“I’ll write to you. A super-long letter, like in an old-fashioned novel” (Haruki Murakami, After Dark). United States Postal Service (USPS) reports that two-thirds of survey respondents say exchanging snail mail letters during the pandemic lifts their spirits. Although electronic communication is faster, the slowness of letter writing makes it more reflective and purposeful. USPS is of course promoting its paid services, but their snail mail advice is nevertheless valid. As a writer, I compose email letters as slowly and thoughtfully as my snail mail letters in pre-internet days. Perhaps more so, because I can revise email letters before hitting “Send,” just as I revise manuscripts before I click “Submit.” Long-form letter writing is an art worth preserving, a form of epistolary literature. Read more of my thoughts about writing at REFLECTIONS.
