Letters

I recently had a conversation about letters -- you know, the kind you stick in the post. Since I've actually been known to write them on occasion, here are my thoughts, briefly, on what makes a good letter.

• A good letter is affectionate. Ideally, it contains an in-joke.


• A good letter is substantive; it contains ideas, not just a narration of events.


• A good letter is crafted; it has some structure. Thought has gone into the letter. Likewise, proofreading.


• A good letter is written legibly by hand.

What else makes a good letter?