5 Tips for Writing a Thank You with Sarah Schwartz of Stationery Trends Magazine

SARAH SCHWARTZ IS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF STATIONERY TRENDS MAGAZINE AND HAS HER OWN BLOG THE PAPER CHRONICLES WHERE SHE HOSTS AN ONGOING LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN. NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT WRITING LETTERS AND WE'RE THRILLED THAT SHE'S SHARED SOME TIPS ON WRITING THANK-YOUS WITH US! THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING TO UP YOUR GAME OR NEVER REALLY DEVELOPED A THANK YOU WRITING HABIT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANK YOU SARAH FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND INSPIRING ADVICE!

 

The Power of the Unexpected

Those of you who know anything about me know that I am devoted to keeping the art of letter-writing, card-using and invitation-sending alive. In fact, that’s the mission of my blog, ThePaperChronicles.com. So when write_on asked me to pen a post on Five Tips for Writing a Thank You Note, I thought it would be a snap.

I figured I would break down penning a great thank-you into three simple steps/sentences. First, thank the recipient for whatever it is he or she did. Then describe how much you’ll enjoy using it or what benefit it has brought you. Finally, close with a mention of when you’ll see them (or hope to see them) again.

But then I actually sat down to write all this — and realized pretty quickly that that post just wouldn’t cut it. First, anyone who writes notes on any sort of regular basis already knows this — and even if you didn’t, you do now. Second, although it does get the job done, that traditional thank-you template is rigid and maybe even restricting. Finally, that’s exactly the kind of post you would expect to read about thank-yous, so I’ll take a pass on writing it. So put all that aside for now and focus instead on this: The best correspondence has an element of the unexpected— which brings me to my first talking point:

1. Embrace the Unexpected.

Forget all about the proper thank-yous you’ve had to write, or Aunt Jean would call your Mom and complain. Instead, think of those who bring joy to your life and expect nothing in return — or are even unaware how their actions positively impact you. These are the people who really deserve a thank-you! And there are few things that are so pleasing as being thanked for something you’ve done and most likely forgotten all about.  

2. Be Authentic.

Don’t hold back or cling to etiquette too much. The problem here is that this can lead to writing something that’s completely proper, but also stiff, formal and stale, as if your fifth grade teacher were going to grade it later. Instead, take a moment and think about what the deed/act/person brings into your life. How has it changed you for the better or brightened your day? But above all, be honest with yourself and the person you are writing to. Remember — you want to knock their socks off. Don’t hold back!

3. Get the Words Right.

Writing a draft is not absolutely necessary, but it does help put your thoughts in order and translate them from emotion to prose — and I suspect the most compelling letters are written this way. Your goal is to have your correspondence reflect the true you — your personality, likes, quirks, humor, etc. — even as you hold a mirror up to the recipient.

4. Be Proud of Your Handwriting.

Just as your words should reflect your very essence, so should your handwriting. I do not have the best penmanship — in fact it’s rather deplorable —  but I try to not be ashamed of it and let it exist in its true form (well, its most readable form) in my own correspondence.

In writing this post, I looked through a lot of thank-yous that I saved, and one of the things that struck me about my favorites is that the personality of each writer comes through just in the way the words travel across the page. It is as much a part of your special missive as is the stationery you use and the stamps you select.

5. Be Succinct.

Don’t feel pressured to make your card a certain length — rather get in, say what you want to say, and get out! Don’t feel you need to write a novel delineating your gratefulness — even a few sentences will do, if the sentiments they contain are genuine.

So there you have it, folks — think of these as my version of Damone’s Five Point Plan from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Instead of getting the girl though, these will get your gratitude and true feelings across. In written form, a vital part of you will live on forever.
 

This Oblation Papers & Press note I received from Stationery Trends Editorial Board Member Chandra Greer of GREER Chicago is short in length — but gargantuan in encouragement. It arrived while we were in the midst of an exciting yet exhausting redesign — and gave me the energy needed to see the process through.

All I have to do is look at the elegantly sloping handwriting of Bonnie Marcus— in hot pink, no less, penned on her own stationery — and her glamorous, sweet personality comes right through!

To me, reading this note that NSS Show Manager Patti Stracher sent me following my ’14 seminar feels almost like an actual conversation with her (and is the equivalent of a hug sent via the USPS).

Lauren Boggs Meslar of beve! tucked this incredibly touching note into a box of goodies she very kindly sent for my daughter’s birthday party last summer. While beve’s washi tape is tops, to me this sheet of graph paper is the most precious thing in the box — and something I’ll probably cherish forever.

Here’s a doozy of an unexpected note — from my senator, Sherrod Brown, in response to a rather strongly worded pro-choice letter I wrote into our local paper here. Whenever I doubt myself in any arena of my life, I often think of his words, “Keep speaking out — your comments matter.”