Letter writing

UNIT 2

LETTER WRITING

BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE


SECTION A:

COMPOSING SUCCESSFUL LETTERS

A LETTER TUTORIAL I: STYLE
A winning letter is no accident. Careful letter writers know that what they say and the way they say it will turn a recipient on or off. It’s almost frightening to think that so much hinges on a piece of paper. Every time someone reads a letter you write, he or she forms a mental picture of you. If you’re a skilled correspondent, that picture may suggest someone who is intelligent, perceptive, sensitive, careful, knowledgeable, persuasive, understanding, and reliable person. If your letter habits are sloppy, however, the reader may be somewhat less generous in painting your portrait.

A successful letter has several key ingredients. Certainly, it has to look good. Smudges, wrinkles, typographical errors and other blemishes won’t do much for your reputation as a neat, careful worker. The format you use will tell the reader whether you are a conservative, modern, formal, or practical person. One of the most important ingredients is also one of the most troublesome: language. Everyone likes to sound intelligent, but some writers fear that simplicity is a mark of stupidity. Although the opposite is actually true, they latch onto long, cumbersome, pompous words, ever reaching for new heights of absurdity.

Instructors often recommend that you follow the golden rule of letter writing: Write unto others as you would have them write unto you. For instance, do you like people who:
Get to the point?

Present their facts logically?

Sound friendly without being insincere?

Use concrete, specific words?

Know their subject?

Avoid bias and prejudice?

Understand your needs and interests?

These points form the basis of successful letter writing for all social and business correspondents.