it can help us maintain family ties and friendships, and share news. But it can also help us express our feelings of anxiety, gratitude and hope. Letter writing also helps us connect with strangers and deepen our connections with loved ones.

Unlike daily and disposable digital communications, these letters provide a history of our relationships that we can go back to and treasure. Letters take on more significance in an age of electronic communications. Letter writing creates a more lasting form of communication, too.

United States Postal Service. USPS Market Research and Insights: COVID Mail Attitudes – Understanding & Impact (April 2020) .

Zaveri M. To battle isolation, elders and children connect as pen pals . The New York Times .

By Barbara Field Barbara is a writer and speaker who is passionate about mental health, overall wellness, and women's issues.

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Handwriting vs typing: is the pen still mightier than the keyboard?

I n the past few days you may well have scribbled out a shopping list on the back of an envelope or stuck a Post-it on your desk. Perhaps you added a comment to your child’s report book or made a few quick notes during a meeting. But when did you last draft a long text by hand? How long ago did you write your last “proper” letter, using a pen and a sheet of writing paper? Are you among the increasing number of people, at work, who are switching completely from writing to typing?

No one can say precisely how much handwriting has declined, but in June a British survey of 2,000 people gave some idea of the extent of the damage. According to the study, commissioned by Docmail , a printing and mailing company, one in three respondents had not written anything by hand in the previous six months. On average they had not put pen to paper in the previous 41 days. People undoubtedly write more than they suppose, but one thing is certain: with information technology we can write so fast that handwritten copy is fast disappearing in the workplace.

In the United States they have already made allowance for this state of affairs. Given that email and texting have replaced snail mail, and that students take notes on their laptops, “cursive” writing – in which the pen is not raised between each character – has been dropped from the Common Core Curriculum Standards, shared by all states. Since 2013 American children have been required to learn how to use a keyboard and write in print. But they will no longer need to worry about the up and down strokes involved in “joined-up” writing, less still the ornamental loops on capitals.

This reform prompted lively controversy. In an editorial published on 4 September 2013, the Los Angeles Times hailed a step forward. “States and schools shouldn’t cling to cursive based on the romantic idea that it’s a tradition, an art form or a basic skill whose disappearance would be a cultural tragedy. Of course, everyone needs to be able to write without computers, but longhand printing generally works fine […] Print is clearer and easier to read than script. For many, it’s easier to write and just about as fast.”

Some states, such as Indiana, have decided to go on teaching cursive writing in school. Without this skill, they assert, young Americans will no longer be able to read birthday cards from their grandparents, comments by teachers on their assignments or the original, handwritten text of the constitution and the Declaration of Independence. “I have to tell you, I can’t remember the last time I read the constitution,” countered Steve Graham, a professor of education at Arizona State University.

This minor revolution is causing quite a stir but it is by no means the first of its kind. Ever since writing was most likely first invented, in Mesopotamia in about 4000BC, it has been through plenty of technological upheavals. The tools and media used for writing have changed many times: from Sumerian tablets to the Phoenician alphabet of the first millennium BC; from the invention of paper in China about 1,000 years later to the first codex, with its handwritten sheets bound together to make a book; from the invention of printing in the 15th century to the appearance of ballpoint pens in the 1940s.

So at first sight the battle between keyboards and pens might seem to be no more than the latest twist in a very long story, yet another new tool that we will end up getting used to. What really matters is not how we produce a text but its quality, we are often told. When we are reading, few of us wonder whether a text was written by hand or word-processed.

But experts on writing do not agree: pens and keyboards bring into play very different cognitive processes. “Handwriting is a complex task which requires various skills – feeling the pen and paper, moving the writing implement, and directing movement by thought,” says Edouard Gentaz, professor of developmental psychology at the University of Geneva. “Children take several years to master this precise motor exercise: you need to hold the scripting tool firmly while moving it in such a way as to leave a different mark for each letter.”

Operating a keyboard is not the same at all: all you have to do is press the right key. It is easy enough for children to learn very fast, but above all the movement is exactly the same whatever the letter. “It’s a big change,” says Roland Jouvent, head of adult psychiatry at Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris. “Handwriting is the result of a singular movement of the body, typing is not.”

Furthermore pens and keyboards use very different media. “Word-processing is a normative, standardised tool,” says Claire Bustarret, a specialist on codex manuscripts at the Maurice Halbwachs research centre in Paris. “Obviously you can change the page layout and switch fonts, but you cannot invent a form not foreseen by the software. Paper allows much greater graphic freedom: you can write on either side, keep to set margins or not, superimpose lines or distort them. There is nothing to make you follow a set pattern. It has three dimensions too, so it can be folded, cut out, stapled or glued.”

An electronic text does not leave the same mark as its handwritten counterpart either. “When you draft a text on the screen, you can change it as much as you like but there is no record of your editing,” Bustarret adds. “The software does keep track of the changes somewhere, but users cannot access them. With a pen and paper, it’s all there. Words crossed out or corrected, bits scribbled in the margin and later additions are there for good, leaving a visual and tactile record of your work and its creative stages.”

But does all this really change our relation to reading and writing? The advocates of digital documents are convinced it makes no difference. “What we want from writing – and what the Sumerians wanted – is cognitive automaticity, the ability to think as fast as possible, freed as much as can be from the strictures of whichever technology we must use to record our thoughts,” Anne Trubek, associate professor of rhetoric and composition at Oberlin College in Ohio, wrote some years ago. “This is what typing does for millions. It allows us to go faster, not because we want everything faster in our hyped-up age, but for the opposite reason: we want more time to think.”

Some neuroscientists are not so sure. They think that giving up handwriting will affect how future generations learn to read. “Drawing each letter by hand substantially improves subsequent recognition,” Gentaz explains.

Marieke Longchamp and Jean-Luc Velay, two researchers at the cognitive neuroscience laboratory at Aix-Marseille University, have carried out a study of 76 children, aged three to five. The group that learned to write letters by hand were better at recognising them than the group that learned to type them on a computer. They repeated the experiment on adults, teaching them Bengali or Tamil characters. The results were much the same as with the children.

Drawing each letter by hand improves our grasp of the alphabet because we really have a “body memory”, Gentaz adds. “Some people have difficulty reading again after a stroke. To help them remember the alphabet again, we ask them to trace the letters with their finger. Often it works, the gesture restoring the memory.”

Although learning to write by hand does seem to play an important part in reading, no one can say whether the tool alters the quality of the text itself. Do we express ourselves more freely and clearly with a pen than with a keyboard? Does it make any difference to the way the brain works? Some studies suggest this may indeed be the case. In a paper published in April in the journal Psychological Science , two US researchers, Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, claim that note-taking with a pen, rather than a laptop, gives students a better grasp of the subject.

The study focused on more than 300 students at Princeton and the University of California, Los Angeles. It suggested that students who took longhand notes were better able to answer questions on the lecture than those using a laptop. For the scientists, the reason is clear: those working on paper rephrased information as they took notes, which required them to carry out a preliminary process of summarising and comprehension; in contrast, those working on a keyboard tended to take a lot of notes, sometimes even making a literal transcript, but avoided what is known as “desirable difficulty”.

On the basic issue of handwriting France has chosen to take the opposite course from the US. In the early 2000s the ministry of education instructed schools to start teaching cursive writing when pupils entered primary school [aged six]. “For a long time we attached little importance to handwriting, which was seen as a fairly routine exercise,” says school inspector Viviane Bouysse. “But in 2000, drawing on work in the neurosciences, we realised that this learning process was a key step in cognitive development.”

“With joined-up writing children learn words as blocks of letters, which helps with spelling,” Bouysse explains. “It’s important in a country where spelling is so complex! However, the ornamental capitals in the patterns published in the 2013 exercise books have been simplified, with fewer loops and scrolls […] They are important, though, because they distinguish proper names or the start of a sentence.”

Some handwriting advocates regret the disappearance of these ornamental effects. “It’s not just a question of writing a letter: it also involves drawing, acquiring a sense of harmony and balance, with rounded forms,” Jouvent asserts. “There is an element of dancing when we write, a melody in the message, which adds emotion to the text. After all that’s why emoticons were invented, to restore a little emotion to text messages.”

Writing has always been seen as expressing our personality. In his books the historian Philippe Artières explained how doctors and detectives, in the late 19th and early 20th century, found signs of deviance among lunatics and delinquents, simply by examining the way they formed their letters. “With handwriting we come closer to the intimacy of the author,” Jouvent explains. “That’s why we are more powerfully moved by the manuscript of a poem by Verlaine than by the same work simply printed in a book. Each person’s hand is different: the gesture is charged with emotion, lending it a special charm.”

Which no doubt explains the narcissistic relationship we often entertain with our own scrawl.

Despite omnipresent IT, Gentaz believes handwriting will persist. “Touchscreens and styluses are taking us back to handwriting. Our love affair with keyboards may not last,” he says.

“It still plays an important part in everyday life,” Bustarret adds. “We write by hand more often than we think, if only to fill in forms or make a label for a jam jar. Writing is still very much alive in our surroundings – in advertising, signing, graffiti and street demonstrations.” Certainly the graphic arts and calligraphy are thriving.

Perhaps, in their way, they compensate for our soulless keyboards.

This article appeared in Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from Le Monde

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• Writing Tips

5 Tips for Writing a Handwritten Letter (World Letter Writing Day)

4-minute read

• 1st September 2021

The 1st of September is World Letter Writing Day. This is a day aimed at inspiring people from all around the world to write a handwritten letter. In today’s tech-based society, this can be a great opportunity to get back to basics and rediscover the personal touch that handwritten communication offers.

Our top five tips for writing handwritten letters are:

• Practice your penmanship before you begin writing.
• Find the perfect stationery.
• Choose the right salutation.
• Figure out what you’d like to say in your letter.
• Choose the right valediction.

You can put these tips into practice by writing a letter to a friend, relative, or loved one. Find out how by checking out our guide below.

1. Practice Penmanship

These days, writing usually means texting on a phone or typing on a computer. And if it’s been a while since you’ve handwritten anything, it will be a good idea to practice your penmanship before you begin writing your letter. That way, you can be sure you’re satisfied with your writing style (and that it’s legible)!

This is especially important if you plan to write in cursive, or even use calligraphy, to add some extra personality to your letter, since these can be tricky skills to master.

2. Choose Stationery

Another way to get creative with your letter is through the stationery, envelope, and ink color that you choose. There are endless paper options that you can purchase, but you can also decorate your own using dyeing or staining techniques .

Whatever stationery or ink that you choose or create, just be sure that it still allows your writing to remain clear and easy for your recipient to read.

3. Salutations

Once you’re ready to start writing, it’s a good idea to first note the date at the top right of your letter before moving on to the salutation (or greeting).

You’ll want to find a way to begin your letter that is appropriate for your recipient. It is common to start with “Dear” followed by your recipient’s name. If you’re writing to a friend or loved one, you could also begin with “To my best friend” or “To my sweetheart.” These are just a couple of examples.

Take the opportunity to get creative with what you choose!

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4. What to Write

Once you’ve determined how you’d like to greet your recipient, you’ll want to figure out exactly what you’d like to say to them. 

You could write a casual letter just to say hello and catch up, a letter to let them know you’re thinking of them, or a letter reminiscing on experiences you’ve shared together. Typically, it will be a good idea to keep your letter to one or two pages, so you’ll want to make sure you’re staying on topic and keeping your writing concise .

If you’re struggling to figure out what to write about, perhaps include a favorite quote or photo that you can use as inspiration. This is another way to make your letter more unique and personal!

5. Valedictions

After you’ve covered everything you want to say and wished your recipient well, you’ll close your letter by signing your name after a valediction . 

Some common valedictions include “Sincerely,” “Love,” “Warmest regards,” or “Forever yours.” The options are widely varied, so it will be important again to choose one that is appropriate for the recipient of your letter.

Since it is much more difficult to go back and edit a handwritten letter than a typed message, if you get to the end of your letter and realize you forgot to mention something, you can always add a postscript after you sign your name.

Expert Proofreading Services

Writing how you speak will allow the recipient of your letter to hear your true voice, but the spoken word doesn’t always follow standard punctuation and grammar rules. It will still be important to proofread your letter before sending it to make sure your meaning is clear and that there are no glaring mistakes.

And for all your digital writing needs, from emails to book manuscripts, our expert editors are ready to help !

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The lost art of writing letters — Michael's essay

Social Sharing

My millennial son is now a full member of The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society (HLAS), headquartered in Swanage, Dorset, England. His membership number is 0117.

How and why he joined are something of a mystery, much like his ongoing obsession with expensive footwear and vigorous exercise.

The mission of the HLAS is of course to foster and promote sit-down, pen-written letters sent to friends, or even enemies.

I can't remember the last time I sat down with a pen and wrote a letter by hand to a friend. Postcards, yes; letters no. The last real handwritten letters, printed actually, might be when I handwrote letters to Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

A blindingly obvious reason is my appalling penmanship. My handwriting is unreadable to me and anyone else.

For example, my day book says I'm scheduled to interview Mr. Ms. or Dr. S. Tzhitko in a few days. Have no idea who that is.

I have, over the years, written numerous letters on a portable typewriter, hoping to never have to inflict my penmanship on anyone ever again.

The idea of writing a letter to someone is infused with all kinds of reaffirming memories.

The love letter, for example. It's comforting to read the letters sent by lovers to each other in wartime.

Not just nostalgia drawing you in, but the personal partnership between you and the pen that formed the words.

Whoever heard of a touching series of love emails? And I hope we never do.

Letter-writing by hand takes work. More so than emails. You have to sit down, take pen in hand and think.

The philosopher Blaise Pascal once apologized for writing a very long letter to a friend, saying, "I didn't have time to write a short one."

Letters on paper, in an envelope, have a solidity to them that seems to suppress time. Or recover it. - Michael Enright

Working at it focuses the mind. In our screen-crazy world, the idea of a refreshing break from the vertiginous onslaught of digital dreck is very appealing.

Letters on paper, in an envelope, have a solidity to them that seems to suppress time. Or recover it.

For example, I was upset some months ago when a bundle of letters between myself and an early love was thrown away a few days after her death.

Recent studies have shown that penning a letter can in some weird way reduce stress (an aside, don't you just love sentences that begin: "Recent studies have shown ..."?)

Is it my imagination, but are the things of yesteryear, not just letter-writing, making a retro comeback?

My favourite used bookstore, for example, has set aside an entire section to vinyl LPs. It is always jammed. Vinyl stores are flourishing across the country.

Which is not to say that we are breathlessly waiting for the return of the rotary dial or Princess phones.

My eternal beloved gave me an old Smith-Corona portable recently, as an early Father's Day present.

As I sat down and began to type, the sound of the clacking of keys reminded me of early newspaper days and how young we all were.

I'm sending it out to get fixed.

There are hazards in looking to the past for recovered enthusiasms. Obviously you are open to charges of old fogeyism. People smile at you and say: "How quaint."

I'll take my chances. As the Peter Allen song Everything Old is New Again puts it: "Don't throw the past away. You might need it some other rainy day."

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Advanced Essay #2: The Importance of Handwriting

In this essay I wanted to focus on writing scenes of memory. In the previous essay I didn’t work as hard as I could have on the scene I chose to include and did not develop it very much. I also decided to focus on the development of my thesis and my ideas. I am proud of the growth of my scene of memory. I think I did a better job of writing it than the memory in my previous essay. I am also proud of the topic I chose and how I was able to tie it back to literacy and identity. As we continue to write essays I want to do a better job of making my scenes of memory more engaging. I want to be able to express my ideas more concisely and also be able to include a greater variety of ideas.

I stare steadily at the open composition book lying on my dining room table. The pencil I hold trembles slightly as I tentatively move the tip towards the empty paper waiting below me. Slowly and carefully I start copying the words my abuela has written on a separate piece of paper. La gata come su pollo. I copy the sentence over and over again until I’m sure my abuela will be satisfied. When I’m finished I look down at my handiwork and smile triumphantly. The words I just finished copying are legible, though aesthetically mediocre. My handwriting has improved drastically since I began practicing at the beginning of summer vacation. It isn’t something I chose to do. My mother insisted that I learn to write neatly. In previous school years teachers often complained of my almost illegible handwriting and my mother decided it was time for a change. My mother not only decided that I would be taking daily handwriting lessons but also decided that my abuela would be my teacher. I had not been excited and I still am not excited to have to spend hours copying meaningless sentence after sentence. For what has to be at least the hundredth time this month I wonder why handwriting seems so important to every adult I have ever met. Why do I have to have perfect my handwriting? Is handwriting still relevant in an age where we can type everything we want to write on phones, computers, and other electronic devices?

“Handwriting, e.g., using the hand to form letters on a page, is essential in the writing process and can predict the amount and quality of children‘s written ideas.” There are multiple reasons handwriting is important. One of these reasons, as quoted above, is the fact that handwriting influences the writing process and improves quality of written ideas. Handwriting influences composition, explained in the following quote: “Handwriting, and in particular the automaticity of letter production, appears to facilitate higher-order composing processes by freeing up working memory to deal with the complex tasks of planning, organising, revising and regulating the production of text. Research suggests that automatic letter writing is the single best predictor of length and quality of written composition in the primary years... in secondary school and even in the post-compulsory education years.”  Handwriting abilities are also pretty accurate reflectors of success in school, grades, and test performance: “Not only were students with better penmanship in pre-k found to have higher scores in both reading and math later on, but they also had higher grades in general and higher scores on standardized tests. Students with strong handwriting marks in pre-k were found to have an overall “B” average in second grade compared to an overall “C” average for the students that did poorly on writing tasks in pre-K.” Handwriting not only affects writing but also reading skills: “Dr. Dinehart did point out in her report that studies have found that children who physically write letters recognize them more readily than students who type them on the keyboard, possibly meaning that handwriting instruction leads to better reading skills .” All these studies and research on handwriting prove that it is a fundamental aspect of literacy because it influences writing, reading, and school success. Even with all these apparent benefits schools have stopped teaching children to write neatly, the focus is never on handwriting. Handwriting is essential to our development as writers and yet we are never encouraged nor taught to write properly and as perfectly as possible. In the past, students were graded on handwriting and taught to write neatly and legibly. Whenever adults talk about their experiences in school they almost always talk about how when they were in school they had to write neatly and they were taught how to write neatly.They complain about how that has changed and how awful their child or children’s handwriting is. After researching handwriting I have come to agree with them. Handwriting is an important part of developing literacy but it is also more than that. It is an opportunity for each one of us to express our own individual personality and interpretation of literacy.

In recent years we have been moving away from paper and pencil literacy and have been focusing on technological literacy. Although being able to type instead of always writing by hand is wonderful it is important to not dismiss the importance of handwriting. It is essential that we are be literate with technology but other types of literacy are just as important. There is no one type of literacy that can take precedence over the others and it is vital to keep all literacies balanced because different types of literacy depend on each other. To be well rounded and to truly understand the world we need to be literate in every way possible. We shouldn’t dismiss handwriting and certain other types of literacy just because we are now more technologically advanced. To do so would be to ignore a fundamental part of the development of our individual literacy and understanding of the soul, spirit, mind, body, and universe. To maintain our own individuality and uniqueness in relation to literacy we must know how to express ourselves through our handwriting. To be able to understand the ideas of the many people who use technology and social media to express themselves we must be technologically literate. To understand the music and messages spread through music we must be musically literate. None of these types of literacies outweigh each other; they all add up into a unique and complete understanding and comprehension of the world.

Clark, Gloria Jean. "The Relationship between Handwriting, Reading, Fine Motor and Visual-motor Skills in Kindergarteners." Http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ . Iowa State University, 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. < http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2432&context=etd >

Medwell, Jane, and David Wray. "Handwriting: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?" Literacy 41.1 (2007): 10-15. Apr. 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. < http://www.drawingchildrenintoreading.com/assets/handwriting-article-medwell_jane.pdf >.

Stevens, Angie. "Is Handwriting an Important Part of Language and Literacy Instruction?" - Reading Horizons . Reading Horizons, 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. < http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2012/02/07/is-handwriting-an-important-part-of-language-and-literacy-instruction.aspx >.

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The Art of Handwriting and Letter Writing: A Connection to Our Past and a Glimpse into the Soul

Craig miller.

• May 4, 2023
• 3 minute read

In the age of technology, the art of handwriting is becoming increasingly rare. Gone are the days when we would sit down and put pen to paper, diligently crafting each letter and word.

We now turn to digital platforms for communication, losing the personal touch that handwriting brings.

The beauty and uniqueness of each person’s handwriting can reveal a lot about their character, their style, and their mindset.

In Fleur Jaeggy’s 1989 novella “Sweet Days of Discipline,” the narrator, a 14-year-old girl, becomes fascinated with the handwriting of a new classmate, Frédérique.

Handwriting serves as a façade, a way of establishing one’s identity and personality. Each person’s handwriting is a subtle indicator of who they are, with every curve, angle, and flourish providing a glimpse into their soul.

Handwriting is a form of self-expression, a means of showcasing our individuality and our personal insignia.

The Power of Letters

Letter writing has long been a significant part of Western culture. From the love letters of Abelard and Heloise to the philosophical musings of Seneca and the creative guidance of Rainer Maria Rilke, letters have captured the essence of human emotion, thought, and relationships.

They serve as powerful time capsules and snapshots of our lives, preserving our past selves and the people who have shaped our existence.

Love letters, in particular, hold a special place in the genre. They reveal the depths of human relationships, the vulnerability of emotions, and the universality of love.

Famous love letters, such as those exchanged between Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz, or Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, showcase deep emotions and leave a lasting impact on the reader.

--> --> --> In Fleur Jaeggy’s 1989 novella “Sweet Days of Discipline,” the narrator, a 14-year-old girl, becomes fascinated with the handwriting of a new classmate, Frédérique. --> --> -->

Letters as a form of self-expression.

For women, letter writing has been a means of self-expression and communication without the need to identify as “writers.”

This “kitchen-table” approach to writing has allowed women to create from within their lives, surrounded by domestic responsibilities.

It has resulted in a radical form of writing that brings visibility to the daily realities of women’s lives. Writers like Gwen Harwood and Margaret Oliphant embraced interruptions and distractions as a natural part of the creative process, challenging the notion that an entirely uninterrupted space for writing is necessary.

The Loss of Tangibility

As digital communication replaces traditional letter writing, we risk losing the spontaneity and physical connection that handwritten letters offer.

Emails and text messages lack the tangible presence of the human hand on paper, the weight of the ink, and the texture of the paper.

Handwritten letters create a sense of intimacy and closeness that digital messages cannot replicate.

The fading art of handwriting and letter writing is a reminder of a time when communication was more personal, more intimate, and more meaningful.

As we lose touch with this tangible connection to our past and the people who shaped our lives, we also lose a vital part of our humanity.

In the fast-paced, digital age we live in, perhaps it’s time to slow down and rediscover the magic of pen and paper, and the powerful connection that handwriting and letter writing can bring.

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Opinion Here’s how teachers can foil ChatGPT: Handwritten essays

Markham Heid writes about health and science for Medium.

The era of deepfake authorship has arrived. Since the release in November of ChatGPT, the artificial-intelligence program has impressed, entertained and caused more than a little hand-wringing about its ability to produce coherent and credible pieces of writing.

Much of the worry has focused on ChatGPT’s potential for powering fake news. But commentators have also worried about the toll AI-aided plagiarism could take on education. Teachers might soon find it impossible to detect AI-generated text. “The College Essay Is Dead,” the Atlantic declared .

That’s unlikely. There are some obvious workarounds. For example, even laptop-equipped students wouldn’t benefit from ChatGPT if they were required to write essays in class without the aid of their phone or an internet connection.

But there’s another fix — one that might have been worth implementing even before the arrival of ChatGPT: Make students write out essays by hand. Apart from outflanking the latest AI, a return to handwritten essays could benefit students in meaningful ways.

For one thing, neuroscience research has revealed that, to the human brain, the act of handwriting is very different from punching letters on a keyboard. Handwriting requires precise motor skills — controlling the individual strokes and the pressure of the pen — that vary for each letter, and these stimulate greater activity in a broader group of brain regions when compared with typing. (Anyone who has ever helped a child learn to write will recognize how much concentration and practice it requires.)

These letter-specific motor skills, coupled with subtle differences in other sensory input, engage the brain in ways that researchers have linked to learning and memory improvements. And those added layers of stimulation might be beneficial even when a student is merely copying an AI-written essay by hand.

The Post's View: We asked ChatGPT hundreds of questions. Here's what we learned.

“Handwriting forces those areas responsible for memory and learning to communicate with each other, which helps form networks that can make it easier to recall or learn new information,” Audrey van der Meer , professor of neuropsychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, told me.

Much of the research comparing the differing neurological effects of handwriting and typing has focused on children or younger students. But there’s evidence that, even for older students and adults, writing by hand is a more cognitively involved process. For example, some work has found that writing by hand leads to better processing of ideas, and that students produce more original work when they complete assignments in longhand. Meanwhile, research on foreign-language learners has found that handwriting is associated with improvements in some measures of accuracy and comprehension.

Especially when it comes to essay writing, producing something by hand is a fundamentally different task that writing it on a computer. When you’re writing by hand, you need to know where you’re going with a sentence — what you want it to say, and the structure it will take — before you begin. If you don’t, you’ll have to cross things out or start over. Typing on a computer requires far less forethought; you can dump out the contents of your brain and then hammer it into shape.

The dump-and-edit method isn’t necessarily an inferior way to produce quality writing. But in many ways, it is less challenging for the brain — and challenging the brain is central to education itself.

“Handwriting requires you to put a filter on what you’re producing in a way that typing doesn’t,” according to Karin H. James , a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University.

A return to handwritten essays wouldn’t be easy for students. Schools have largely surrendered to a screen-dominated world, and the Common Core curriculum standards don’t mandate cursive training for grades K-12. Most secondary school students, never mind college kids, aren’t accustomed to writing longhand.

It wouldn’t be easy on teachers either, who might have to reduce the length of assignments or allocate extra class time for completion. They’d also have the chore of reading sloppy text that wasn’t neatly turned out by a word processor. But some might find all that preferable to harboring the constant suspicion that they’re being outwitted by a bot.

Toward the end of the 19th century, health issues forced the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to abandon his pen in favor of a typewriter, a new invention at the time. Some of his friends noticed a change in his writing style — a change that one scholar later described as a departure from “sustained argument and prolonged reflection” to a terser “telegram style.”

Nietzsche himself felt the change. “Our writing tools work on our thoughts,” he observed. Ensuring that today’s students have more than one writing tool at their disposal might pay off in ways experts are only beginning to grasp. ChatGPT and other AI-powered technologies will win only if we agree to play on their home turf.

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Why handwritten letters mean so much

A student’s lifelong appreciation for writing and receiving letters exemplifies faculty expert Sara Algoe’s research on emotions.

In this era of instant communication, Siena Rodrigues is a rarity — a busy college student who hand-writes letters.

She began writing letters before starting preschool and hasn’t stopped. Since then, she’s written hundreds of letters to friends and family. The psychology and neuroscience major who works in Professor Flavio Frohlich’s lab in the School of Medicine’s psychiatry department also encourages others to write to her.

As a young child attending church with her mother, Rodrigues stayed occupied with a box of trinkets and stationery. “I don’t’ remember this, but I apparently wrote letters to parishioners and left them by the Mary statue,” she said.

Letters allowed Rodrigues to “tell someone anything you wanted to” and express her feelings in ways that transcended time. “Maybe I can’t tell you I love you in this minute, but in a letter, it doesn’t matter,” she said.

Rodrigues, a junior Morehead-Cain Scholar from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, knows why people relish letters. “Sitting down with a piece of paper and pen, you come with an intention of ‘I’m not only going to think these thoughts or tell you these thoughts, but I’m going to write them down.’ The power of that physical act makes it more personal rather than a thought,” Rodrigues said.

Sara Algoe, a professor in the psychology and neuroscience department in the College of Arts and Sciences, who researches social interactions, agrees. “A letter shows this person was thinking about me and took the time to actually put pen to paper,” Algoe said. “As humans, we want to feel valued and loved and respected, and a letter signals that.

(Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

“Letters also usually disclose a person’s thoughts and feelings at some level, like ‘I was excited to see you last month,’ or ‘This is how I’m thinking about a situation,’” Algoe said.

Research in psychology and relationship science by Algoe and others supports the idea that self-disclosure creates closeness and intimacy. Those feelings may then cause a letter recipient to contact the sender or take steps to see them sooner than planned.

“Those are the ways that relationships get built over time, by one person doing something that literally draws the other person in,” Algoe said.

That’s what happened when Rodrigues’s now-boyfriend, who lived nearby in Signal Mountain, came to her house on Thanksgiving four years ago. He couldn’t stay long, and while leaving, handed Rodrigues a letter. “I don’t think he knew how much I loved letters,” she said. In the letter, he told her that he loved her for the first time. “I immediately wrote a letter to him, and after dinner, I walked the 10 minutes to his house to give it to him.”

Rodrigues primarily uses notebook paper, sometimes handmade paper for special occasions, and short, brown envelopes that fold over. Her friends call them “Siena letters.”

Letters are timeless, Rodrigues said, especially for stories and momentous events. “Holding that documentation of exactly when somebody told you they love you is amazing. We may remember the conversation, but there’s nothing like having a definitive piece of paper to capture that moment and your feelings,” she said.

Rodrigues’s letter-writing tips include:

•Don’t force the process. “If I’m walking or not focusing on something, I start getting ideas. By the time I sit down and write, I usually have a good idea of what I will say.”

•Let daily gratitude inspire you. “I think about why I’m grateful for a person or what in our interactions is meaningful.”

•Listen to music. Her go-to song is “Naked as We Came” by Iron and Wine. “It has this repetitive melody and it’s calm.”

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A Simple Guide To Writing Handwritten Love Letters

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu

Writing captivating love letters is definitely an art that can spice up your relationship or bring back the romantic flare you have been missing. Creating love letters is a great way to make your special someone feel loved and appreciated. Check out the tips below on how to write the perfect romantic love letter.  

Why a Handwritten Letter is Better Than a Text

Handwritten love letters have been utilized as romantic gestures for centuries . However, as the digital age has emerged, the art of writing love letters has been lost to some degree. While sending your partner or romantic interest emails, texts, or social media messages are good and fun; it just doesn’t have the same romantic essence as a handwritten letter. 

When to Send a Love Letter

If you have feelings for someone, it’s the perfect time to send a love letter. Whether it’s just a crush, a budding new relationship, or your 50th year of marriage, you can always send a love letter. Need some creative ideas for delivery? How about surprising your love with a romantic letter on their pillow, mailing your letter the good ‘ol fashioned way, or even posting it anonymously on Imperfect Ink and sharing the link with them. 

Love Letters to Crushes

While sending a love letter to a crush is a bit more nerve-racking than to someone you are already in a relationship with, it doesn’t mean you should avoid it. If you like someone, let them know. If you’re looking to grab your crush’s attention, a romantic letter will certainly do the trick. If you feel the connection goes both ways with your crush, go ahead and write the letter. Like most things in life, you will never know unless you try. 

How to Write a Love Letter

There is an art to any type of writing, including creating beautifully worded love letters. However, art is never a one size fits all situation. As you start to create your love letter, remember to always utilize the writing style that feels best to you. This will ensure that you feel comfortable as you write, while also showcasing your own unique personality and voice. Take your time with your writing process, and don’t be afraid to create some rough drafts as you make your way to the final product. If you’re stuck and are looking for a basic guideline for writing a love letter, check out the five formatting tips below.  

The first step in writing a captivating love letter is to start with a romantic greeting. Use a greeting that is romantic, cute, or even quirky. Maybe, “To my Darling” or “Dear Buttercup.” The most important thing is to choose a greeting that fits your relationship dynamic and to choose something the person you’re writing the letter to will love. 

In the first paragraph of your letter, be sure to share why you’re writing to them. Be open and honest as you draft your thoughts. Let your partner know why you love them and why you just couldn’t wait to express these feelings to them. Think about starting the letter off with a quote about love,  and then going from there. 

In the second paragraph, you really get into the heart of the letter. This is where you pour your heart out onto the page. Be yourself as you tell your love interest how you feel about them. Don’t be afraid to incorporate sentimental or flowery language into your letter. However, if humor is more your style, that can still be incorporated as well. The most important thing is to create a beautiful love letter that makes your partner feel special, while also highlighting your true personality.

As you wrap up your letter in the final paragraph, look to the future of your relationship. Express to them a final time how much they mean to you and what you want your future together to look like. If you want to spend the rest of your life with them, share that sentiment as you close your letter. 

The last step in creating your love letter is to sign it with a loving signature, similar to that of the romantic greeting you started the message with. Add a bit of extra romance with a signed letter that ends with, “With all my love always” or “Yours Forever.” Finally, put your letter in a pretty envelope and give it to your loved one.  

Read Example Love Letters from Imperfect Ink

Tips when writing a love letter to her.

• When writing a love letter to her, tell her why you love her, and highlight how being with her makes your life better.
• Be loving with your words, and be sure to compliment her as much as you can throughout the letter
• Write about a romantic memory the two of you share and let her know why it’s one of the favorite memories you two share. 

Read our guide on writing love letters to her

Tips When Writing a Love Letter to Him

• When writing a love letter to him, make the letter all about him and all the qualities you love about him. Compliments go a long way in showing appreciation.
• Create a letter that makes him know he is loved and appreciated.
• Be sure to highlight some of your favorite memories together and how these moments made you realize why you’ll love him forever.

Read our guide on writing love letters to him

To get more comfortable with the writing process and self-expression, connect with us at Imperfect Ink. You can always write and submit your personal work. It’s a great way to express your feelings safely and anonymously. Writing provides many wonderful therapeutic benefits. Sometimes we just need to get our thoughts out without the person the words were intended for ever laying eyes on them. With the Imperfect Ink platform, that’s exactly what you can do. So if you write that love letter to your crush and decide you don’t actually want them to read it, send it to Imperfect Ink so your words can still be appreciated in one way or another.

Frequently Asked Questions

Begin your love letter with a personable romantic greeting. Then share why you’re writing to them, describing the love you feel and your future with them before signing off with your signature. If you’re not ready to hand deliver your love letter to your crush, go ahead and post it anonymously on Imperfect Ink , a platform for sharing your hidden thoughts.

Start your love letter with a romantic greeting. The most important thing is to choose a greeting that fits your relationship dynamic and to choose something the person you're writing the letter to will love and appreciate. Find inspiration on Imperfect Ink .

When writing a love letter to your partner, tell them why you love them and highlight how being with them makes your life better. Be loving with your words, and be sure to compliment them as much as you can throughout the letter. Write about a romantic memory the two of you share and let them know why it's one of the favorite memories you two share. Go to Imperfect Ink for love letter inspiration.

You can end your love letter with Forever Yours, Thinking of You, xoxo, Kisses, Miss You, I want You, Affectionately, Fondly or read these love letters for inspiration.

Join today and take the first step in opening up and gaining greater understanding and compassion for yourself and others.

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Handwriting a Letter vs E-Mail

Writing a letter differs from sending an e-mail based on the means of communication. However, both writing a letter and sending an e-mail pass the same messages from the sender to the receiver. Therefore, the comparison between writing a letter and sending an e-mail depends on the messages that the sender passes to the receiver.

Some of the similarities between handwriting a letter and sending an e-mail are that both the handwritten letters and e-mails send salutations, conversations, greetings, and send notifications about events, information about family and business situations. Handwriting a letter and sending e-mails have undergone a significant change following the advent of the Internet. A person can compose a letter on a computer and send it by e-mail as a way of communicating with others, then writing a letters on a paper is an old-fashioned way of conveying information. Writing a letter using a pen and paper is about to become extinct following the advent of the computer technology, where many people feels that the Internet is the fastest way of communicating with other people by sending messages. However, some still value a pen and paper more than they value computer and the Internet because of their own viewpoints. People can prefer writing letters on a paper regardless of whether they are computer literate or they are computer illiterate. Some people prefer handwriting letter because of the belief that they can express their feeling confidently due to privacy. They know that the letter will reach only the intended receiver and not any other person.

The frequency of sending and receiving handwritten letters from sender depends on the postal service that the sender decides to use, with some postal services being faster and more reliable than others are. Over the Internet, sending a letter as an e-mail differs from regular mailings in a significant manner because there is no delay in between the sender and the intended receiver. To send e-mails is extremely faster than sending handwritten letter through a postal office. The sender of an e-mail can receive a reply in seconds, which is not the case with sending a handwritten letter by a postal service. However, letter writing helped people to improve their penmanship the more they wrote.

Some people prefer handwritten letters to receiving e-mails because letters are personal and the receiver can keep them. Therefore, the reason to why people write on a paper is to put a personal touch as well as personal feelings into it, and the intended receiver of the letter can cherish and keep it by saving each letter in a special place. Some people consider an e-mail as unfeeling and cold because the intended receiver cannot keep e-mails in special places as valuable documents. When people receive emails, they read and save them on the computer, which is unsafe because the computer may crash and, thus, impossible to access the e-mail if the receiver deleted it from the inbox.

Therefore, there are many comparisons and contrasts between handwriting a letter and sending emails. Some of the comparisons on handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail are that both the handwritten letters and e-mails send salutations, conversations, greetings, and send notifications about events, information about family and business situations. The major contrast on the handwritten letters versus sending an e-mail is that e-mails reach the intended receiver within a matter of seconds after hitting a send button. On the other, a people can send handwritten letters any place, but can take many days to months, depending on how far the intended receiver is from the sender.

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How to Write the Perfect Thank You

Category: Thank Yous

Today, many of us rarely take time to put pen to paper. We text our friends to make social plans and email important business information to our colleagues. However, even modern etiquette experts agree you won’t find a better way to say “thank you” than writing a card or note. Writing a thank you letter or note conveys your gratitude in a meaningful and sincere way. Professional business notes can also improve your company’s image, boost sales , and increase referrals . Don’t be daunted by the thought of penning your thank you cards and notes and starting from a blank thank you card. The following failsafe tips will help you write the perfect thank you.

Draft Your Thank You Message

Keep the message short and sweet, write your thank you message by hand, give thanks in your personal life, give thanks for notable business interactions, follow up after an interview, say thank you ‘just because’, use a personable tone, stay positive, skip the sales pitch, add a warm closing, proofread your thank-you note carefully, send your thank-you message in a timely fashion, write more thank-you notes.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” Many people apply this quote to major undertakings such as saving money for a home purchase or completing large projects at work, but planning makes sense for smaller tasks such as writing generic thank you messages too. Perfection rarely happens on the first attempt. Creating a draft thank-you note gives you a chance to refine your message until you’re completely happy with it.

Write down your thank-you message on a separate piece of paper and read through it carefully. Does it say everything you want to say? Does it convey your message in the right way? Can you find ways to improve it? Make your changes, then set it down for an hour or two. When you come back to it later, you’ll see it with fresh eyes. Read through it again and make any more adjustments you’d like. You can copy your draft to your thank-you card or stationery. Having a draft to refer to can help you reduce your chances of making mistakes.

A thank-you message should never become an essay. Keeping your thank you note message short ensures that you get to the point without going off on unnecessary tangents. Brevity also helps you resist the urge to get too effusive with your thanks, which may make your message seem insincere.

If you struggle to keep your message short, try writing your thank-you notes on cards rather than pieces of paper. When you have only a limited space to work with, you’ll soon figure out what you need to say and what’s best left out.

We mentioned putting pen to paper in the introduction for a specific reason. Writing thank yous is best done by connecting your intention directly to paper via a pen. Typewritten thank-you notes and cards simply don’t have the same impact as handwritten ones. A handwritten thank you conveys warmth and sincerity. Your recipients know you wrote the message just for them and no one else. As handwritten correspondence becomes less frequent, receiving a handwritten note is becoming more precious and special.

If you need further convincing, consider that 64 percent of Americans prefer handwritten correspondence to electronic messages. In addition, handwritten envelopes get opened 300 percent more often than printed envelopes.

Writing handwritten notes can admittedly be a time-consuming task, especially if you’re sending many notes. If you’re short on time, consider using a handwritten letter service such as Handwrytten. Handwrytten creates personalized notes and cards for individuals and businesses that are virtually indistinguishable from messages written by hand.

Be Specific With Your Expressions of Thanks

When you’re giving thanks, you should always be specific with your expressions of thanks. Writing down what a person or company did for you, and the impact this act had on you, makes your thank-you messages more personal and impactful. It is key to make sure that the context is correct here – for example, you wouldn’t want to write a non-love related message in a wedding thank you card .

You should write your thank-you notes to acknowledge receiving gifts when you can’t verbally thank someone in person. This situation often occurs when someone sends you a Christmas present through the mail or you receive several gifts you open later, after a wedding or large milestone birthday, for example. Your thank-you card for these occasions will mention the exact gift you received and why you appreciate it.

You should also write a thank-you note when you receive an important card through the mail. People often send cards to convey their sympathy after the loss of a loved one, their congratulations on an engagement or birth of a child, to wish someone luck at a new job, and several other reasons. Returning the favor with a thank-you card demonstrates that you are grateful for the person thinking of you and wishing you well.

Sending thank-you cards and notes is also a valuable way to express gratitude in the professional world. You should send your thanks when people help you professionally. A written thank you after someone takes time to interview you for a position, mentor you, discuss a business proposition, or invest in your company can help strengthen your professional relationships.

Businesses should also send thank-you notes when they have meaningful interactions with other companies and individuals. Writing a thank you when customers refer other people to your business or buy your products or services is a great gesture of goodwill. When customers feel valued, they’ll be more likely to make purchases and refer others in the future. Thanking your employees for a job well-done boosts productivity and morale. Don’t forget about sending business thank you cards when your suppliers or contractors go the extra mile.

A very important part of any job interview is sending a quick follow-up to the hiring manager or person with which you interviewed.  This is especially important for sales positions. Be sure to express your interest in the position and acknowledge you understand the hiring process might take some.  If you send the note right after the interview, the speed of “snail mail” delivers the note a few days later, which is a great way to remind the company of your interest.

Sometimes the most impactful thank-you messages come seemingly out of the blue. You can’t find a bad time to send a thank you to a friend who has been there to support you for many years. Similarly, businesses can recognize the loyalty of their long-term customers, employees, suppliers, contractors, and investors with an unexpected thank-you note.

As discussed above, writing a thank-you message forges a more personal connection with your recipient compared to sending an email or text. However, take the wrong tone and you’ll undermine that connection.

Keep your tone personable and approachable. If you write in a formal way, you’ll create distance between yourself and your recipient. Forget the formalities, even if you’re writing on behalf of a business or writing to a professional contact. Instead, consider how you’d express yourself if your recipient was present and having a conversation with you. Use everyday words and phrases rather than ones you think might sound impressive.

Remember to be sincere. Even if you keep your tongue in cheek during your conversations, humor can be lost in the text. Unless you know your recipient well, skip the jokes and write straight from the heart. Don’t overdo it, as gushing can seem disingenuous, but write with honest gratitude.

Sometimes gestures fall flat. You know you should thank people for what they’ve done for you, but maybe something wasn’t quite right. Perhaps you received a gift in the wrong size, or the item was wrong altogether. Maybe an employee worked overtime, but you didn’t get the result you were after. A thank-you message isn’t the right medium for expressing what went wrong. Instead, focus on what you appreciated about the gesture.

For what it’s worth, the right time to mention what you didn’t like about the gesture may not ever exist. Maintaining good relationships is often better. Criticize people for the effort they put in, and they’ll be less likely to put themselves out for you in the future.

A thank-you message has one goal: Express your gratitude. Resist the urge to turn your note into a sales pitch. This action can be difficult when you’re writing thank-you notes for professional purposes. So much correspondence in this space is about selling, but don’t give in to temptation.

After a job interview, your thank-you note should simply thank your interviewer for taking the time to meet you. You shouldn’t spend time trying to convince someone that you’re the best candidate. You already had your opportunity during your interview. Similarly, you shouldn’t try selling your products when you’re thanking customers for their loyalty or referrals. If they decide to buy from you because the thank-you note made them feel positively toward your organization, that’s great. But it’s not the goal at this time.

When your thank-you note has a heavy sales pitch, it undermines your original intent and makes your message seem insincere. Save the sales pitches for interviews and marketing materials; they don’t belong in thank-you notes or cards.

Make sure the way you sign off your thank-you message leaves a good lasting impression. Your sign-off should be warm and personable. “Warmest thanks” and “With gratitude” are safe choices. If you’re especially close to your recipient, you may use “With love” , “Lots of love”, or “Love and thanks”. If you’re writing within a religious context, “God bless you” or “Blessings” may seem appropriate.

Remember to avoid formal sign-offs. While “Regards” and “Yours sincerely” are appropriate ways to close a business letter, they’ll seem cold and impersonal on a thank-you note. Luckily, we’ve got a perfect article for you: check out 10 Ways to Sign Off a Thank-You Card .

Errors of any type detract from your thank-you note, making it seem like you’ve written it in a rush or without care. Read through your thank-you note carefully before you send it and look for any spelling mistakes or grammatical problems. If you detect any mistakes, start again. While correction fluid can hide your mistakes, it can’t hide that you made them in the first place. Starting fresh is the best way to make a good impression with your thank-you note.

If you’re prone to making mistakes, take your time. Going slowly and thinking carefully about each word you write should help reduce your errors. Write your thank-you notes in a quiet place, free from distractions. Once your attention is diverted from your thank-you note, making mistakes becomes much easier. Remember that copying a draft rather than trying to compose your thank-you note on the fly is another great tactic for reducing errors.

When you’re giving thanks for a specific gesture or act, timeliness is everything. The more time passes, the less sincere your thank-you note will seem. Your recipient may even forget what you’re thanking them for in the first place.

Etiquette experts recommend writing and sending a thank-you note within a day or two of receiving a gift. This time frame is a good guideline for any type of thank you. Your thank-you card or note could be in transit for a few days, or longer if it’s traveling overseas, so sending your thank-you message early is essential for minimizing delays.

People understand that sometimes circumstances prevent you from sending thank-you messages as early as you’d like. For example, a honeymoon can delay a bride and groom sending all their thank-you notes for their wedding gifts. Everyone expects new parents to take some time adjusting to life with a baby. However, if your thank-you message is delayed, you should still endeavor to send it as early as possible, ideally within six weeks of the event or the moment for which you’re giving thanks.

If the time has gotten away from you, remember that sending a late thank-you note is better than failing to say thanks at all. Write your thank-you note and make sure to add a brief apology for the delay in expressing your gratitude. Send your note as soon as you can and resolve to prioritize writing and posting your next thank-you message sooner to ensure you don’t make delaying your thanks a habit.

You can find more occasions to be thankful for throughout your life.

As with anything you do, you’ll get better at writing thank-you notes with more practice. Don’t wait for the big, momentous occasions. You can find more occasions to be thankful for throughout your life . Get into the habit of writing thank-you cards regularly and you’ll notice you’ll feel more confident about composing them.

Creating handwritten thank-you notes and cards is still the best way to express genuine gratitude for gifts your receive or thoughtful acts of kindness. When someone does something nice for you personally or professionally, the tips presented above can help you write the perfect thank you.

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Text to Handwriting

This free text-to-handwriting tool allows you to convert typed text into real human-like handwriting and export it as a PDF or image. It also allows you to customize the text color, font, size, line height, letter or word spacing, and choose a page from a vast collection of options.

If you're looking to convert text into beautiful handwritten script or seeking to reduce the effort in creating your next school or college project, you're at the right place. Use our free Text-To-Handwriting Converter tool to achieve all your needs in just a few clicks.

How to use Text to Handwriting converter?

To convert your text into handwriting, follow these simple steps:

• Type or paste your text into the square box provided on the left side.
• You can see the preview in the preview window.
• Now, depending on the amount of text, you will see the number of pages generated at the top.
• Use the Next or Prev button to navigate through all the pages.
• Use the download icon located at the top right to export as PDF or images.
• Realistic Paper Output
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How to use my own handwriting?

To use your own unique handwriting, you will have to generate a font of your handwriting. You can use websites like Calligraphr that allows you to create your very own font. Once you get the .ttf file of your handwriting, upload it here....

Now, it will be selected automatically. Try typing something in the input box, and you'll see your own handwriting reflected in the preview section.

How to change paper?

We offer over 50 unique and beautiful papers, ranging from normal white to Christmas-themed designs. You can choose any paper from the collection for free. To change the default page, navigate to:

Now, select the one that suits your work from the collection, and you're done. See the new page ready for you.

To upload cutom paper:

Classic Mode vs  Default Mode?

The Default mode is for those who simply want to convert their text to handwriting. However, the Classic mode provides more control over pages, styling, and allows you to create cool handwritten projects.

Suppose you want to include a closing phrase like 'Regards' or sign off at the end; this can be achieved only through Classic mode.

Note :- When you switch from one mode to another, you lose all the work in your previous mode. Therefore, it's recommended to work in only one mode at a time.

How to Export?

To export the pages as an image or PDF, click on the download icon at the top right. Select options such as 'Download all pages as PDF' to download all pages in a single PDF or 'Download all pages as images' to download all pages as images in a zip file, etc.

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Text to Handwriting

With our text to handwriting converter, you can change simple digital text into handwritten notes.

This tool works in real-time, and the handwritten text will appear on the right side of the screen as you type/paste/upload your content in the input field.

There are different handwriting and page styles that you can choose from to customize your results.

How to Use This Handwriting Changer ?

Here is how you can convert text to handwriting with this tool:

• Type or copy-paste your content in the input field.
• Or, you can directly upload a file from your device’s local storage.
• Select the output settings from the options given below the input field.
• Click on the ‘Download PNG’ button to save the converted text to your device.

Features of Our Text 2 Handwriting Generator Tool

Here are some features that you can enjoy with this handwriting changer:

Download Results in PNG

You can download the converted document to your system’s storage in the PNG format by clicking on the ‘Download PNG’ button. below is the sample of how the png image will look like.

Real-Time Instant Conversion

Our text to handwriting converter has a smooth, single-step process.

After you import your text to the input field, the conversion will happen instantly, and the results will appear on the right side of the screen.

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You can pick from 8 different handwriting styles as well as 5 different page styles. Some of the available page backgrounds are A4-Line-Page, Pure-Light-Blank, and Blank-with-Border .

Four Different Pen Ink Colors

Our handwriting changer also lets you choose from four different pen ink colors. The available colors are Blue Pen, Red Pen, Black Pen, and Gel Pen.

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You can make the converted text larger and smaller by adjusting the heading and handwriting sizes separately.

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An NPR editor who wrote a critical essay on the company has resigned after being suspended

FILE - The headquarters for National Public Radio (NPR) stands on North Capitol Street on April 15, 2013, in Washington. A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal reviews resigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — A National Public Radio editor who wrote an essay criticizing his employer for promoting liberal views resigned on Wednesday, attacking NPR’s new CEO on the way out.

Uri Berliner, a senior editor on NPR’s business desk, posted his resignation letter on X, formerly Twitter, a day after it was revealed that he had been suspended for five days for violating company rules about outside work done without permission.

“I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems” written about in his essay, Berliner said in his resignation letter.

Katherine Maher, a former tech executive appointed in January as NPR’s chief executive, has been criticized by conservative activists for social media messages that disparaged former President Donald Trump. The messages predated her hiring at NPR.

NPR’s public relations chief said the organization does not comment on individual personnel matters.

The suspension and subsequent resignation highlight the delicate balance that many U.S. news organizations and their editorial employees face. On one hand, as journalists striving to produce unbiased news, they’re not supposed to comment on contentious public issues; on the other, many journalists consider it their duty to critique their own organizations’ approaches to journalism when needed.

In his essay , written for the online Free Press site, Berliner said NPR is dominated by liberals and no longer has an open-minded spirit. He traced the change to coverage of Trump’s presidency.

“There’s an unspoken consensus about the stories we should pursue and how they should be framed,” he wrote. “It’s frictionless — one story after another about instances of supposed racism, transphobia, signs of the climate apocalypse, Israel doing something bad and the dire threat of Republican policies. It’s almost like an assembly line.”

He said he’d brought up his concerns internally and no changes had been made, making him “a visible wrong-thinker at a place I love.”

In the essay’s wake, NPR top editorial executive, Edith Chapin, said leadership strongly disagreed with Berliner’s assessment of the outlet’s journalism and the way it went about its work.

It’s not clear what Berliner was referring to when he talked about disparagement by Maher. In a lengthy memo to staff members last week, she wrote: “Asking a question about whether we’re living up to our mission should always be fair game: after all, journalism is nothing if not hard questions. Questioning whether our people are serving their mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful and demeaning.”

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo revealed some of Maher’s past tweets after the essay was published. In one tweet, dated January 2018, Maher wrote that “Donald Trump is a racist.” A post just before the 2020 election pictured her in a Biden campaign hat.

In response, an NPR spokeswoman said Maher, years before she joined the radio network, was exercising her right to express herself. She is not involved in editorial decisions at NPR, the network said.

The issue is an example of what can happen when business executives, instead of journalists, are appointed to roles overseeing news organizations: they find themselves scrutinized for signs of bias in ways they hadn’t been before. Recently, NBC Universal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde has been criticized for service on paid corporate boards.

Maher is the former head of the Wikimedia Foundation. NPR’s own story about the 40-year-old executive’s appointment in January noted that she “has never worked directly in journalism or at a news organization.”

In his resignation letter, Berliner said that he did not support any efforts to strip NPR of public funding. “I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism,” he wrote.

David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder

NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

A senior business editor at National Public Radio has resigned after writing an essay for an online news site published last week accusing the outlet of a liberal bias in its coverage.

In a Wednesday post on X , Uri Berliner included a statement in what he said was his resignation letter to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in the post. "I don't support calls to defund NPR. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

On Friday, Berliner was suspended for five days without pay, NPR confirmed Tuesday , a week after his essay in the Free Press, an online news publication, where he argued the network had "lost America's trust" and allowed a "liberal bent" to influence its coverage, causing the outlet to steadily lose credibility with audiences.

Berliner's essay also angered many of his colleagues and exposed Maher, who started as NPR's CEO in March, to a string of attacks from conservatives over her past social media posts.

Dig deeper: NPR suspends senior editor Uri Berliner after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

NPR reported that the essay reignited the criticism that many prominent conservatives have long leveled against NPR and prompted newsroom leadership to implement monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage.

Neither NPR nor Maher have not yet publicly responded to Berliner's resignation, but Maher refuted his claims in a statement Monday to NPR.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," Maher said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY.

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Uri Berliner, NPR editor who criticized the network of liberal bias, says he's resigning

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

April 17, 2024 / 12:21 PM EDT / CBS News

Uri Berliner, a senior editor at National Public Radio who had been suspended from his job after claiming the network had "lost America's trust" by pushing progressive views while suppressing dissenting opinions, said he is resigning from the broadcaster.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in his resignation letter to NPR CEO Katherine Maher, and which he posted in part on X, the former Twitter. "I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK — Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024

Berliner's resignation comes eight days after he published an  essay  in the Free Press that caused a firestorm of debate with his allegations that NPR was suppressing dissenting voices. In response to his critique, some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, called on the government to "defund" the organization. 

Maher, who became NPR's CEO in March, wrote a staff memo a few days after publication of Berliner's essay addressing his criticisms of the organization's editorial process. Among Berliner's claims are that NPR is failing to consider other viewpoints and that it is fixated on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

"Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful and demeaning," Maher wrote. 

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues also took issue with the essay, with "Morning Edition" host Steve Inskeep  writing on his Substack  that the article was "filled with errors and omissions."

"The errors do make NPR look bad, because it's embarrassing that an NPR journalist would make so many," Inskeep wrote.

Berliner's suspension, which occurred Friday, was  reported  by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. NPR declined to comment to CBS News about Berliner's resignation. "NPR does not comment on individual personnel matters," a spokesperson said.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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King Donald’s Day at the Supreme Court

By Susan B. Glasser

Donald Trump is nothing if not a dreamer. In seeking to return to the Presidency, it’s as though he has reimagined America as a kingdom and himself the king, an absolute ruler whose actions, no matter how sordid, cannot be stopped or subject to prosecution in a court of law. And yet what remains most remarkable is how far down the road to fulfilling this fantasy he now is, and how many millions of Americans he has managed to carry along with him: the Republican primary voters who, overwhelmingly, chose him again as their party’s nominee; the Republican officials, such as former Attorney General Bill Barr , who, despite condemning Trump for calling forth violence and illegality in his effort to overturn the 2020 election, are nevertheless endorsing him this year; the advocates on and off his payroll who say that a federal criminal case against him must be thrown out because, as President, he had every right to seek to overturn the election. This is the Richard Nixon theory of the executive taken to its circular and oh-so-Trumpian extreme: if the President does it, by definition, it is not illegal. “ I have the right to do whatever I want as President ,” Trump said when he was in the White House.

On Thursday, Trump’s legal team asked the Supreme Court to take this both literally and seriously, advancing his fantastical claims about an unfettered Presidency in oral arguments at the Court, where, alarmingly, they received a respectful hearing. So here we are in the midst of this most consequential election year, debating things such as whether a President has the power to accept bribes for official appointments, to sell nuclear secrets to a foreign adversary, or even to call forth a military coup to remain in office. How is it possible in the United States of America that the answer to any of these questions could be yes? And, yet, strip out the hemming and hawing, the polite citations of Marbury v. Madison and the sayings of Benjamin Franklin, and the answer from Trump’s lawyer to all of the above was more or less: Yes.

In a remarkable dialogue with that lawyer, D. John Sauer, Justice Sonia Sotomayor established that Trump believes he should even have the right to order the assassination of a political opponent without fear of prosecution. Yup, we’ve reached the point of the election year where Trump’s lawyer says it’d be O.K. if Trump were to order a hit job on a rival—and is not immediately laughed out of court. The claims advanced by Sauer on behalf of the most powerful man in the world were so sweeping that, eventually, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was left to wonder “what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into the seat of criminal activity in this country.”

It says everything about Trump that these are the questions debated and dissected on his behalf. It says everything about this Supreme Court—a radical right-wing bench that Trump reshaped with his appointments—that several conservative Justices hardly seemed bothered by this absolutist vision of the Presidency. And yet, notably, I did not hear any of them specifically defend Trump’s indefensible conduct or the tremendous overreach recommended by his lawyer; instead, they invoked fears of unwarranted prosecutions against other former Presidents—not this one, they insisted somewhat sanctimoniously, but unnamed others. “I’m not talking about the present case,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said. “I’m talking about the future.” Justice Neil Gorsuch agreed, stressing this was not so much about Trump as it was about debating “a ruling for the ages.”

Whereas the liberal Justices worried about the consequences of having a President on an unconstrained crime spree, several conservative Justices conjured a “dystopian” future, as the government’s lawyer, Michael Dreeben, called it, in which the American Presidency, once subjected to the same criminal laws as the rest of the country, could become a fearful and neutered office, trapped in never-ending cycles of legal revenge and retribution as the vicissitudes of politics dictated. On this point, it was hard to entirely disagree. Can one imagine a reëlected President Trump ordering his Justice Department to prosecute Joe Biden for this or that imagined offense? Of course! This is not a theoretical threat, after all, but one that Trump has already made several times.

By the end of the nearly two hours and forty minutes of oral arguments, it seemed likely that the outcome would not so much vindicate Trump’s outlandish claims as provide the further delay that he has sought. Several conservative Justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, specifically raised the option of sending the case back to the lower courts, perhaps to set a clearer standard dividing non-prosecutable official acts from prosecutable private actions. It is, apparently, impolite to bring up raw politics in Supreme Court oral arguments; no one said a word about the immediate real-world consequences of the Court’s forthcoming decision in this case. But there should be no illusions: given the calendar, any delay would practically guarantee that the special counsel Jack Smith’s case against Trump for seeking to overturn the 2020 election results will not go to trial until after the 2024 election. In other words, the Court would be taking Trump’s side, even without explicitly taking Trump’s side.

I’ll leave it to the legal analysts to sift through the relative merits of Thursday’s oral arguments. The disastrous ending of Trump’s tenure in the White House certainly presents a host of previously uncontemplated problems for the Supreme Court to rule on. But the bigger problem is that Trump’s challenge to American democracy is not principally one of legal doctrine. It is about a scary, straightforward question: whether the institutions set up to constrain an out-of-control President can or will do so when the actual crisis hits.

And to be clear: this is the actual crisis. The present worry is not what some theoretical future President will do to destroy the constitutional order but what this specific former President has already attempted to do and threatens to do once again. Considering Justice Jackson’s warning about a criminal unfettered by criminal laws sitting in the White House, it is worth reviewing the latest developments in Trump’s other ongoing legal dramas. In Arizona this week , an array of Trump’s advisers were indicted in connection with the former President’s fake-elector scheme, which is also a key part of the federal case against him. Trump himself was named as a co-conspirator and not charged, though his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, his attorney Rudy Giuliani, and sixteen others were. The case is the fourth state case—others are ongoing in Nevada, Michigan, and Georgia—in which allies of the former President are facing criminal proceedings related to the false and unproved allegations of voter fraud which they advanced on Trump’s behalf. The case, as with so many before it, raises one of the painful questions of our time: Can it really be, once again, that everyone but Trump will be held accountable for the wrongs committed on Trump’s behalf?

This is the same question at issue in a New York courtroom, where Trump is now standing trial on state charges related to the payment of hush money to stop the publication of embarrassing stories about him before the 2016 election. His former lawyer Michael Cohen has already pleaded guilty and gone to prison after confessing to the scheme involving a hundred-and-thirty-thousand-dollar payoff to the former adult-film star Stormy Daniels , among other wrongdoing. But not Trump, who sat glaring in the Manhattan courtroom on Thursday as his lawyer in Washington sparred with the Justices on the Supreme Court.

This is a man who believes he is fully above the law. Jail time is something that happens to other people, not to him. “ A President has to have immunity ,” he told reporters outside the courthouse. “If you don’t have immunity, you just have a ceremonial President.” Sometimes, I guess, it really is better to stand on ceremony. ♦

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A Culture Warrior Takes a Late Swing

The editor and essayist Joseph Epstein looks back on his life and career in two new books.

• Share full article

By Dwight Garner

NEVER SAY YOU’VE HAD A LUCKY LIFE: Especially If You’ve Had a Lucky Life , by Joseph Epstein

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT: New and Selected Essays , by Joseph Epstein

When Tammy Wynette was asked to write a memoir in her mid-30s, she initially declined, she said in an interview, because “I didn’t think my life was over yet.” The publisher responded: Has it occurred to you that in 15 years no one might care? She wrote the book. “Stand by Your Man: An Autobiography” (1979) was a hit.

The essayist and editor Joseph Epstein — whose memoir “Never Say You’ve Had a Lucky Life,” is out now, alongside a greatest-hits collection titled “Familiarity Breeds Content” — has probably never heard Wynette sing except by accident. (In a 1993 essay, he wrote that he wished he didn’t know who Willie Nelson was, because it was a sign of a compromised intellect.) But his memoir illustrates another reason not to wait too long to commit your life to print.

There is no indication that Epstein, who is in his late 80s, has lost a step. His prose is as genial and bland, if comparison to his earlier work is any indication, as it ever was. But there’s a softness to his memories of people, perhaps because it was all so long ago. This is the sort of memoir that insists someone was funny, or erudite, or charismatic, while rarely providing the crucial details.

Epstein aw-shucks his way into “Never Say You’ve Had a Lucky Life” — pretending to be self-effacing while not being so in the least is one of his salient qualities as a writer — by warning readers, “I may not have had a sufficiently interesting life to merit an autobiography.” This is because he “did little, saw nothing notably historic, and endured not much out of the ordinary of anguish or trouble or exaltation.” Quickly, however, he concludes that his life is indeed worth relating, in part because “over the years I have acquired the literary skill to recount that life well.”

Here he is wrong in both directions. His story is interesting enough to warrant this memoir. His personal life has taken complicated turns. And as the longtime editor of the quarterly magazine The American Scholar, and a notably literate conservative culture warrior, he’s been in the thick of things.

He does lack the skill to tell his own story, though, if by “skill” we mean not well-scrubbed Strunk and White sentences but close and penetrating observation. Epstein favors tasseled loafers and bow ties, and most of his sentences read as if they were written by a sentient tasseled loafer and edited by a sentient bow tie.

He grew up in Chicago, where his father manufactured costume jewelry. The young Epstein was popular and, in high school, lettered in tennis. His title refers to being lucky, and a big part of that luck, in his estimation, was to grow up back when kids could be kids, before “the therapeutic culture” took over.

This complaint sets the tone of the book. His own story is set next to a rolling series of cultural grievances. He’s against casual dress, the prohibition of the word “Negro,” grade inflation, the Beat Generation, most of what occurred during the 1960s, standards slipping everywhere, de-Westernizing college curriculums, D.E.I. programs, you name it. His politics aren’t the problem. We can argue about those. American culture needs more well-read conservatives. The problem is that in his search for teachable moments, his memoir acquires the cardboard tone of a middling opinion column.

His youth was not all tennis lessons and root beer floats. He and his friends regularly visited brothels because, he writes, sex was not as easy to come by in the 1950s. He was kicked out of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for his role in the selling of a stolen accounting exam to other students.

He was lucky to find a place at the University of Chicago, a place of high seriousness. The school changed him. He began to reassess his values. He began to read writers like Irving Howe, Sidney Hook, Midge Decter and Norman Podhoretz, and felt his politics pull to the right.

After college, he was drafted into the Army and ended up in Little Rock, Ark., where he met his first wife. At the time, she was a waitress at a bar and restaurant called the Gar Hole. Here Epstein’s memoir briefly threatens to acquire genuine weight.

She had lost custody of her two sons after a divorce. Together they got them back, and she and Epstein had two sons of their own. After their divorce, Epstein took all four of the boys. This is grist for an entire memoir, but Epstein passes over it quickly. One never gets much of a sense of what his boys were like, or what it was like to raise them. He later tells us that he has all but lost touch with his stepsons and has not seen them for decades.

He worked for the magazine The New Leader and the Encyclopaedia Britannica before becoming the editor of The American Scholar in 1975. It was a position he would hold for 22 years. He also taught at Northwestern University for nearly three decades.

At The American Scholar he began to write a long personal essay in each issue, under the pseudonym Aristides. He wrote 92 of these, on topics such as smoking and envy and reading and height. Most ran to 6,500 words, or about 4,000 words longer than they should have been.

Many magazine editors like to write every so often, to keep a hand in. But there is something unseemly about an editor chewing up acres of space in his own publication on a regular basis. Editorially, it’s a droit du seigneur imposition.

A selection of these essays, as well as some new ones, can now be found in “Familiarity Breeds Content.” In his introduction to this book, Christopher Buckley overpraises Epstein, leaving the reader no choice but to start mentally pushing back.

Buckley calls Epstein “the most entertaining living essayist in the English language.” (Not while Michael Kinsley, Lorrie Moore, Calvin Trillin, Sloane Crosley and Geoff Dyer, among many others, walk the earth.) He repurposes Martin Amis’s comment about Saul Bellow: “One doesn’t read Saul Bellow. One can only reread him.” To this he adds, “Ditto Epstein.” (Epstein is no Saul Bellow.) Buckley says, “Joe Epstein is incapable of writing a boring sentence.”

Well. How about this one, from an essay about cats?

A cat, I realize, cannot be everyone’s cup of fur.

Or this one, from an essay about sports and other obsessions:

I have been told there are people who wig out on pasta.

Or this one, about … guess:

When I was a boy, it occurs to me now, I always had one or another kind of hat.

Juggling today appears to be undergoing a small renaissance.

If one is looking to save on fuel bills, politics is likely to heat up a room quicker than just about anything else.

In tennis I was most notable for flipping and catching my racket in various snappy routines.

The essays are, by and large, as tweedy and self-satisfied as these lines make them sound. There are no wild hairs in them, no sudden deepenings of tone. Nothing is at stake. We are stranded with him on the putt-putt course.

Epstein fills his essays with quotation after quotation, as ballast. I am a fan of well-deployed, free-range quotations. So many of Epstein’s are musty and reek of Bartlett’s. They are from figures like Lord Chesterfield and Lady Mary Montagu and Sir Herbert Grierson and Tocqueville and Walpole and Carlyle. You can feel the moths escaping from the display case in real time.

To be fair, I circled a few sentences in “Familiarity Breeds Content” happily. I’m with him on his distrust of “fun couples.” He writes, “A cowboy without a hat is suitable only for bartending.” I liked his observation, which he borrowed from someone else, that a career has five stages:

(1) Who is Joseph Epstein? (2) Get me Joseph Epstein. (3) We need someone like Joseph Epstein. (4) What we need is a young Joseph Epstein. (5) Who is Joseph Epstein?

It’s no fun to trip up a writer on what might have been a late-career victory lap. Epstein doesn’t need me to like his work. He’s published more than 30 books, and you can’t do that unless you’ve made a lot of readers happy.

NEVER SAY YOU’VE HAD A LUCKY LIFE : Especially If You’ve Had a Lucky Life | By Joseph Epstein | Free Press | 287 pp. | $29.99

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTENT : New and Selected Essays | By Joseph Epstein | Simon & Schuster | 441 pp. | Paperback, $20.99

Dwight Garner has been a book critic for The Times since 2008, and before that was an editor at the Book Review for a decade. More about Dwight Garner

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