Letter writing
Letter writing is a way of communicating a message in written words. People write letters for both business and personal reasons. Business letters are generally more formal than personal letters. Business letters include those used to apply for jobs, complaint letters, sales letters, and collection letters. Personal letters include correspondence between family members or friends, invitations, and thank-you notes.
Studies show that people who write well are more likely to have successful careers. Skill in writing business and personal letters can make a difference in your life. For example, a well-written letter applying for a job may lead to a fine position. A good personal letter can help build or keep a valuable friendship.
This article gives some information on how to write a letter and the rules therein.
Characteristics of a good letter
A well-written letter should be clear, accurate, complete, concise, and courteous. The first step in preparing a good letter is deciding what to say. Make a brief list of the ideas you want to cover, and then plan the arrangement of these ideas. Next, decide how best to put your thoughts into words. It may help to write a rough copy of your letter simply to get the words on paper. Finally, go back and fix the sentence structure, grammar, and wording. Use simple, direct statements rather than long, involved sentences. Make each phrase easy for the reader to understand.
Be sure every statement in the letter is accurate. Business firms write letters every day just to clear up mistakes they made in previous letters. These follow-up letters would not be necessary if writers took the time to give the facts correctly in their first letters.
Think carefully about your reader's familiarity with your topic. Have you included everything the reader needs to know? Forgetting even one necessary item can create confusion. If the letter discusses an appointment, be sure you mention the location, date, and time.
Say what you have to say and then stop. Too often, letters become cluttered with wordy phrases, stuffy expressions, and unnecessary details that dilute your message. Use plain, natural language and get to the point.
The tone of the letter is as important as its language. In general, make the tone friendly and polite. Stress points that will interest the reader.
The parts of a letter
A letter has six standard parts. They are:
- the heading
- the inside address
- the salutation
- the body
- the complimentary close
- the signature
The heading in a business letter includes the writer's address and the date. It is located on the top of the page, and it usually has three lines. The first line gives the writer's street address, and the second gives the city, state, and ZIP Code. The third tells the date the letter was written. Most of the heading may be omitted in a personal letter, but always include the date.
Business firms have printed or engraved letterheads that provide their name, address, and telephone number. Some also add the name or title of the writer, or the writer's department or section.
The inside address shows the name and address of the recipient—that is, the person or firm to whom the letter is written. In many business letters, the inside address can be written in three lines. The name of the recipient appears on the first line; the street address on the second; and the city, state, and ZIP Code on the third. The inside address of a letter directed to an individual in an office should include the person's business title and the name of the firm. Most names and titles should be written out in full. However, some abbreviations of titles are commonly used, especially Dr., Mr., Mrs., and Ms.
The first line of the inside address should be placed at least two lines lower than the date. An inside address should appear in all business letters, but it is optional in personal letters.
The salutation is also called the greeting. It should begin two lines below the last line of the inside address. In business letters, the most common salutation combines a title and the person's last name, such as Dear Ms. Dobson or Dear Dr. Davis. Use Dear Sir or Madam when the recipient's name is unknown or when writing to a company. Call friends by their first name or a nickname, such as Dear David or Dear Cindy. In American usage a colon follows the salutation in a business letter, or a comma in a personal letter. In British usage it is normal to use no punctuation after the salutation.
When a formal letter is intended to address more than one person in tone, the plural salutation Dear Sirs is acceptable where it is known to be an all male group. The female form of Dear Mesdames and non gender specific Dear Sirs/Mesdames have fallen from use somewhat, but remain acceptable polite forms. A preferred opening might be to address the group in the capacity on which the letter is based, for example Dear Senators or when writing to a group one has a close association with Dear All.
The body contains the writer's actual message. In a typewritten letter, the body should begin two lines below the salutation. All paragraphs within the body should be separated by a space of one extra line.
The complimentary close. Just as the salutation greets the reader at the beginning of a letter, the complimentary close says good-bye at the end. These two parts of the letter should be consistent in their degree of formality.
The complimentary close should end with a comma in American usage. In British usage a comma is not normally used. The close should be placed two lines below the body of the letter.
In an American English letter that opens with Dear Mr. Caldwell or Dear Sir or Madam, the complimentary close could be Yours truly or Very truly yours. For an informal closing, Cordially or Best regards is appropriate. If the salutation is Dear Bill, proper closings include Sincerely, Cordially, and With warmest regards. A British English letter that opens with Dear Sir or Madam has the complimentary close of Yours faithfully and where the person is named in the salutation of a business letter (such as Dear Mr Caldwell or even Dear Bill) the correct closing is Yours sincerely (This is never shortened to sincerely). Less formal letters in British English may close in a similar fashion to those in American English.
The signature is the writer's name. It should be handwritten in ink below the complimentary close. In typewritten letters, the writer's name should be typed four or five lines below the complimentary close, with the handwritten signature placed between the closing and the typewritten signature. The writer may add his or her title in parentheses to the left of the typewritten name, as in (Dr.) Jackson Baty or (Ms.) Leigh Rigby. The abbreviation Ms. has now largely replaced Miss or Mrs. Many women prefer this title because it does not reveal their marital status. However, a married woman might add her married name in parentheses beneath her legal name, as in Annie Peters with (Mrs. Kevin Peters) written beneath it. In some companies, the writer's business title or department is placed on the line beneath the typed signature. The company's name may also be included with the signature, though most firms omit it.
The form
The form of a letter depends on the way the six parts of the letter are arranged on the page. The most common forms are full block and semiblock. Each may be used for both business and personal letters.
The full block form is the most commonly used form, probably because it is the easiest and quickest to type. All parts of a letter in the full block form begin at the left margin. New paragraphs are not indented. An extra line of space separates the paragraphs.
The semiblock form is less formal than the full block form. The heading is placed in the upper right-hand corner. Both the complimentary close and the typed signature line up vertically with the heading. All other parts of the letter begin at the left margin. New paragraphs are not indented. An extra line of space separates the paragraphs.
The envelope address usually is the same as the inside address of the letter. It is most commonly centered on the envelope. The address should be at least three lines long. Use the capitalized, two-letter post office abbreviation for the state or province (see U.S. postal abbreviations). The writer's return address goes in the upper left-hand corner of the envelope. Always single-space addresses.
Business letters
There are many kinds of business letters. However, the same principles of good writing apply to each kind. This section describes two types of typical business letters—letters of application and complaint letters. This section also offers several suggestions that are helpful in most business letters.
Letters of application are written by people seeking a job. This type of letter normally consists of two parts, the cover letter and the resume. A cover letter introduces the applicant to the employer. It accompanies a resume, which is a biographical summary listing the applicant's education and work experience.
The first paragraph of the cover letter tells what job the writer is applying for and how the applicant found out about the position. In the next one or two paragraphs, the writer should briefly emphasize the parts of his or her background that relate most closely to the job. United States law prohibits employers from asking applicants their sex, race, religion, nationality, or marital status. Thus, including such information is optional. The letter should be no more than three or four paragraphs. In the final paragraph, the applicant should politely ask the employer to reply and to schedule a job interview.
A letter of application can also combine the information that is in a cover letter and resume. It is usually two or three pages long. Like a cover letter, it should say what job the writer is applying for and point out parts of the applicant's education and experience that best fit the requirements of the job. Most employers prefer a resume with a cover letter rather than a combined letter of application because the resume and cover letter are more concise and easier to read.
After a job interview, applicants should send a follow-up letter, which is a short letter thanking the employer for the interview. This letter should be sent within two days of the interview. A follow-up letter shows the applicant's continued interest in the job.
Complaint letters are written to call attention to a problem and to persuade the reader to take corrective action. Although it is proper to express disappointment or dissatisfaction, such strong emotions as anger and sarcasm are appropriate only as a last resort after several letters. The tone of the letter may be cool and firm, but it should also be courteous. State the complaint clearly at the beginning of the letter. Include everything the reader needs to know to take action, such as account numbers, relevant dates, and photocopies of bills or canceled checks. Make a specific request for action, and politely ask for a reply.
The reply to a complaint letter should also be courteous. It should open with a polite acknowledgment of the complaint letter. If the complaint is justified, apologize for the problem and explain what action will be taken to correct it. If the complaint is not justified, tactfully explain why the requested action will not be taken. The reply should always end with a positive statement about future dealings and a friendly close.
Improving your letters. It is usually best to deal with only one subject in a business letter. This makes it easier for the reader to file the letter after responding to it. If you need to discuss two or more subjects with the same person, consider writing more than one letter.
When writing to business people, you may want to use a reference headline. A reference headline consists of the abbreviation Re and a short phrase describing the topic of the letter. Place it at the beginning of the letter just beneath the inside address and before the salutation. By opening with such words as "Re: a design flaw in your new product," you are helping the reader understand your topic at first glance.
Consider putting topic labels, called headlines, on different sections or paragraphs of a letter to help clarify for the reader the points you wish to make. For example, copies of your letter may be going to two or more readers who have different levels of familiarity with your subject. In this case, you may want to put a section labeled "Background" towards the end of your letter. People who need this extra information can skim to the back, while those more familiar with the subject will find important facts such as "Results of a Survey" in a section at the start of the letter.
Personal letters
People generally use a more casual tone and style in personal letters than in business letters. As a result, there are fewer rules governing the form of personal letters than of business letters. But some rules should be followed, especially in sending or receiving invitations. This section describes some of the guidelines for writing formal and informal invitations, as well as thank-you notes and general personal correspondence.
Formal invitations are written in the third person. For example, a wedding invitation might begin, "Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jones request your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Delia Pauline, to . ..." Most formal invitations are engraved or handwritten. Some business invitations are typed on executive letterheads.
The invitation should begin with the name of the person or group extending the invitation. A description of the event should follow. Identify what the event is—such as a dinner, wedding, or party—and its date, time, and location. The heading of a formal invitation should be placed below the body of the invitation. The date should appear on the first line and the address should appear on the second line. The date should be spelled out. No signature is used in a formal invitation.
The letters R.S.V.P. may appear on the invitation. The letters are an abbreviation for the French phrase Répondez, s'il vous plaît, which means Please reply. An invitation may also say Please reply or The favor of a reply is requested instead of R.S.V.P. Any request for a reply should appear in the lower left-hand corner.
Informal invitations are usually handwritten and friendlier in tone than formal invitations. The heading of an informal invitation remains at the top, with the date, unabbreviated, first and the writer's address next. A salutation comes next, ending with a comma. The body of an informal invitation contains the same kind of information that appears on a formal invitation. Some writers list the location, date, and time above each other. For example:
Location: 23 Dumas Avenue
Hampton, NH 03842
Date: June 30, 20—
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Telephone: (613) 934-6089
The informal invitation may include a complimentary close and signature or an R.S.V.P.
Thank-you notes are brief letters of thanks for a gift, a dinner, a favor, or some other hospitality. Writing a thank-you note shows gratitude and good manners. Make the note sound as if you were talking to your host or hostess in person. Thank-you notes are usually written by hand on a card or on personal stationery.
Other personal letters include pen pal letters and correspondence between family members or friends. These letters follow no particular rules. Their primary purpose is to share news and thoughts with others.
Young people can make friends with others their age in another state, province, or country through pen pal letters. Many organizations and some magazines exist to provide names and addresses of people seeking pen pals. These people exchange letters, become friends, and eventually may meet in person. Girl Scout and Boy Scout groups have pen pal services, or your local library may be able to help.
Further Reading
- Dragisic, Patricia. How to Write a Letter (Speak Out, Write On! Book) Watts, 1998. ISBN 0531159310
- Seglin, Jeffrey L., and Coleman, Edward. The AMA Handbook of Business Letters. 3rd ed. ACOM, 2002. ISBN 0814406653
- Shepherd, Margaret. The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication Broadway Bks., 2002. ISBN 0767907450
- Stewart, Alex. Sending a Letter (Everyday History) Watts, 1999. A history of messages. Younger readers. ISBN 0531145476
| 
