Letter Writing: Reading and Thoughtfully

Corresponding

Letters About Literature 12/5Letters About Literature 12/5

Definition of Definition of ““LetterLetter””LetterLetter

““A written or printed communication directed to A written or printed communication directed to a person or organization.a person or organization.””

Writing a letter Writing a letter can be easy if you can be easy if you follow a few follow a few simple rules.simple rules.

Take your time Take your time and think and think carefully about carefully about WHOWHO you are you are writing to.writing to.

Letter Writing Letter Writing Etiquette Etiquette Etiquette is good manners or accepted social practices. Etiquette is good manners or accepted social practices.

When should you write a letter?When should you write a letter?To thank someone who has been gracious, kind or helpful to To thank someone who has been gracious, kind or helpful to you.you.

When you need assistance or answers to help you make When you need assistance or answers to help you make intelligent decisions.intelligent decisions.

To respond to a letter or letter request that you have To respond to a letter or letter request that you have recently received. (do not wait too long)recently received. (do not wait too long)

To create legal documents that record information and support To create legal documents that record information and support claims. claims.

To show that you are a courteous, professional, detail-To show that you are a courteous, professional, detail- oriented person who is aware of etiquette.oriented person who is aware of etiquette.

Why Why letter writingletter writing mattersmatters““A writer, writing away, can always fix himself A writer, writing away, can always fix himself

up to make himself more presentable, but a up to make himself more presentable, but a man who has man who has written a letterwritten a letter is stuck with it is stuck with it

for all time.for all time.”” – – E. B. WhiteE. B. White

Therefore . . .Therefore . . . Letters should be truthful as they may become a Letters should be truthful as they may become a

permanent record of what you know, think or feel at permanent record of what you know, think or feel at the time you are writing the letter.the time you are writing the letter.

Letters have come back to haunt many people.Letters have come back to haunt many people.

Letters reflect the character and communication skill Letters reflect the character and communication skill of the writer.of the writer.

WhyWhy are you writing to them are you writing to them......”I am writing to you to because…..””I am writing to you to because…..”

Before Before writingwriting a a letter . . . letter . . .

After identifying your audience:

Read the written announcement or article motivating or requesting a letter response.

Examine the tone (language) of the letter, announcement or other printed material to which you will respond. The tone of the motivating piece helps you determine the tone of your written response (formal or informal).

Think about / Plan your response.

Letter Mechanics – Letter Mechanics – 1. Pronoun (Point of View)1. Pronoun (Point of View) The use of personal pronouns is The use of personal pronouns is

important in letters . . . I, he, she, it, we, important in letters . . . I, he, she, it, we, they, youthey, you

In a letter, do not refer to yourself in the In a letter, do not refer to yourself in the third person by using third person by using oneone or or the writerthe writer. .

It is perfectly natural and appropriate to It is perfectly natural and appropriate to refer to yourself as refer to yourself as II and to the reader and to the reader (author) as (author) as youyou. .

Letter Mechanics – Letter Mechanics – 2. Focus and Specificity2. Focus and Specificity Be Be FocusedFocused; however, avoid choppy ; however, avoid choppy

sentences. sentences.

Make sure your Make sure your tonetone is engaging. is engaging.

Use terminology and concepts related Use terminology and concepts related to the literature.to the literature.

Avoid vagueness. Avoid vagueness. Be specificBe specific in your in your requests or statements of facts.requests or statements of facts.

Two Two categoriescategories of of lettersletters

Business Letters (format writing; more formal writing that may share elements of essay writing)

Personal Letters (often informal; may be addressed to a friend or familiar acquaintance about a personal subject; may regard a personal problem, issue or even a personal business matter pertaining to ones personal finances or personal legal matters)

Personal Letters . . . whether typed or handwritten, may include personal touches that reflect your style or personality.

                                                                                    December 4, 2007Dear Maxwell,

I just wanted to take a moment to write to you to express my thanks for the extra tutoring help you gave me this fall as I struggled in my Math 1112 course.  People like you make our world a better place simply because you take the extra time to help others overcome fears and learn important skills. I think I can safely say, you are going to make a great math teacher one day!

You stand head and shoulders above others in the field of math and I so appreciate the information, time and patience you provided to me. So, once again, thank you so much for everything, and especially for encouraging me!

Best wishes,Rita Person

Salutation

(Greeting)

Date

Complimentary ClosingSignatur

e

Special stationery

A letter is less formal than an essay or research paper. A letter is less formal than an essay or research paper. Write honestly and in your own voice, as if you were Write honestly and in your own voice, as if you were having a conversation with the author. Those are the having a conversation with the author. Those are the best letters to read and the most fun to write! best letters to read and the most fun to write!

Correspond, don’t compliment! Your letter should Correspond, don’t compliment! Your letter should inform rather than flatter the author. All FAN letters inform rather than flatter the author. All FAN letters will be eliminated!will be eliminated!

Do not summarize the book’s plot! The author wrote Do not summarize the book’s plot! The author wrote the book and knows what happened. the book and knows what happened.

What the author doesn’t know is how the book What the author doesn’t know is how the book affected you and why it did so. Only YOU can explain affected you and why it did so. Only YOU can explain that unique relationship you experienced while that unique relationship you experienced while reading the book.reading the book.

OutlineOutlineWrite a personal letter to an author whose work (either Write a personal letter to an author whose work (either fiction or nonfiction) changed your view of the world or fiction or nonfiction) changed your view of the world or

yourself.yourself.

Please begin to work on your Please begin to work on your outlineoutline

The substitute, Ms. _____ ,or Mr. The substitute, Ms. _____ ,or Mr. Talbot must initial your outline Talbot must initial your outline before you start writingbefore you start writing