Writing a Good Annual Letter

An annual letter should be a gift, not a victory lap.

A good annual letter gives people reason to connect with you, or provides them with something that makes their lives better.

Good things to include in an annual letter include:

Change of address - Maybe they live near to you and could hang out
Major family events - Births, deaths, marriages, onset of serious illness. People will want to know.
Interesting books/movies/tv-shows/blogs you've liked - Others might like them too, or want to talk to you about ones they also liked.
Things your kids have liked - Their kids might like it too.
New hobbies or activities you've started - They might want to do it with you, or share tips.
Things you've been thinking about - They might have been thinking about it too and want to connect.
New projects you have been considering starting - Maybe they could help you.
New Employment - Others might be interested in working there and want to talk to you.
A recent photo of each family member - People want to know what you look like as you get older.

Vacations - It's hard to talk about vacations without being braggy
Promotions - People want to know where you work, but don't need to know you got promoted.
Awards - People want to know what your interests are, but don't need to know how impressive you are at those things
Politics & Identity - People want to hear about you, not national level conflicts.
Over-polished photos - People want to know what you actually look like, not how skilled you are at using filters.

If in doubt, think about what you would love to hear from someone else, and what would make someone want to connect with you in person.

Or just ignore this guidance, and write what you think people will value.

Here are three examples of good annual letters that follow the principles:

You can use those as inspiration, or ignore them and write something totally different.