A Letter Writing Project

We're always working on—and talking about—creative writing here on the OLL blog. Lately, though, I've been working on another kind of project: composing letters.

No, not long-hand. Who am I, Emily Dickinson? I'm writing in a mode that actually seems quaint in the age of text-messaging and wall posts: just nice, substantial, old-fashioned e-mails. I've lived in a few different places in my adult life, and made a lot of great friends along the way. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, it can be tough to stay in touch. (I'd argue that Facebook exacerbates this issue, as it gives the illusion of proximity. How far away can your friends be when you can get to them in just a few clicks, right?) So, I devised a system:

Each day, I'm writing one letter to one friend, in alphabetical order. (I'm up to the end of the Cs so far.) Most people are pleasantly surprised by the out-of-the-blue effort. This stuff doesn't happen enough these days. We're all busy, and do most of our socializing through portals that encourage only cursory contact. It's so nice to open up my inbox and find something more significant—an exchange that actually makes me feel connected.

What methods do you use to stay in touch with your friends and relatives? Anyone want to join me in my project? Am I totally wrong that Facebook and other social media facilitate more-superficial connections? And what should I do about my jerky friends who don't write back? Cut them off entirely, right?

(Just kidding about the last thing.)

– Chris A.

Photo by Flickr user cheukiecfu