Learn2Write

Today, we're going to talk about something super cool – ‘tone’ in creative writing! But don't worry, it's not as tricky as it sounds. It’s something we use every day without even realising it!

Don’t you say things in different ways to different people depending on how you feel? When you're super excited about something, your voice goes all bubbly and enthusiastic, right? That's a kind of tone! It's the mood or feeling behind your words. It's like a secret weapon that will make not just your speech but also your writing—letters, stories or even arguments—even more, fun and engaging!

Now, we know fairly well that when we talk to our best friends or grandparents, we have to use informal words or expressions, and formal expressions when we write any argumentative/persuasive essay. But how do you use tone to your advantage when you have to write an informal letter but have to be persuasive with facts at the same time? Well, it's all about the words we choose and how we arrange them.

Let’s check an example where we need to write a letter to our grandparents, trying to persuade them that TV is not entirely bad.

The following statements each express different attitudes about one point revolving around the TV with six different tones: optimistic, bitter, tolerant, sentimental, humorous and objective.

1. The TV may rerun different programmes, but some shows evoke a sense of nostalgia and transport us back to a time filled with laughter, tears and unforgettable moments. Thus, they tend to latch on to our innermost feelings.

The tone is sentimental—'to latch on to innermost feelings,’ expresses tender emotions.

2. While the TV often airs various reruns, certain shows have a remarkable ability to evoke nostalgia. Thereby, they create a sort of connection with our good old times and that is not entirely a bad thing.

The tone is tolerant. The words ‘not entirely a bad thing’ show that the writer accepts that TV programmes may have their flaws, but it isn’t entirely damaging.

3. Although there are some really good educational programmes on TV, sometimes the programme coordinators just love to recycle all sorts of shows that insist on dragging us back to the past, flooding us with nostalgia and memories that we’d rather bury. But you know what? As much as it might frustrate me, it has this sneaky way of latching onto my innermost feelings.

The tone is bitter. The writer feels aggrieved by a situation that forces him or her to relive his or her old memories.

4. Though repeat telecasts can be a waste of time, those shows have an incredible power to awaken nostalgia within us. Only if they merged the charm of the past with fresh perspectives and new content, could they become a delightful source of entertainment for both old and new audiences alike. I’m sure that it will happen.

The tone is optimistic. The writer is expecting the contents to be improved.

5. Television often broadcasts a variety of programmes, including repeat telecasts. It helps to escape reality once in a while and for that, anything will do.

The tone is objective. The writer does not express feelings about the shows. He simply states facts.

6.  I know that we don’t need time machines as we have got many repeat telecasts to take us to the past. But hey, even though we might roll our eyes at the reruns that mess with our emotions, deep down, we know they've got a special place in our hearts.

The tone is humorous. The writer uses humour to agree to an argument and to counterargue as well.

Did you note how different vocabulary is used and how phrases are arranged depending on the tone? This is what makes any writing alive! It's like a secret ingredient that makes your writing magical. And guess what? You get to choose the tone!

So, next time you weave a fantastic tale, make a profound argument or jot down an informal letter, think about the tone you want to share with your readers. Have fun experimenting with different tones and see how they change the feel of your writing. Remember, writing is all about expressing your imagination, and using different tones is like adding a touch of your fantastic personality to every word you put on paper!

Dearest Mum,

Thank you for the birthday presents. I love them all. As you know, I anxiously wait for the D-Day to open your thoughtful gifts. The clock strikes 12:00 a.m. and I am digging into the gift table to find the presents from you. My favourite is the pair of shimmering danglers (earrings) that you chose for me. I wore them along with my birthday dress. I can’t wait to share the photos. Mum, did I tell you, this trimester is a lot tougher than the last one and I have to cross a mountain of barriers—the one that gets me the most is statistics. You know how much I hate it, don’t you?

Imagine the above is a snippet of a letter that your mum found while cleaning her wardrobe: a letter that you had written to her during college days. The smile and the twinkle in her eyes while reading the letter would bring her solace. Wouldn’t it be incredibly satiating to see her relive those days? Writing letters to loved ones (friends/family/acquaintances/penfriends) are a part of informal letter structure. The best part about informal letters is that you can keep the tone conversational and use contractions (unlike the formal letter structure).

In an informal letter, you convey your regards and inform the recipient about updates in your life. Be honest about your feelings, as the goal is to keep the connection between the sender and the recipient warm. Throughout this article, we would be looking at a few examples and the key ingredients to write impressive, friendly and personal letters.

Do you have a friend or a cousin who lives in another city/country? How would you persuade your friend/cousin to visit your city and indulge in the authentic vibe? Surely, tourist attractions are on the checklist, but talking about some unique experiences and places would impress the recipient and he/she would be on his/her toes to visit the place, right?

Let’s assume you’ve moved to a new country and would like to invite your best friend for the experience of a lifetime. Consider the following example:

Hello Miranda,

Hope all is well at your end. I reached Melbourne last month and finally rented a house at Parkdale, a suburb in the southeastern part of Melbourne. As promised, I will tell you all about the city and I bet you would love to visit me soon. Before I begin, tell me, how’s the family doing? Also, hope your lovely dog Max is doing fine. Dogs at the beach here remind me so much about Max.

Australia is full of beaches, and the locals say that if you haven’t lived near a beach, you’ve never really lived in Australia. So, I decided to choose a house very close to the beach and as I am writing this letter, I can hear the waves slapping against the rocks and a cool breeze seeping through the study window. It’s the weekend and hence, I can hear people heading down the Beach Road to find a perfect spot for sunbathing. Oh, you would love this Fish and Chips joint called Mordialloc Cafe, which is next to a surfing shop. I am planning to join surfing classes—it’s kind of a big deal here. Also, have you heard of chocolate infused mint yogurt? Yes! You heard that right—Yo My Goodness (YOMG) is a unique cafe specialising in yogurts: I must take you there. I insist.

In the example, the sender talks about some unique experiences that one cannot find in a guidebook or over the internet. This kind of creative information makes the content of the letter interesting. Also note, the letter aims to make it more personal by enquiring about the closest members of the recipient’s family. Do you write letters to your grandparents? They probably write back to you and maybe you read the letter over and over again as you feel their energy reaching out to you. Consider another example:

Dearest Nana,

How are you? How is Grandpa doing? Are you both going for your morning walks? I hope you are, as it is crucial for your well-being. It’s been a while since I wrote to you. The other day, I was watching a movie and I missed you so much. It was about the friendship between a granny and her grandson (like you and me). Do you still have the porch swing that I love so much?

You would be glad to hear that I aced my swimming competition. I am planning to compete with seniors this trimester, cool, isn’t it? Maybe I will ask Dad to videotape and send it to you. Have you learnt to use the touch screen yet? I am sure you have; after all, I taught you well, didn’t I? Just kidding!

The example contains personal information that bonds a grandparent and grandchild. Do you see the use of informal language? That’s the beauty of informal letters—write as you feel.

By now, you must have got some ideas on how to structure the informal letters. Let’s look at the key pointers:

• Sender’s address followed by the date (on the top right corner). Always mention date. After date follows salutation. Example:

9/25 Monaco Street

Parkdale, Melbourne 3195

                                                                                                                          05/01/2023

Dear J/Hi Granny, etc.

• The opening of the letter: include updates from your life and enquire about the receiver’s well-being. Some useful phrases to remember: I hope you are well/Thanks for your letter/How’s it going?/How are things? etc.
• The body of the letter contains information on the topic. Remember to maintain an informal and friendly tone to convey the information. Useful phrases that could be used: you’re not going to believe what I am about to tell you/Oh, have you heard about/You know what?/I’d love for you to join me/I hope you don’t mind/Don’t worry buddy/Come on, do you still believe that? etc.
• The conclusion of the letter should convey your regards. You could send well wishes and provide a reason for sign off. Example: Anyway, the space is cramped for me to write all about my experience in this new vibrant city. YOMG is calling out for a strawberry flavoured yogurt now—hungry yet? Say hello to Buddy for me, will you? Hope to hear back from you soon. Book your tickets now!
• Closing statement and sign-off: Unlike formal letters, you can close with a personalised message that connects you. It could be Love/Lots of hugs/Take care/Cheers/Best wishes, etc.
• Skip a line to sign-off with your first name or your nickname or a short version of your name.

Key Takeaways:

• Informal language: informal vocabulary and contractions are allowed in an informal letter, as long as they are not offensive.
• Informal phrases: well/by the way/oh/come on/you’ll/you’re/I’ve/now/anyway/cut to the chase, etc.
• Emotive language: express honest emotions and feelings that connect the sender with the recipient.
• Exclamations: use exclamatory statements or words, but wisely. Don’t use them excessively, else the meaning gets lost inside the content.
• The most important point to remember is to be polite. Yes, you are to use a friendly and informal tone, but it should not offend anyone. Converse, not command.

Letter writing is a lost art, but something that you could treasure for a lifetime. Imagine finding a letter in the attic of your house ten years later! Guess what—it is a letter from your best friend. Wouldn't it be lovely to take a trip down the memory lane? Think of it as a time capsule! 

 Letter writing helps tap into your creativity because you can take your time to think deeply about what you would like to share. In due course, it enhances the style of writing. There are two types of letter writing: formal and informal. Let us look at the important elements to structure a formal letter. 

 The first critical rule to remember is Date (on the top right corner of the letter). Why do you think a date is important? So that, when you read a letter ten years hence, it takes you back to the exact time and place and connects to your memory. Moreover, the reader gets to know the value and relevance of information on that particular day of the year.

 Following the date, comes the subject of the letter. The subject of the letter is like the title of a story. The subject provides the reader with the basic idea of the content of the letter. For example,

 Sub: Request to open an after school club to provide a platform for creativity to flourish

 Salutation and Introductory paragraph follow next. 

 The key to writing an impressive introduction is to be polite. You would not want to read a letter that commands you or throws an impolite tone, right? So, remember to be courteous and place your point across. You could even thank the receiver for considering your requests earlier or considering listening to your viewpoints (if you know the receiver). Few phrases that you could consider: Thank you for your time to hear my viewpoints/I would like you to consider/I am writing with reference to/I hope you find my points insightful, etc.

 Look at the following examples:

 Example 1:

 Dear Mr. Smith,

 I would like to discuss introducing an after-school club at school. The goal of the club would be to let students explore their creativity. As you might already be aware of the benefits of an after-school club, you still have not considered opening it. 

 Example 2:

 Dear Mr. Smith,

 My name is Jane Doe and I am a Year 5 student at your school. I would like to put forward a few ideas to push our school to the top of the league. Creativity is like a bird's wings; it should fly and soar high. With this idea in mind, I would like to propose an after school club.

 Which one sounds better? The second example contains the goal of the subject, in a nutshell. It provides the reader with precise information. In addition, the tone is polite. On the other hand, the first example is rude and directly blames the reader

 For the body of the letter, include at least three paragraphs. Each paragraph starting with a topic statement and supported by valid reasoning with examples. Include as many persuasive devices as possible to sway the reader's opinion. Remember, the aim is to convince the reader to agree to your ideas. 

 Consider the following examples:

 First of all, more than 80% of Year 5’s agree with me that our school really needs an after-school club. Few of the suggestions are self-defence classes, art classes, drama classes and cooking classes. Did you know you have talented people in this pool who dream of soaring high in life? And for that, the training needs to start early on. (Note the use of statistics and rhetorical question)

 Secondly, there are many advantages of an after-school club. (Move on to talk about enhancing social skills, learning to overcome challenges, exploring the inner potential, etc. You could add information by using connectives such as in addition, moreover, in order to, since, due to, etc.)

 The third paragraph could talk about how after-school clubs are advancing in full swing. You could personalise the experience and talk about how you met a neighbour from a different school and you had a productive discussion on the advantages of an after-school club.

 Continue using phrases such as I strongly believe/In my opinion/I trust you to take a decision/In my view (to express opinions).

 Before the concluding paragraph, add a counter-argument and refute to sway the reader in your favour. For example,

 On the other hand, you might be thinking that it would be an additional expense to hire instructors for different clubs; however, there are teachers in our school who have additional skills and would be interested to lead. It is worth a discussion, is it not? Whereas there are pupils who are ready to take a lead in organising a Sunday fair, where hidden talents would be showcased. There would be a minimal entry fee. Look, we have already started finding resolutions. Nevertheless, it is your final decision: I trust you to take the best one.

 Note the use of phrases like on the other hand, however and whereas as connectives for contrasting ideas.

 Last is the conclusion of the letter. Now, you could call the conclusion as a backbone of letter writing. After all, the last words stick to the mind like glue. Hence, touch on the key points briefly and summarise. Look at the following examples:

 Example 1:

 I hope my letter has convinced you to consider opening an after school club. You would want your students to achieve greater heights, wouldn't you?

 Example 2:

 Looking at the various advantages of an after school club such as enhancing creativity, improving social skills, learning to share, and most importantly, believing in the kid's potential, it can be safely assumed that after school clubs are a must-have. There are other ideas that I would like to discuss. Hope you think it over and come back with a positive answer. 

 In the second example, the key ideas are summarised and the ending politely persuades the reader to listen to you. Surely, you can make out the difference, right? Use phrases such as To sum up/In short/I look forward to/Hope you would consider a discussion/Should you need further information/you know where to find me/I would be happy to discuss, etc.

 Final Salutation:

 Finally, sign off with: 

(In cases where you know the name of the person you are writing to)

Yours sincerely, 

Jane Doe 

OR

(In cases where you do not know the name of the person you are writing to)

Yours faithfully, 

Jane Doe 

 In formal letters, consider writing complete name and not just the first name. 

 Key takeaways:

•  Use formal language 
• Use full verbs and not contractions (use would not instead of wouldn’t)
• Use standard and advanced vocabulary (using phrases mentioned in the content above)

Let's encourage everyone to preserve the art of letter writing. 

Getting a child to practise creative writing can be a parent’s worst nightmare. After endless dodging by the child, many to and fro arguments between the parent and the child, often culminating with promises of reward to the child on completing his writing, the child finally sits for the dreary yet necessary exercise. 

The whole experience can be exhausting for the poor parent and uninspiring for the child. On top of that, the idea of practising writing, with the sole aim of scoring high in exam, under a ticking timer and the constant, watchful eye of the parent does not really get the creative juices flowing in the child. Shouldn't creativity be a ‘spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings,’ as Wordsworth once said?

That’s right. Writing should not feel like a task. The trick is to make it fun and educational at the same time. Here, we offer you five different and effective ways of making your child practise writing. Let’s get on with the first tip then.

1. Start a scrapbook: 

Imitation can be a stepping stone to awakening imagination in one. Scrapbooking a stock of handy quotes is a technique vouched for by budding writers. Encourage the child to copy out favourite quotes and fascinating descriptions from literary works. Writing out interesting text stimulates learning as well as creativity in the mind. Remember to ask the child to go through his collection (as a form of reading exercise) at the end of a week or fortnight.

2. Keep a diary or journal: 

Why not gift your child a beautiful diary and help him start on a new literary journey? Inspire the hidden writer in him to record special moments and events of the day. Diary writing can help the child develop unique and personal style of expression. Give your child space and freedom to write as and when he wishes. Starting first as some sporadic entries, diary writing should over a period become a daily exercise.

3. Scribbles and doodles: 

Sometimes writing from scratch can be daunting. To make writing exercise more exciting, take an already existing text and encourage the child to edit, improve or rewrite it. This text could be anything: a short story (many free stories are available on the web), a few paragraphs of a news article, or a work previously written by the child. If you want to create memorable moments with your child, you could write a short piece (story or description) and offer the child to evaluate and enhance it. A reversal of roles will draw the child’s interest and eagerness to re-write.

4. Letter and note writing:

Encourage the child to write letters (or mails) to grandparents, distant cousins and friends. Suggest that the child make cards for occasions like birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day etc. and enclose special messages for the recipient. With these activities, kids can learn how to communicate, socialise and, at the same time, practise writing skills.

5. Storytelling

Spinning a yarn is in the DNA of human beings. The first seeds of creative writing were implanted there. Nurture this inherent gift by making storytelling part of the day-to-day family discourse. From ‘What happened at school today?’ to ‘Why do you like your teacher?’, narration requires creativity, skill and precise vocabulary. When communicating with your child, ask him to describe the people he met, the places he visited and the feelings evoked in him by his experiences.  This exercise encourages children to be creative when describing the setting, characters, and the story as it unfolds. Ultimately, your child will become confident and less hesitant when he actually sits to write. 

So there you have it: some new ideas to help your child to get writing. Which one do you think will work for your child? 

Local residents raising funds to save their library! The venture is not only extraordinary, but deserves to be told in an unparalleled manner. 

 

A complaint letter to the local council. It’s a detailed explication of the social, health, hygiene related or other hazards that residents of a community are constantly encountering. The writer represents the voice of the citizens. Let’s see how this young child from year 5 has agreeably accomplished all and more of this.

The piece is framed in the proper format befitting a formal letter. It begins with a clear statement of all the hazards being struggled with and goes on with a thorough discussion. To achieve the purpose, the author has utilized a number of tools - compelling vocabulary, effective similes and persuasive rhetorical questions.

Overall, the letter addresses the authorities suitably, gives them sufficient time to administer to the problems and seeks hope in their resolution.

Presenting the next in our series of brilliant student assignments. This one is an informal letter to a cousin with a project in hand about a child’s life in England.

The narrator/author opens desirably by enquiring about (yes, a whole paragraph dedicated to that!) the wellbeing of his cousin and his family. A tone of perfect cordiality between the kin is set right at the start. However, pleasantly, the excitement of the narrator is sustained throughout the write-up, showcasing him as an involved personality.

The second noticeable aspect is the impressive structure – the neat paragraph division of the letter as one shade about life in England is painted after the other.

The child has also been wise in his selection of unique aspects to discuss about his home city. Almost the entire geography of London is covered with the narrator talking about its north, south, east and west. Recreation, education, culture, lifestyle, politics, weather and more about the city are all touched upon, making the write-up a thoroughly engaging one.