Valedictions

As said previously, endings are there to give purpose to a story, to see to it that it comes to a gainful conclusion and can be looked back on as a single cohesive narrative.

With that in mind, let’s us spend a spell in secretarial college and ask, what are some good parting phrases to stick at the end of a letter?

Here’s a list over a few of them in English, and what using them does to the story of your letter.

In no particular order:

1.      Sincerely Yours, Alexandra Von HumbleBrag.

It’s clean, it’s neutral, it’s almost sterile. This is polite filler: it shows that there is no deeper relationship or meaning to be found. They’re not a quirky letter-writer, like those kids in Venice. They just want to be done with this business soon, but they also want you to know they’ve put a certain amount of thought and effort into this letter.

2.      Hugs, Benny

Or “love”. Or “kisses”. It means there’s affection coming from the letter-writer. Doesn’t mean they love you, hell, it doesn’t even mean they like you. But it does mean, they’re the sort of person unafraid to show you affection in a letter. And hey, isn’t that a bit brave?

3.      Thanks, Akira

Confusing, yes. Especially if it is the entire content of the letter. Usually means the sender just wants it over with. It’s up to the recipient to decide if what they want to be over with is the conversation itself, always a taxing effort, or interaction with the recipient.

4.      Your Obedient Servant

Those who sign this… They’re old. Real old. They read newspapers with a pair of opera glasses, and carry an illegal sword-stick they call “Puppy” as in “You wouldn’t want to upset Puppy now.” Pretentious? Sure. Syphilis-ridden? Almost definitely. But they are polite, and they mean it. It doesn’t matter if you’re arguing, or slaving and murdering, no, when somebody signs with this, you know that they believe politeness and proper conduct to be above all morals and all actions. It’s monstrous, and inhuman, but at the same time beautiful.

Or they just listened to Hamilton. That’s also possible.

5.      Cheers, Nadia

Short, happy, to the point. Would that all endings could be this effective. The setting isn’t too formal, but it’s almost never too formal to write this. It’s succinct, it’s cheerful, it’s the sign of an easy-going, pleasant writer.

The opposite of this description.

6.      Godspeed, InfamousLog44

The traditional farewell of a speedster. This changes everything: it puts your story in a larger context, it means that whatever its contents and whatever it commands, is urgent. A letter with this on the bottom, it’s suddenly part of a much larger stor and it might not have known about it before even! It’s volume 5, and volume 6 clinches the story, and everything is nearing its end.

7.      Hello!

The time travelers shared valediction. Don’t answer letters that end with this. You’ll end up having responded four months before you got it.

8.      Take care, your friend, Fatima

Intimacy is the prime mover in this valediction. It’s not between lovers or close family members, but there is love there. Love across a distance, but this at the end of a letter is one of those sharp little surprises which remind you

9.      Live long and prosper/May the Force be with you, Spock Skywalker

These are silly letters. These are silly letters from very silly people, no matter the topic.

Or, well. If the topic is silly, if the topic is so silly it’s fictional, then these letters immediately acquire a deadly seriousness.

10.  Yours forever, Moss

A teary farewell. A final farewell. If this is at the end of a letter, it better be the end of a story.

Otherwise you’re just a cheat.

11.  As always,

A Kvetching Turtle