The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication [Hardcover]

Margaret Shepherd (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 22, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0767907450 | ISBN-13: 978-0767907453 | Edition: First Edition

When you receive the daily mail do you jump to open the handwritten envelopes first because you can’t wait to see who has written and why? Or do you hold those letters aside to savor and enjoy after you are done sorting your bills and tossing the junk mail? Whatever your approach, you no doubt recognize the importance of the note that comes in a unique envelope with distinct handwriting and possibly a decoration or two. Indeed, in an age when even birthday greetings are sent by e-mail, the personal letter is appreciated more than ever before.
For those who enjoy writing notes, or those who value doing so but find themselves intimidated by the task, acclaimed calligrapher Margaret Shepherd has created both an epistolary tribute and rescue manual. Just as you cherish receiving personal mail, you can take pleasure in crafting correspondence. Love, gratitude, condolences, congratulations–for every emotion and occasion, a snippet of heartfelt prose is included, sure to loosen the most stymied letter writer.
Not only providing inspiration for the content of the missives, The Art of the Handwritten Note gives thorough instruction in the specific details that give so many men and women the jitters when it comes to correspondence that can’t (or shouldn’t) be produced on a keyboard. From overcoming illegible penmanship to mastering the challenge of keeping straight margins, avoiding smeared ink, and choosing stationery that is appropriate but suits your style, this is a powerful little guide to conveying thoughts in an enduring–and noteworthy–way.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

When you receive the daily mail do you jump to open the handwritten envelopes first because you can’t wait to see who has written and why? Or do you hold those letters aside to savor and enjoy after you are done sorting your bills and tossing the junk mail? Whatever your approach, you no doubt recognize the importance of the note that comes in a unique envelope with distinct handwriting and possibly a decoration or two. Indeed, in an age when even birthday greetings are sent by e-mail, the personal letter is appreciated more than ever before.
For those who enjoy writing notes, or those who value doing so but find themselves intimidated by the task, acclaimed calligrapher Margaret Shepherd has created both an epistolary tribute and rescue manual. Just as you cherish receiving personal mail, you can take pleasure in crafting correspondence. Love, gratitude, condolences, congratulations–for every emotion and occasion, a snippet of heartfelt prose is included, sure to loosen the most stymied letter writer.
Not only providing inspiration for the content of the missives, The Art of the Handwritten Note gives thorough instruction in the specific details that give so many men and women the jitters when it comes to correspondence that can’t (or shouldn’t) be produced on a keyboard. From overcoming illegible penmanship to mastering the challenge of keeping straight margins, avoiding smeared ink, and choosing stationery that is appropriate but suits your style, this is a powerful little guide to conveying thoughts in an enduring–and noteworthy–way.

About the Author

Margaret Shepherd is a noted calligrapher and author whose clients include numerous headliners. The author of thousands of personal notes and thirteen instructional books on calligraphy, including the bestselling Learning Calligraphy and the just published Learn Calligraphy (Broadway Books, 2001), she has exhibited her work in many museums and galleries. She lives in Boston.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; First Edition edition (January 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767907450
• ISBN-13: 978-0767907453
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #366,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Shepherd is a writer, calligrapher, and teacher. In addition to The Art of the Handwritten Note, she has written thirteen books on calligraphy. Each year she speaks at MIT's 'charm school' about the importance of gracious communication. She lives in Boston.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

182 of 190 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars paean to letterwriting, but don't trust the etiquette advice April 8, 2003

By Ellen Etc. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Average five stars and one star, and you get three stars. If you've heard of delectable cookbooks being referred to as "food porn," you'll understand why I might refer to the first four chapters of The Art of the Handwritten Note as "stationery porn." Shepherd describes beautifully why and how to handwrite a variety of notes and letters. I've written hundreds myself and can vouch for the soundness of her advice. And I love reading different authors on the beauties of pens and papers, as I am one of those addicts.

However, in Chapter Five, "Opportunities to Write the Note That Counts," she goes seriously astray in discussing the etiquette of letter writing. She presents her own preferences as etiquette rules, when they certainly aren't. For instance, one does not need to write thank-you letters when gifts are exchanged in person, though it is a nice touch. And one sample shows a thank-you letter for a baby shower gift signed by - ugh! - the baby. The text contradicts this sample letter, saying "You write these as the parent, acknowledging your gratitude for gifts given to your children, until the children learn to write for themselves," but the lack of captions for the sample letters makes one wonder if this was supposed to be an example of misguided cuteness. But then she says you can phone or email these thanks instead. No, no, no!

And a "printed card in the mail or an announcement in the newspaper" to respond to condolence notes? Hardly! She even allows "frank" responses to gifts one doesn't like, suggesting that you may ask the giver to exchange it for you - WHAT IS SHE THINKING??

"Dear Lytton, I already own the volume of Miss Eden's letters which you so kindly sent, but perhaps you could exchange it for a copy of `The Princesse de Cléves,' which I do not yet have. Yrs., Virginia" -- Oh yes, your family and friends are just going to love getting THOSE sort of letters.

However, at the end there are some (intentionally) funny lists of "do's" and "don't's" for such categories as breakup notes and notes requesting help. In the phrases to use and avoid in fan letters, for example, she sagely advises the letter writer to say, "I have every one of your books," but don't say, "I bought your book for a dollar from a store that sells rejects."

This could have stayed a five-star book if the author had researched the etiquette of correspondence. Nobody but Miss Manners gets to just "make stuff up," and even Miss Manners uses that right sparingly. What one feels is natural and right may not always coincide with what one should do correctly, and I do wish the author had taken the time to learn the difference.

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A much needed book for today February 20, 2002

By RUSSELL L. STUTLER

Format:Hardcover

When I first heard of the existence of this book, I immediately ordered it. It turned out to be both inspiring and instructional (practical).

First, it gives you many reasons why it is so important to make the effort to send handwritten notes and how valuable they are to the recipient. It inspires you to go sell all you have and get some nice stationery and start sending notes to everyone.

It also goes over the practical aspects of note writing from the different kinds of writing instruments and stationery available, to penmanship lessons (there are tips to show you how you can refine your handwriting, repair it, or rescue it if it is really bad!). It gives examples for constructing various types of notes (useful formulas, and what to avoid) so your notes will most effective and classy.

There are many photos and facsimiles of actual handwritten notes including some by past presidents.

It is the kind of book you will want to loan out to a friend after you are finished.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired me to write again August 14, 2002

By G. Faville

Format:Hardcover

What a pleasant and useful little book this is! I heard the author on National Public Radio and she was extremely interesting to listen to, and she took calls from people all around the country who are still writing notes and letters to each other and keeping the spirit of humanity and kindness alive in the process. It was a heartening show that led me to ordering this book from Amazon.com.

The book starts off by listing basically every known excuse we have as a society about why we don't take pen in hand and write to each other, be it letters or thank you notes, and then gives us the excuses we need to break those bad habits of not communicating with our fellow colleagues with personal handwritten thoughts.

The book gives you all of the help you might need to get your note writing back in shape and off the ground. Tips on rescuing handwriting, advice on writing utensils and types of paper to use, ideas on managing your time in order to have time to write, and a whole section on appropriate language and basic etiquette for notes in basically every important social situation you might come across.

The Art of the Handwritten Note is an invaluable resource in our era of continuing technological isolation.