One of the joys of writing my book HEARTSPOKEN: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire, has been finding and getting to know other writers who share my love for handwritten notes. They always have their own perspectives and stories to share, and the author of this book, Lynette M. Smith, was just such a person. Not only was her book a great resource, but she generously gave me permission to share a story from it in my own upcoming book. She tells about a beautiful letter her son and daughter-in-law wrote and presented to their parents when they got married. I’m happy to post my review that I left on Amazon and Goodreads.
How to Write Heartfelt Letters To Treasure: For Special Occasions and Occasions Made Special
by Lynette M. Smith
with Foreword by Peggy Post, Director of The Emily Post Institute
This book is a remarkable, heart-centered, and comprehensive achievement! I have read many, many books about the art of writing personal notes and letters, and this one was both refreshingly readable, highly practical, and thoughtfully organized. Not only does the author provide inspiration and ideas for both usual and unusual special occasions when a letter could be meaningful, but she also gives excellent and very specific guidance on creative ways to create and/or present the letter.
One of many areas in which the author went above and beyond in adding value to her book was in her chapter called “Cultural and Religious Rites of Passage.” I learned so much about many celebrations from cultures different from mine.
Not only does the book include guidance for writing personal letters, but it provides excellent coverage of situations in one’s professional life when a letter could be not only appropriate but extremely meaningful. I especially appreciated her forthright warnings about situations or wordings to avoid.
A great deal of thought went into this book’s layout and organization to make it as useful and helpful as possible for the reader. The detailed Table of Contents, for instance, makes it easy to dip in and out of the book for specific circumstances, while the internal links in the Kindle version made it convenient to jump from one section to another as needed.
Even veteran letter writers will be delighted with this book. It belongs on your writing desk right along with a dictionary, thesaurus, and etiquette guide, but it is so comprehensive, it can almost take their place.
NOTE: When you make a purchase using the Amazon affiliate links in this post, you pay no more and you help support my writing. If you prefer to support independent book stores with your purchase, you can CLICK HERE to buy from my Heartspoken Bookshop.
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Thank you so much, Elizabeth–so very kind!