A excellent letter has the following characteristics: clarity, accuracy, completeness, conciseness, attractiveness, coherence, courtesy, inventiveness, and efficacy. An effective letter makes a positive impression and pushes the receiver to complete the objectives assigned by the writer. Letter writing is an art that requires proper guidance and good examples to produce high-quality letters.
Letters come in three main forms: formal, informal, and semi-formal.
Formal letters are used for business purposes and require strict adherence to style guidelines. They should be written on official stationery with the sender's name, address, and telephone number displayed. Formal letters should be typed or printed in black ink on white paper.
Informal letters are short messages that anyone can write to anyone else. They do not have to be sent via official channels and therefore do not need to follow any specific format. Letters of recommendation, thank-you notes, and love letters are all examples of informal letters.
Semi-formal letters are similar to formal letters but use plain paper instead of official stationery. They should include the sender's name and address along with some form of identification (such as a logo) of the company sending them. Semi-formal letters should be written in black ink on white paper.
The Elements of an Effective Application Letter
A good business letter will typically include the following characteristics:
In many respects, excellent writing is good writing regardless of the goal, but the following features are especially crucial for business writing.
Letter writing allows us to practice a variety of writing skills. Grammar, style, structure, and, most importantly, confidence are all vital. We must treat someone else's feelings as if they were our own since we are toying with people's sentiments and emotions (as in a spoken discussion). We must be thoughtful and courteous to the reader. We can use this medium to express our opinions and ideas without breaching confidentiality or privacy.
Writing letters helps us develop these essential skills because we have to communicate clearly in order to be understood. And when we're not sure how to begin, we can always start with an outline or plan B - we'll still get the point across! We can also use letters to ask for things, give advice, complain, praise, insult, encourage, discourage, argue, laugh, cry...the list goes on and on.
In addition to developing these important skills, writing letters provides us with a sense of satisfaction. When we write a letter we often wish we could send it back in time to tell someone what we want, how we feel, or what happened last night at dinner. We can also use letters to let go of things, such as old grievances, regrets, or mistakes; this exercise is called "letter-writing therapy."
Finally, writing a letter allows us to share our thoughts and feelings with others. Although email and text messages allow us to do this as well, no other form of communication offers the same intimacy.
Inner Characteristics
Writing a letter allows you to say all you want to say to the best of your abilities. It may be quite therapeutic to communicate your ideas and feelings exactly as you want. There is no right or wrong way to write a letter, so feel free to let it go where your mind takes it.
A letter can also be a great way to keep in touch with friends you see only occasionally. It allows you to share your thoughts at any time and makes a lasting impression with both sender and recipient. Letter writing is becoming less popular these days but still has its place.
People used to write more letters; now they use email instead. But email is not the same as writing a letter because you have no idea how your friend will read your message. With a letter, there's no right or wrong way to express yourself - you can say everything that's on your mind without worrying about coming off rude or insulting. A letter can be a very personal thing!
Some people say writing letters isn't necessary anymore because they can send and receive emails. But writing letters brings a special element to communication that cannot be replicated by typing words on a screen. You can express gratitude, tell someone you're proud of them, apologize for something you've done...the list goes on and on.