Hello steemians I woke up today feeling inspired to share with everyone my little knowledge about letter writing and how it tends to bring out the best in an individual.
First of all, I would start by telling us what this letter is all about. A letter can be said to be a combination of letters, punctuations, symbols and sometimes numbers that convey a message.
A letter is also defined as a means of communication that contains text message, which can be handwritten or typed, sent by an individual or an organization to another. It is a message passed from the sender or writer to the recipient also know as receiver. A letter is said to be fully communicated when it has a medium through which the message is being delivered and a recipient.
Letters can be delivered in two ways:
1.ELECTRONICALLY:
Messages are being conveyed electronically via email.
2.POSTAL SERVICES:
There are so many postal services in my country, Nigeria. Some of which are; NITEL (Nigeria Telecommunication Limited), NIPOST (Nigeria Postal Services.This method carries information in written form and deliver it as it through post in an envelope.
Letters are written to inform, complain, report, enquire, apply, or request something.
ORIGIN OF LETTERS
The typical form of a letter for many centuries, and the archetypal concept even today, is a sheet (or several sheets) of paper that is sent through a postal system. Letter writing has not just been a means of communication or a store of information but has played a significant role in the reproduction of writing as an art and a genre of literature in history.For some people, letters were used to express oneself, as it was seen as the most easiest, efficient and reliable means besides verbal expression. Writing letters has been the basic form of communication existing even before the 17th and 18th century when the telephones, internet and all other modern facilities was not known.
The earliest known letters written far back sent by the ancient Egyptians who used hieroglyphics was to communicate to one another, most times in Latin language.
Most of the pages in the bible are made up of letters.
Finally, as writing letters became more significant, it also became more standardized. The origin of letter writing describes the evolution of communication and the persistency of humans to communicate with one another. Beginning from the hieroglyphics and now to the e-mail, letter writing still remains a reliable and intimate way to communicate with people.
TYPES OF LETTERS
Generally, letters are categorized into three types, namely: informal, semi-formal and formal letters. Although there are other kinds of letters but they can be grouped under formal letters. However I would like to highlight for this purpose.
1.THE INFORMAL LETTER:
This is also known as friendly or private letters. They are usually written to close acquaintances. An informal letter could also be described as letters we write to people we know and they also know us. Such people may be; our parents (father, mother, guardians), siblings (brothers, sisters),Our friends, spouse, etc. The writer and the receiver has a personal relationship with each other in this type of letter.
2.THE FORMAL LETTER:
It is also called business or official letter. Other kinds of letter gotten from this official letters might be:
a. Letter of business transactions and their replies
b. Letter of application and their replies
c. Letter of compliment and their replies
d. Letter of a newspaper editor
e. Letter of formal invitation and their replies.
IMPORTANCE OF LETTER
- Writing letters helps to relieve anxiety. The process of putting pen on paper provides clarity and peace. Letter writing enhances your ability to say exactly what you want to say. It can be really comforting to express your thoughts, feelings and ideas exactly how you want to express them.
- Writing letters to your dearest or closest ones to show your love and appreciation can help you feel more satisfied and happier.
- For official communication: Official letters of communication are still used in many organizations. Writing a letter detailing a procedure or an action plan adds a particular kind of authority to the communication
- For documentation: Letters are a good way to document and record important events and information. They can also act as proof in a court of law.
In summary letter writing which has been the ancient form of communication is still being used today and even made better with the help of e-mail and telegrams. The relevance of letter writing cannot be over emphasized Writing all your thoughts down in a letter requires time and focus. This makes the brain think creatively. So, trying to put words on paper can inspire your creative expression.
Indeed writing letters is an art.