LETTER WRITING 



3388 



LETTER WRITING 



2. Clearness of Expression Depends, upon 

 Clearness oj Thought. As one thinks so will 

 one speak or write. Letters containing long, 

 involved sentences are tiresome to read and 

 difficult to understand. Accustom yourself to 

 think clearly and to express your thought in 

 short sentences that follow each other in natu- 

 ral order. 



3. Knowledge is Essential to Expression. If 

 you are to write a letter that will attract at- 

 tention you must not only have something to 

 write about but you must know your subject 

 so well that you can present it in a clear and 

 interesting manner. A successful correspond- 

 ent of a great business house is able to write 

 letters that compel attention because he is 

 master of his subject and because he can ex- 

 press himself in clear and simple language. 



4. Personality. We write letters because dis- 

 tance makes conversation impossible. Letter 

 writing, then, is talking to our correspondent 

 with the pen. Into no other form of composi- 

 tion does the personality of the writer enter 

 so fully, whether the letter be one of friend- 

 ship or of business. This is why letter writing 

 is such a fine art. The feelings, thoughts, 

 character and ideals of the writer are revealed 

 through his descriptions and narrations, if the 

 letter is a social one, or in his attitude if the 

 letter is of a business nature. The most charm- 

 ing letters are those in which the personal ele- 

 ment is so strong that the writer seems to be 

 at the reader's side telling the story. Ability 

 to inject one's personality into one's letters de- 

 pends largely upon familiarity with the subject 

 and the facility with which one can express 

 oneself in writing. In this as in other arts 

 practice leads to perfection. 



Classes of Letters. Letters may be divided 

 into three classes social letters or letters of 

 friendship, business letters and formal letters 

 which include notes of invitation and accept- 

 ance, etc., and official correspondence. The 

 average correspondent may now and then have 

 occasion to write a formal note, but formal 

 official letters are written only by those hold- 

 ing official positions. 



Form of a Letter. Certain conventional 

 forms are in general use in correspondence. 

 These forms have been adopted because they 

 seem best suited to their purpose, and any 

 variation from them is likely to subject the 

 writer to criticism. According to established 

 usage the parts of a letter are the heading, 

 the introduction, the body, the complimentary 

 close and the superscription. 



The Heading. The heading includes the ad- 

 dress of the writer and the date. This should 

 be placed in the upper right hand corner. It 

 may occupy two or three lines according to the 

 taste of the writer. In most printed letterheads 

 two lines are used. When three lines are used 

 the street and number should be written on 

 the first, the town and state on the second and 

 the date on the third. 



The Introduction. The introduction includes 

 the name and address of the one to whom the 

 letter is written just as they should appear on 

 the envelope, and the salutation, as Dear Sir; 

 Dear Mr. Blank, etc. 



The Body of the Letter. This is the most 

 important part of the letter. "A good letter 

 appeals to the reader in two ways: first, in the 



(Heading) 

 25 N. State Street, 



Chicago, 111., May 2, 1917. 

 (Introduction) 

 Mr. James Black, 



50 Bromfield Street, 



Boston, Mass. 

 (Salutation) 

 Dear Sir: 



(Body of the letter) ******** 



(Complimentary Close) 

 Very truly yours, 



Thomas Ryan. 



mechanical make-up and, second, in the pres- 

 entation of the subject matter." A letter di- 

 vided into short paragraphs is more attractive 

 and more easily read than one arranged in long 

 paragraphs. A letter in which simple words 

 and short sentences are used is more easily 

 read and understood than one containing un- 

 common words and long, involved sentences. 

 The writer should write what he wishes to say 

 in the clearest and simplest possible manner. 



Complimentary Close. This is used as a 

 matter of courtesy and varies in different 

 classes of letters. 



The Superscription. The superscription is 

 the address upon the envelope, and it should 

 be an exact duplicate of the address in the 

 letter, unless the number of the post office box 

 is necessary, or the letter is sent in care of 



