The Joys of Letter Writing

Why write a letter when it’s easier and quicker to send an email, text or other electronic message? Because handwritten correspondence imparts more meaning and holds greater value.

That’s the message a national writing project wanted to spread.

“Snail Mail My Email” has just ended a month-long project that transformed emails submitted by participants into handwritten letters. Founder Ivan Cash, a San Francisco art director, designer and letter writer, created the project hoping to raise awareness of the joys of putting pen to paper.

Cash originally planned to handle all the work himself. But an enthusiastic response — he received 1,000 email requests by the project’s fourth day — obliged him to take on 134 volunteers to do the bulk of the writing.

In two weeks, the volunteers churned out 2,300 letters — many of them complete with doodles and, in some cases, lipstick kisses. Volunteer Kristin Huben of Montgomery, IL, told CNN that 90 percent of the letters she’s written have been love letters.

Other volunteers reported they penned a variety of letters, including mail to President Obama, a marriage proposal and an acceptance to Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft from the “Harry Potter” series.
Margaret Shepherd, author of “The Art of the Personal Letter: A Guide to Connecting Through the Written Word,” isn’t surprised by the project’s popularity. She notes that people have a knack for determining the amount of effort others put into actions such as penning a letter. Further, she said, the greater the effort, the greater other’s appreciate it.
“Your mom wants to see your handwriting,” Shepherd told CNN. “And she wants to hear your voice, not a stranger’s.”

Source: NewsLink 8/16/11