Writing
Valedictions
"Yours, etc." is a great idea for special uses, combining pomposity with just a touch of rude condescension.
https://twitter.com/yuanyi_z/status/1357074400357601281 and https://twitter.com/LawDavF/status/1356939762574196739
Valedictions are a big problem. We desperately need a convention, especially for emails and phone text messages. We need them as "Over and out" signs.
I unhappily use YT (short for "Yours Truly") and IHS. IHS can mean "In His Service", "In Hoc Signo Vinces", or the Christogram---see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christogram#IHS.
I like triple entendre..
As an economist, it feels good to make words work triple overtime.
Just signed off 'yours faithfully' on a formal email to unnamed person because I was taught at school to do that and leave 'yours sincerely' for known person.
I was taught it the other way around. The logic being: You can be sincere to anybody, but you can only be faithful to somebody you know.
40 years old & was taught this at school - I was told you couldn’t be sincere to someone whose name you didn’t know. While the French ‘Cordialement’ is easy for emails, the formal structures for ending a letter in French are far more complex than Yours F/S.
I was taught the no ‘s’ rule: you can’t use ‘sir’ and ‘sincerely’. So, to Dr Jones I’d sign off with ‘Yours sincerely’ but to Sir, Madam, or Whom it may concern you’d get ‘Yours faithfully’.
I sign my emails off 'with kindest regards' for the lovely people, 'kind regards' for just normal and 'regards' to let somebody know I am incandescent with rage with them
Names in salutations are a problem. I'm 62, and well-known within economics. When should I use (1)"Dear Mr. Smith", when (2) "Dear John (if I may)" and when (3)"Dear John"?
I use (1) for old non-economists; (2) for old economists, even if Nobelworthy; (3) for juniors.
“Stay safe” is the new “Regards” anything else then you are a dinosaur !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EtVP4qKXEAECXP_?format=jpg&name=large
Writer's Block
Don't overthink it.
Until after the first draft.
Then think it over.
And over and over and over.
And over.
