Letter Tip #3: Using Commonly Used Words or Phrases- Period Drama Advice Column

Everybody has those little words or phrases that we always use (or overuse sometimes). It's no different with characters in period dramas. Properly working those words and phrases can really make a letter sound like it's coming from the character you're writing as. Below are some examples:

"To be sure..." or "...to be sure" - Various characters in Emma

"My one weakness" or "It's my one weakness" - Dorcas Lane in Lark Rise to Candleford)

"My sister, Mrs. Suckling in Maple Grove" - Mrs. Elton in Emma (she has plenty of common phrases)

"Fiddle-dee-dee!" - Scarlett O'hara in Gone with the Wind

"It's *proper name here*, madam!" - Deborah Jenkyns in Cranford
"...Lady Catherine de Bourgh..." (variations) - Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice

Interjections are a great source of commonly used words or phrases. Like I've shown above, Scarlett O'hara from Gone with the Wind says "Fiddle-dee-dee!" quite a bit. While reviewing a period drama or book, try to pin-point the different interjections that you spot: they can be quite useful.

How helpful was this tip? I am requesting some help for this tip: are there any interjections or common sayings that you can think of that would be a good example for writing responding letters?


Other than that, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. I'll try my best to help out.


 God Bless,