By Tammy Karasek @tickledpinktam

I love handwriting letters and cards. I’ve enjoyed doing so for as long as I can remember. I watched my mom and grandmother faithfully write letters and cards and it’s a habit I acquired as well.

Were you one for pen pals when you were younger? My first pen pal when I was ten years old was a girl from New York I met through a youth magazine. I lived in NE Ohio and was excited to have a friend in New York. In the back of the magazine a page listed girls seeking pen pals. Your name and address would appear there and you chose whom you wrote to. Yes, showing my age on this one. Today we can no longer put a young girl’s name and address in a magazine.

Through the years I’ve continued writing to friends and family. I send cards for birthdays or a note when someone comes to mind. I expect nothing in return. I feel I’m called to write. It’s like a natural way to flex my writing muscles.

I’m not the only one who sees the value in handwriting a note or letter. There are now National Days, weeks and months set aside to encourage us to hand write a note. Here are a few:

• Universal Letter Writing Week Second full week of January
• National Handwriting Day January 23 each year
• National Card and Letter Writing Month April
• National Day on Writing October 20 each year
• I Love to Write Day November 15
• National Letter Writing Day December 7 each year

Fun fact for National Handwriting Day, January 23—it is John Hancock’s birthday. We all remember him—he was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence. His name is often used when someone will ask you for your signature, “Can I have your John Hancock, here?”

Writers, don’t get me wrong, I love my keyboard. But there’s something to the rhythm of handwriting. It causes us to slow down and think of what we’re writing. I know of an author who writes her entire fiction novels by hand first. This becomes her first draft. From those sheets, she types the book into her laptop, correcting along the way. Second draft—done.

I enjoy writing by hand so much, I’ve built a collection of Fountain Pens and bottles and bottles of colored inks. But that story is for another day. And I’m not tattling on myself regarding the selection of cards and stationery, either.

If you’ve ever received a handwritten note, how did that make you feel? I think of the time it took the writer to pull out the paper or card, write the note, and send it off to me. I feel special. I’m guessing you may feel that as well. Wouldn’t you like to send a hug and a smile in an envelope, too?

You’re a writer and know how to use words. You were called to write, but if your calling came to you like mine did in a sermon, I don’t believe the calling said Write a Book. More than likely, it was just as my answer from God came—write. Just write. Write it all.

Dear writers, I challenge you. Let’s bring back handwritten notes and cards. With so many days that acknowledge the art of handwriting, let’s add that into our writing time as a regular habit. Pray for God to bring to mind a person or two that could use a handwritten note from you this week. If you want to take handwriting further, carry a paper tablet and write your blog posts, articles or books by hand, first.

I must go. It’s my turn to handwrite my friend a note. Oh no! I sound like my grandma who exchanged letters with her sister every other week…but only on her scheduled week even when she had news to share. Must wait for her turn. Grin.

What about you? Do you often sit down and handwrite a note, your blog post, or even your book?

Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and show them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out!

She’s a writer of Romantic Suspense—with a splash of sass. Her debut book, Launch That Book, released in November 2023. She’s published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. Also, she’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation, The Write Editing, Blue Ridge Conference Blog, and more.

Known as The Launch Team Geek, she helps authors launch their books. You’ll also find her as a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors, the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. Connect with Tammy at https://www.tammykarasek.com.