Letter Format And Writing Tips

Home » Content Writing Tips » Letter Format And Writing Tips

The advent of the Internet and technology has taken a toll on writing letters, but in spite of that many people prefer writing letters instead of e-mails and text messages; mostly because they are personalized, and have an intimate touch to them. There are several reasons for writing letters. They are written to ask for information, to demand action, portray an event, refuse a request, or convey appreciation.

Things to Keep in mind While Writing Letter

Firstly: no one has the time or interest to read an excruciatingly long and letter having errors. All they want is the gist. Therefore your letter should be precise and free from grammatical issues. You should be able to capture the reader’s interest in the very first line. If you fail to do that, the reader will just give it a bird’s eye view and put it away.

Secondly: Your letter is an extension of your personality. For example, if you are writing a letter to the head of a school, to lodge a complaint. If you write an angry, threatening, or demanding letter in a foul mood, what sort of impression will that leave on the school authorities? In this situation writing a letter will give you a chance to tell your side of the story. Do want the authorities to read the letter and take you as an aggressive and angry person or do you want them to see you as a rational and considerate person? Therefore you need to keep in mind what sort of impression you want to give while writing a letter.

Letter Format:

The opening format of writing letters is very simple. It is on the left side of the page.

• You can start your letter by ‘Dear (name)’ or a simple ‘Hi” will do fine too, and put a comma after that.
• For formal letters use the reader’s last name and a colon instead of a comma. In the case where you don’t know the name of the reader, you can simply write ‘To Whom It May Concern’
• At the end of the letter use the closing paragraph to point towards the type of reply you are expecting for. For example, if you are expecting a letter in return then do mention ‘write to me when you have time’ or ‘waiting for your reply’
• Moreover, choose your closing according to the type of reader. You can always end your letter with ‘much love’ ‘love always’ ‘see you soon’ ‘cheers’ for informal letters ‘sincerely’ ‘regards’ ‘respectfully’ are more appropriate. Don’t forget to sign your name underneath it.

Important Rules for Writing Letters:

1. Answer the question of WHY and WHAT before beginning your letter.
2. The first letter is always a draft.
3. Never threaten in a letter.
4. Make your problem one of a kind
5. Always refrain from making judgments while writing letters
6. Write your letter in chronological order while telling a story. Don’t get to the end in the first paragraph.
7. Write clear and easy to comprehend letters. Make sure they catch interest immediately.

Read more: Letter Writing Template