Hemingway, known for minimalism as an author, can teach us all an important lesson about how uncomplicated the written word can be and how much of an impact it can have.
Recently I wrote a short “thank you” note to Jordan Hollender, a Wonderful Machine photographer based in Brooklyn, to let him know that I chose one of his images for the back of my business card. He replied soon after, telling me “a note in the mail vs. email, ahhhh, so rare these days.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my computer, email, and text. But in a sense they’ve all robbed us of the subtlety, sincerity, and the undeniable need for pause when we receive something in longhand.
It is rare. It is memorable. It is special.
Send a “thank you” note to a client you just worked with, someone from a networking event you want to make an impression on, or a stylist who did an amazing job. They’ll remember it, and more importantly, they’ll remember you.
It doesn’t have to be long, just earnest.
Although there isn’t spell check in handwritten-land, you could really go old-school and dust off your dictionary if you have one.