English 365

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Chapter 14 Overview:
Writing Correspondence

• Understanding the process of writing correspondence
• Selecting a type of correspondence
• Presenting yourself effectively in correspondence
• Writing letters
• Writing memos
• Writing emails
• Writing microblogs
• Writing correspondence to intercultural readers

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Understand the process of writing correspondence:

• Choose the appropriate type of correspondence.
• In letters, memos, and email, state your purpose, use headings, summarize your message, provide adequate background, organize the discussion, and highlight action items.
• In microblogs, state your message or question clearly.
• Revise, edit, and proofread.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Select the appropriate application:

• Letters are the most formal and most appropriate for communicating with people outside your organization.
• Memos are moderately formal and appropriate for people in your organization.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Select the appropriate application (cont.):

• Email is best for quick, relatively informal communication.
• Microblog posts (Twitter tweets, Facebook status updates) can be useful for informal questions or statements addressed to a group.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Use these five principles

to present yourself effectively:

• Use the appropriate level of formality.
• Communicate correctly.
• Project the “you attitude.”
• Avoid correspondence clichés.
• Communicate honestly.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Most letters include six elements:

• heading
• inside address
• salutation
• body
• complimentary close
• signature

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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• attention line
• subject line
• header for second and subsequent pages
• enclosure line
• copy line

Some letters include additional elements:

Lifland et al. (LB) - The header is not listed in the text as an additional element, although it is shown in the figure.

Regina Tavani (RT) - OK to keep since we aren't including the graphic that points to this element.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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• modified block
• full block

Most letters use one of two formats:

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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• inquiry
• response to an inquiry
• claim
• adjustment

Four types of letters
are common in the workplace:

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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• Explain who you are and why you are writing.
• Make your questions precise and clear.
• Indicate your schedule.
• Politely request a response.
• Offer something in return.
• Always write a thank-you note to the person who has responded to your inquiry letter.

Use this strategy when

writing an inquiry letter:

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Use this strategy when

responding to an inquiry letter:

• Answer the questions if you can.
• If you cannot answer the questions, explain the reasons and offer to assist with other requests.
• Include additional information, if appropriate.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Use this strategy

when writing a claim letter:

• Use a professional tone.
• Clearly identify the product or service you are writing about.
• Explain the problem and include persuasive details.
• Propose a solution.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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• Meet the customer on neutral ground.
• Summarize the facts as you see them.
• Explain why you are unable to fulfill the request.
• Try to create goodwill.

Use this strategy when

writing a bad-news adjustment letter:

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Use these five elements

to organize most memos:

• a specific subject line
• a clear statement of purpose
• a brief summary
• informative headings
• a prominent recommendation

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Follow these eight netiquette

guidelines when writing email:

• Stick to business.
• Don’t waste bandwidth.
• Use the appropriate level of formality.
• Write correctly.
• Don’t flame.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Follow these eight netiquette

guidelines when writing email (cont.):

• Make your message easy on the eyes.
• Don’t forward a message to an online discussion forum without the writer’s permission.
• Don’t send a message unless you have something to say.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

Remember three things
when writing microblogs:

• You are creating a communication that will be archived and that will reflect on you and your organization.
• Anything you write is subject to the same laws and regulations that pertain to all other kinds of documents.
• The best way to understand your responsibilities is to study your organization’s guidelines.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Follow these ten guidelines when writing on a microblog:

• Decide on your audience and your purpose.
• Learn the technology.
• Learn the culture of the community.
• Share, don’t sell.
• Help educate readers and solve their problems.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Follow these ten guidelines when writing on a microblog (cont.):

• Sound like a person.
• Apologize when you make a mistake.
• Link generously.
• Get your facts right.
• Edit and proofread before you post.

Chapter 14. Writing Correspondence © 2015 by Bedford/St. Martin's

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Consider three factors when corresponding with intercultural readers:

• the cultural practices of your readers
• the language use and tone preferred by your readers
• the application choice and use preferred by your readers