Writing letters... do you write on the back?

[Crim]

Do you guys ever write on the back of a letter? Are there any taboos or anything to doing so?

 

I'm just wondering cause I ordered some G.Lalo and Clairefontaine stationary for letter writing, but I'm having to have it shipped overseas. The paper isn't too expensive by any means, but the shipping and the currency exchange rate kind of makes me not wanna have to buy it often. So do you think it would seem weird if I decided to stretch out my paper usage a bit by using both sides of the paper when I write letters?

 

Also do you guys think the envelope matters? I decided not to buy the envelopes that went with the stationary since I can get normal ordinary envelopes here for soooooooooo much cheaper. But if people do like nicer envelopes I might consider buying some in the future. But are they that much nicer (the G.Lalo verde de france/Clairefontaine Triomphe envelopes).

[Flourish]

When you use a nice paper it just makes the letter so much nicer to use matching envelopes. You can write on the back of an envelope but more and more postal services seem to discourage it, except for your return address, but it is still legal.

[tfwall]

I do only in very informal notes sketched off to close friends on the spur of the moment.

 

Writing on the back of a lettersheet is contraindicated by good manners.

 

The envelope should match in shade and be of the same quality as the paper. Anything else is unacceptable for proper correspondence.

[Randal6393]

It isn't so much a matter of nicer. Etiquette (a word not used much these days) is that letters are written on one side and sent in an envelope that matches the stationery. Originally, one-side-only because bleed-through and shadowing made it difficult to read the writing. Matching envelope to stationery was a sign of a serious, devoted (and thoughtful) letter writer. Often, though, these rules were observed more in the breach than in the practice.

 

Before this century (the 20th), letters were expensive and delivery was imperfect. Often letters were not only written on front and back but the paper was turned 90 degrees and another two sheets of writing were squeezed out of the paper. Called "crosshatching", it required a bit of effort to read the letter, to say the least. But that was the standard of the time.

 

Upshot is that people now are surprised to get any kind of letter at all and probably pretty happy to see one come. So you should do whatever you want to keep the letters coming.

 

Enjoy,

Edited November 30, 2009 by Randal6393

[orangos]

To be blunt, some of these rules as to what is, and is not, acceptable seem appalingly sniffy.

 

I think Randal is absolutely right: these are rules based on material necessity (quality of paper, etc).

 

Such methods have a habit of developing into absolute judgements on whether or not a thing is being done 'correctly'. (Just look at the hot air wasted over whether milk should be added to the tea, or tea to the milk. What is the point of caring?) Which seems short-sighted at the least, and downright rude at worst. And monocultural: are the judges and juries of such matters so sure that their rules apply to everyone, or just people of their own background? Our culture has changed in the last century. Not all of it for the worse. Should another age's politesse be the sole basis for our own?

 

Surely it's better to enjoy polite correspondence rather than to peer down the entire length of one's nose at the 'wrong sort' of letter-writing.

Edited November 30, 2009 by orangos

[Carrie]

Before this century (the 20th), letters were expensive and delivery was imperfect. Often letters were not only written on front and back but the paper was turned 90 degrees and another two sheets of writing were squeezed out of the paper. Called "crosshatching", it required a bit of effort to read the letter, to say the least. But that was the standard of the time.

 

 

 

In some cases they would then turn the page again and write a third time, this time on the diagonal. Those letters with a diagonal as well are extremely difficult to read. With the crosshatching you just have to keep your eye in and they really are easy to read. Most people just look at them and are instantly intimidated, so don't really try to read them properly. I wonder if anyone on here has ever tried writing and sending a crosshatched letter?

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/carrieh/work/page1.jpg

 

For personal correspondence I usually write on the reverse of a sheet, it simply comes down to saving money on postage.

 

 

 

Edited to correct inability to type.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2009 by Carrie

[bbs]

Afraid I always use both sides of the paper to save the world's trees .... or maybe a twig or two

[wood]

I write front and back to pen pals and family. I write one sided only for formal correspondence. I have never seen a letter only one sided that wasn't business or something similar.

[Jane-K]

I write on the front and back of the paper, unless it is a thin paper, and I usually use a different brand of envelope. For business correspondence, I use only one side. I am happy to receive letters written on one side, or both sides.

 

Jane

[Paddler]

I write on both sides if bleed and show-through allow it.

 

If you want to bump the level of your envelopes up a notch, line them with foil wrapping paper.

 

Paddler

[Crim]

Well it's kind interesting to see the differences in opinions here. I think I'm going to end up using both sides to save money and postage (since everything I'm sending is going to be international). I don't really have any formal writing to be done, just family, friends, and my newly found FPN penpals. But I guess I will grab some envelopes and see if I like them. If not I'll just use cheaper ones later on. Although I'm not sure if I should grab G.Lalo Envelopes or Triomphe envelopes. Why does the G.Lalo envelope have to be so expensive =(???

[wood]

Before this century (the 20th), letters were expensive and delivery was imperfect. Often letters were not only written on front and back but the paper was turned 90 degrees and another two sheets of writing were squeezed out of the paper. Called "crosshatching", it required a bit of effort to read the letter, to say the least. But that was the standard of the time.

 

 

 

In some cases they would then turn the page again and write a third time, this time on the diagonal. Those letters with a diagonal as well are extremely difficult to read. With the crosshatching you just have to keep your eye in and they really are easy to read. Most people just look at them and are instantly intimidated, so don't really try to read them properly. I wonder if anyone on here has ever tried writing and sending a crosshatched letter?

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/carrieh/work/page1.jpg

 

For personal correspondence I usually write on the reverse of a sheet, it simply comes down to saving money on postage.

 

 

 

Edited to correct inability to type.

 

 

I never saw an example close up. It's actually kind of pretty in an abstract way!

[tfwall]

Why does the G.Lalo envelope have to be so expensive =(???

 

 

That is likely an effect of distribution where you live. They are dirt cheap Stateside.

 

 

[tfwall]

Just look at the hot air wasted over whether milk should be added to the tea, or tea to the milk. What is the point of caring?

 

Done the wrong way, the milk can separate and create unattractive globules or oily sheens on the surface of the tea.

[tfwall]

To be blunt, some of these rules as to what is, and is not, acceptable seem appalingly sniffy.

 

...

 

Surely it's better to enjoy polite correspondence rather than to peer down the entire length of one's nose at the 'wrong sort' of letter-writing.

 

You can do what you like of course. It is helpful to know the rules though, so when you get treated differently, you know why.

 

 

 

[ralphawilson]

In olden days two-sided writing was looked on as quite uninviting,

Now, heaven knows, anything goes!

[welfvet]

I don't write as often as I should, but when I do I tend to write on both sides as do my folks. If the paper I'm using is thin then I won't. I'll use matching or disparate envelopes. But as my mom likes stamps I always add enough to have been able to have written on only one side and bulked up the letter. Go figure!

 

I'm also prone to mixing papers, colour and size, as well as inks - depending on whether the letter is written in a single session or over a period of days and in different places. I enjoy using what correspondence paper one still gets in the odd hotel.

 

Nic

[GreenVelvet]

In olden days two-sided writing was looked on as quite uninviting,

Now, heaven knows, anything goes!

 

Ralph, I almost fell off the couch laughing at this... especially since I'm now deeply ensconced in "musical season."

[orangos]

Just look at the hot air wasted over whether milk should be added to the tea, or tea to the milk. What is the point of caring?

 

Done the wrong way, the milk can separate and create unattractive globules or oily sheens on the surface of the tea.

 

Indeed. A minor misjudgement of a material process gives rise to a mildly unpalatable result, and the world still turns on its axis without injury to any party. Very similar to the matter of show-through on historical grades of paper. If that's all it takes to judge a thing unacceptable, then we need to turn down the gain on our sniffometers by quite a few notches.

[GreenVelvet]

To be blunt, some of these rules as to what is, and is not, acceptable seem appalingly sniffy.

 

...

 

Surely it's better to enjoy polite correspondence rather than to peer down the entire length of one's nose at the 'wrong sort' of letter-writing.

 

You can do what you like of course. It is helpful to know the rules though, so when you get treated differently, you know why.

 

I agree with the sniffy bit.

 

It's helpful to know the rules, but it's also helpful to stay current. I think anyone writing a handwritten snail-mail letter should do whatever they prefer, because the rules of etiquette there hardly even apply anymore... and I feel pretty secure saying that I probably write as many letters as anyone I know. It's not about quantity, of course, but it really varies so heavily on personal preference... and even cultural. I'm just pleased as punch that folks still hand-write postal letters that I don't want to bog them down with rules that discourage them.

 

And I like to break the rules through wild mail art anyway!

 

As for me, as a couple of other folks said, I write on both sides of the paper when the paper is thick enough to allow that, simply for reasons of environmental conservation... not to mention cheapness. If I can get twice as much mileage out of my fine writing paper, why not?

 

But, then again... I don't write to anyone who would look down on me for writing on both sides of the paper.