What Should You Say In Your Letter?

What Should You Say In Your Letter?

Asking yourself a few basic questions can be an excellent way to approach letter writing. Jot down answers for your questions. You can incorporate these answers into the body of your letter. Remember to keep the letter short, simple, and to the point. Here are some questions you could ask yourself:

Who are you? (An obvious question, but you may need to identify yourself right away if the reader does not know you or does not know you well.)

Why are you writing this letter? What do you want? Keep your wording positive--for example, say what you want, rather than what you do not want.
What are your concerns? Be specific. After you identify yourself, focus on the primary reason for your letter in the first few sentences.

What are your questions? Ask them clearly. Be polite, but don't make your letter saccharine in tone. You don't want any misinterpretation of your purpose--someone might think an overly sweet letter expresses sarcasm.

How would you like the reader to respond to your question or situation? Suggest the response you would like: a letter, a meeting, a phone call, an email, etc. State exactly when you would like to receive the reader's response.