7 Essential Letter Writing Strategies

Based on the feedback that I have been getting from visitors to my writinghelp-central.com Web site, letter writing is definitely the area where most people are looking for help or guidance when it comes to day-to-day writing.

Over 55% of the visitors to my site are seeking some sort of letter writing information or assistance. The following lists the Top Ten letters that people request information on, in order of popularity:

* recommendation letter

* resignation letter

* thank you letter

* reference letter

* business letter

* complaint letter

* cover letter

* sales letter

* introduction letter

* apology letter

The 7 Strategies

Here are a few practical letter-writing tips and strategies to help you when writing that next letter:

1. Keep It Short And To The Point

Letters involving business (personal or corporate) should be concise, factual, and focused. Try to never exceed one page or you will be at risk of losing your reader. A typical letter page will hold 350 to 450 words. If you can't get your point across with that many words you probably haven't done enough preparatory work. If necessary, call the recipient on the phone to clarify any fuzzy points and then use the letter just to summarize the overall situation.

2. Make It Clear, Concise, And Logical

Before sitting down to write, make a brief point-form outline of the matters you need to cover in the letter. Organize those points into a logical progression that you can use as your guide as you write the letter. The logical blocks of the letter should be: 1. introduction/purpose, background/explanation, summary/conclusion, action required statement. Use this outline process to organize your approach and your thoughts, and to eliminate any unnecessary repetition or redundancy.

3. Focus On The Recipient's Needs

While writing the letter, focus on the information requirements of your audience, the intended addressee. If you can, in your "mind's eye", imagine the intended recipient seated across a desk or boardroom table from you while you are explaining the subject of the letter. What essential information does that person need to know through this communication? What will be their expectations when they open the letter? Have you addressed all these issues?

4. Use Simple And Appropriate Language

Your letter should use simple straightforward language, for clarity and precision. Use short sentences and don't let paragraphs exceed three or four sentences. As much as possible, use language and terminology familiar to the intended recipient. Do not use technical terms and acronyms without explaining them, unless you are certain that the addressee is familiar with them.

5. Use Short Sentences And Paragraphs

Keep your sentences as short as possible, and break the text up into brief paragraphs. Ideally, a paragraph should not exceed two to three sentences. This will make the letter more easily readable, which will entice the recipient to read it sooner, rather than later.

6. Review And Revise It

Do a first draft, and then carefully review and revise it. Put yourself in the place of the addressee. Imagine yourself receiving the letter. How would you react to it? Would it answer all of your questions? Does it deal with all of the key issues? Are the language and tone appropriate? Sometimes reading it out loud to one's self can help. When you actually "hear" the words it is easy to tell if it "sounds" right or not.

7. Double Check Spelling And Grammar

A letter is a direct reflection of the person sending it, and by extension, the organization that person works for. When the final content of the letter is settled, make sure that you run it through a spelling and grammar checker. To send a letter with obvious spelling and grammatical errors is sloppy and unprofessional. In such cases, the recipient can't really be blamed for seeing this as an indication as to how you (and/or your organization) probably do most other things.

The foregoing basic letter writing strategies and tips are mostly common sense. Nevertheless, you would be amazed how often these very basic "rules of thumb" are not employed when people write letters.

© 2005 by Shaun Fawcett

Shaun Fawcett, is webmaster of the popular writing help site WritingHelp-Central.com. He is also the author of several best selling "writing toolkit" eBooks. All of his eBooks and his internationally acclaimed f-r-e-e course, "Tips and Tricks For Writing Success" are available at his writing tools site: http://www.writinghelptools.com

---

Water to Swim In

Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire... Read More

Business Writing Tip: Question & Answer Format

Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More

Good Writing

Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More

How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing

For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More

How You Can Become a Certified and Profitable Proofreader

A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More

How To Become a Freelance Grant Writer

What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More

Understanding Editorial Guidelines

Editorial guidelines, also known as writer's guidelines, are the rules... Read More

Story Building with Imagination

In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping... Read More

Writing - Copyrights and Trademarks Protect You

When most people consider writing a book, they don't think... Read More

Save Time When You Write

I'm in the process of moving from one computer to... Read More

Sell More Books With a Powerful Back Cover

Did you know that your back cover information is, after... Read More

Create the Writing Life You Want

Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More

Writers can Grow to be Comfortable with Criticism

On my first newspaper assignment as a critic, I was... Read More

Why We Dont Write Our Books

In the ten years that I've taught people how to... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #1: JK Rowling

Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury,England in 1965.... Read More

Power Writing 101: Tips and Tricks to Get You Taken Seriously!

In my ten years as an advertiser, I've encountered plenty... Read More

Need a Book Coach, Ghost Writer, or Editor? Part 2

If you either want to write a book to help... Read More

Write Again! - The Art Of The Written Letter

Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More

How To Write Cover Letters That Work

Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the... Read More

Becoming a Writer

The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More

Fight The Fluff!

The first and final rule of quality writing is this:... Read More

Kick-Start your Juices

Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Write Like a Pro Checklist

Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More

Turbo-Charging Your Writing Career - 6 High-Yield Strategies

Hands up all those who'd like to have a successful... Read More

Five Common Errors to Correct Before Submitting a Letter or Report

First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More

Starting a Freelance Writing Career (or Thoughts About Taking the Plunge)

Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More

Six Tips for Creating More Lifelike Story Characters

Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More

Crime Writing Beckons

If your cash is running out fast and you have... Read More

The Writing Life

In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More

Bring Out the Natural Writer in You

Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More

7 Secrets For Beating Writers Block

Most people can easily identify with the dreaded "writer's block".... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More