It’s the fifth Monday of the month, so my editorial calendar calls for a post on notewriting, my favorite connection tool. I thought I’d just share a few of the questions I’ve gotten recently about notewriting.
Is notewriting the correct spelling?
The person asking this question thought it should be note writing. Since there is no entry of notewriting in my New Oxford American Dictionary, I’m inclined to admit that this person is correct. However, I like thinking of it as one word and have used it that way for so long, I’m going to claim it as my own. So notewriting it will be on at Heartspoken.com.
How many personal notes do you really write?
Not as many as you might think, considering what an evangelist I am for personal handwritten notes. I just counted up 118 personal notes (thank you, sympathy, congratulations, encouragement) since the beginning of the year. That’s less than 20 per month and only 4-5 notes a week. I can do better.
How do you keep track of your correspondence?
I find I have to keep a correspondence record, because sometimes I’ll think about writing someone for awhile and then I’ll begin to ask myself, “Did I write them or not?” So at the beginning of each year, I just go to an office supply store and buy a little 3-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ spiral calendar book (one week per two-page spread) and enter whenever I mail something. I put bill payments and business correspondence in it too (but I didn’t count them as personal notes). Here are snapshots of my book and a typical entry page. “Sym” means it was a sympathy note. “Thnx” means it was a thank you note. “Congrats” means it was a note of congratulations.
Do you have a notewriting routine?
I do most of my notewriting in the mornings, but I tend to write in spurts. I may go a whole week without writing a single personal note. Then I’ll have a day when I write six or seven notes at one time. I do keep a running list when I think of someone I want to write, because if I don’t do it while I’m thinking about it, I’ll forget. There are still many that don’t get done.
I keep a basket of notepapers and my favorite fountain pen right next to my chair within easy reach. My daughter and her husband gave me a wonderful Levenger lap board that I use, so I’ve set things up to make notewriting easy to do.
What are your top notewriting tips?
- Use a pen and ink you love to write with.
- Keep personalized stationery or unique notecards on hand that make you feel special every time you write on them.
- Keep a record of your correspondence.
- Save well-written notes you’ve received to give you ideas about what to say.
- Don’t stress about saying just the right thing. The person receiving your note will remember the good feeling it gave them long after they’ve forgotten exactly what you said.
Why haven’t you written to me?
If you’d like me to write you a personal handwritten note, just send me your snail mail address via Heartspoken’s Contact Page!
What other notewriting questions do you have? Please leave them in the comments below or come visit us on Facebook
I love my Waterman fountain pen!
And the wonderful ink colors available from Waterman.
Love your ideas, Elizabeth–will incorporate some of them this very day. Thank you for the encouragement!
I’m so happy you found them helpful, Lisa. I really appreciate your telling me!
I’m so glad you found some of them helpful, Lisa! And I especially appreciate that you found them encouraging. I don’t want to sound preachy. 🙂
Wow – I don’t think I’ll ever reach your numbers, and I am impressed! However, I do love to write a personal note whether it’s a thank you, thinking of you, hoping you’re feeling better, even a ‘here’s an article you may like to read,’ with article included. I tend to make my own notecards using my own photos (scenery like sunsets, rainbows, pelicans, SF bay, etc.) and can create them on websites like Tiny Prints. Love being creative, even while using technology. Hugs to you!
You’ve taken notewriting to an even deeper level than I have, Pam — yours are gifts already before you’ve written the first word! My husband is a wonderful photographer, so I think I’m going to try my hand at making notecards from some of his photos. Thanks for inspiring me!
118 personal notes since the beginning of the year!!!! Wowsa wow, I positively love that, as must all the recipients of said notes. I actually have a lovely assortment of note cards and stationery to fit all the thoughtful and heartfelt messages I write in my head, but then never seem to transport to paper. You’ve truly inspired me here to take the necessary steps to complete the missing link from firm intention to actually words on paper–starting with the notebook plan. Perfect!
Thank you, Barbara! I’ve got lots of short pieces on the blog with tips for becoming a more regular note writer. Just use the Category drop-down list in the sidebar and select “Notewriting.”
Hi, Karen! My little correspondence calendar book is separate from my kitchen wall calendar, but it works for me. I have a little mailing station in my kitchen — it holds envelopes, odd cards, and a drawer for stamps and return address labels. I keep my correspondence book right there so I can log the note when I put a stamp on it.
Loved your idea of the correspondence notebook!
How do you remember birthdays and all the events you
need to keep track of?
Hi, Ellen! So happy to see your comment this morning. I actually am not at all good about remembering birthdays except for my immediate family (siblings, nieces, and nephews). Those are on my kitchen calendar. I should probably use technology more to send me reminders. You and I have talked about designing a permanent document — like a large folding card — for recording and storing all those birthday and special event ideas. I’d love to hear from others whether they’d find this kind of thing helpful — or if they are using something they love.