The Handwritten Word

Drinking: Republic of Tea Emperor's White Tea
Reading: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (for the third time, in preparation for the movie next month!)

I received a letter this week from a very good friend of mine -you read that correctly, an actual letter. Not an e-mail, not a text, nor a Facebook message, it was a beautiful card with something even more beautiful inside: handwritten words, saying hello, in actual ink. It was such a thoughtful gesture, I smiled. And you know what's even better? Writing a response. Yes, sometimes I think we rely too much on electronic communication. Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer the feel of a pen in my hand and the smell of paper absorbing the colors to monotonous typingtypingtyping. While I admit that furious typing can be fun from time to time (it's the clicking sound, I tell you), and technology has made our lives faster and easier, there is nothing like slowing down and taking the time to savor the world outside of little screens. It's amazing the images your eyes can take in, you know.

And handwriting, without a backspace or spellcheck, forces you to actually stop and think about what you're writing before committing it to paper. Which, in some ways, makes what you're writing that much more meaningful. Seriously. I have also found that when I'm in the midst of writing a manuscript, occasionally taking a notebook outside and scribbling random scenes opens up some new creative pathway in my brain, allowing me to see things in the story differently, sometimes helping to make it better.

I encourage you to give it a try. Before sending that text or e-mail try writing out an actual hello. Put a stamp on it. That's what the Post Office is for, anyway!