Thank You Letters as Writing Practice

Fostering gratitude and learning to write better through thank you letters

Since my friends, acquaintances, and colleagues all know I’m a writer, I’m often asked how they can best improve their writing. While there is an endless collection of tips and tricks one can employ to become a better writer, there is really no replacement for practice. Writers write. The more you write, the better you get.

However, finding the motivation to write can be a challenge. If writing is not a part of one’s daily business or personal life, a suitable carrot must be dangled in front of someone to motivate them to write.

Some suggest the practice of writing in a personal journal and I think that’s a great option. My only issue with using journals as a means to improve writing is that it’s not outward facing writing. Journals are only meant to be read by the writer and thus sloppy writing will be tolerated. You need writing that is meant for the eyes of others.

I suggest thank you letters as a great learning mechanism. Here’s why.

Writing thank you letters to people in your life you wish to thank fosters gratitude, makes the recipient feel good, and at the same time offers you a means to practice and improve your writing because you want the letters to be clear and beautifully written. It’s a…