MORE THAN once, I’ve experienced writer’s block at the end of an email. Yes, I have a few fall-back phrases (Love, Hugs, or See you soon) for notes to the family and close friends, but other email recipients leave me stumped.
How should I close a letter to a magazine editor, a volunteer coordinator, or the church secretary? Sometimes, the old stand-by (Sincerely) simply falls too stale and flat.
If you’ve ever shared this dilemma, fear not! Famous writers, entertainers, and politicians offer us a wealth of ideas in their published letters. I present to you (tongue-in-cheek, of course) these nifty phrases in five fabulous categories!
1. Rename Yourself
Ask yourself, “Who am I in relation to the reader?” If you’re an adoring fan or a steadfast subscriber, don’t be shy—say so! To get your wheels turning, ponder these samples:
Your Affectionate Aunt, (Jane Austen)
Yours truly, (George Bernard Shaw)
Yours ever, (Margaret Thatcher)
I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and remain yours faithfully, (J. R. R. Tolkien)
I am your fellow man, but not your slave, (Frederick Douglass)
2. The Present Participle
What could leave a better final impression than an active –ing verb? In the following examples, the writer included either a copy of his book or a synopsis of his story (a nail-biting experience for any author!).
If hitting “send” leaves you in agonizing suspense too, consider something like this:
Hoping that you may like it believe me / Very truly yours, (Sir Henry Rider Haggard)
Waiting to know your judgment, I am, / Yours very truly and devoted, (Roberto Rossellini)
And my own variation: Wondering when you’ll write again, (Daniella Dautrich)
3. Prepositional Phrase
The sign-off options are virtually endless when you choose the prepositional phrase. Are you “in a great hurry” or “on top of the world”? Perhaps you’re feeling “beyond grateful” or “down with the flu.” You might even try one of these on for size:
With the greatest esteem and respect, I am, dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, (Benjamin Franklin)
With friendly thanks and best wishes, / Yours, (Albert Einstein)
With kindest regards, I remain, / Sincerely yours, (Fred Astaire)
4. All about Adverbs
At last, we have discovered the perfect solution to writer’s block: ask your child to make a list of –ly adverbs. Choose one and insert into your letter. Voilà!
These famous figures found a variety of adverbial solutions to letter closings:
These final selections are tried and true. Note the second-to-last for letters filled with mirth and goodwill, and the last for letters full of annoyance.
Cheers, (Kurt Vonnegut)
Regards, (Owen Chamberlain)
Adieu, adieu, adieu! (Mark Twain)
All the best, (Dr. Seuss)
All best otherwise, (Harlan Ellison)
I hope you enjoyed learning about different—and often over-the-top—ways notable figures have signed their letters. If you’re on the hunt for more practical, modern-day letter closings, Chloë Ernst offers many creative suggestions for “proper goodbyes.”
What is your favorite way to sign off?
Daniella Dautrich is a WriteShop alumna and a graduate of Hillsdale College. She and her husband fill their home with books on writing, literature, and computer science. Daniella blogs at www.waterlilywriter.wordpress.com.
pun (n.)A clever play on words that brings about a double meaning or a comedic effect. “I do it for the pun of it.”
. . . . .
SOMETIMES I just need a laugh. Don’t you?
Well, you happen to be in luck! If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know that one of my favorite topics is words and the ways we can use them in our writing.
But words, whether spoken or written, can be just for fun, too! Fortunately for all of us, someone sent me a list ofclever punsrecently. I hope they tickle your funny bone and add a smileto your day!
What do you call a dinosaur with a extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.
England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.
I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.
All the toilets in New York’s police stations have been stolen. Police have nothing to go on.
I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.
Velcro – what a rip off!
There was an earthquake in Washington, D.C. It was obviously the government’s fault.
Be kind to your dentist. He has fillings, too.
Your Turn!
Got a clean pun you’d like to share? Post it in a comment!
Listen, we’re going to let you guys in on a little secret: You can really put your commas anywhere. Grammar’s all a big sham.
Intrigued? So was I!
My friend Mary Jo Tate pointed me in the direction of this amusing look at the evolution (and deterioration) of grammar and punctuation. Enjoy the chuckle!
It really has the WOW FACTOR and will surely go VIRAL when THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FACEBOOK it.
I had an A-HA MOMENT when my friend Jay Ryan posted it before I did. EPIC FAIL. What’s the BACK STORY to this competition? It’s not like we’re BFFs.
Guess I need to MAN UP (or would that be woman up?) and LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST before he REFUDIATES my linguistic reputation.
A word to the wise: Don’t mess with MAMA GRIZZLIES. I’M JUST SAYIN’.
I had my own AHA MOMENT when I realized I’ve used a few of these myself, particularly in my Facebook status. Oops. Guess that’s a big ol’ FAIL for me.
Personally, I’m a fan of using GOOGLE as a verb (“I googled for XYZ”), but I do agree that most of the other Top Ten words and phrases are indeed over the top.
Wait.
Over the top. Is that on the list?
Fortunately not, but I may need to MAN UP and retract it when it appears on the 2012 list. JUST SAYIN’.
. . . . .
Do you agree with LSSU’s Top Ten list? Which words or phrases would you like to see banished?
Hi, I'm Kim--curriculum author, speaker, retired homeschooler, and grandma to seven. Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere. My heart is to equip and inspire you to teach writing, even when it seems like it's always an uphill battle. I invite you to poke around the blog, where you'll find writing and poetry activities, grammar tips, and hope for reluctant writers. Thanks for stopping by!
