Writing

I’m a writer. So I like to write about writing. I have also compiled a list of Writing Resources, which I may update from time to time.

Coming to Terms With Changing Locations: When Travel Leads You Home

Two months ago, I moved to another city. And I still haven’t gotten over it.

This isn’t a tale of culture shock, though my old city and my new one are quite different. Nor is this a tale of hardship. My life is comfortable — more comfortable than most — and I didn’t have to flee war or famine to get to where I am now. My move was a professional and familial obligation, the kind of thing required by foreign service life.

Still I feel a void. I am caught up in a purgatory of unfinished business from my last city and the feeling of Torschlusspanik, the German word for the panic you feel when a gate is closing, the feeling that time is running out. There’s a gate (Tor) in front of and behind me and both of them are inching shut.

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Awesome Email Templates for Responding to Potential Clients

A few years ago, I wrote a silly post called Top 10 Email Subject Lines for When You Just Want to Say ‘Hello.’

The post was an inside joke that turned into the most viewed post in the history of this site. I’m embarrassed that that simple post, which offers very scant advice for writing emails, turned into such an SEO hit.

But I think that I have found a way to make up for that post by pointing you to a very helpful tool from designer Jessica Hische. Jessica’s Client Email Helper provides several fun “choose your own adventure” templates for writing back to people who want to work with you.

Choose your client (ad agency, friend, etc.) and budget (“none” to “good”), and the tool generates a short but sweet text for you to make your own.

Below is the text for “General Client” with zero budget. It strikes a firm but friendly tone. Make sure you check out the rest of Jessica’s templates as well as her whole beautiful site. Once you see her incredible, award-winning graphic design work, you’ll see why she has had to craft so many client letters over the years.

General Client email response via Jessica Hische:

Dear __________,

All the best,