This short instructional segment offers advice on how to organize and write an effective letter. These are not personal letters and so we call them "business letters." A business letter can be written on all sorts of topics.

Because letters of complaint can be difficult to write, you will find tips as well as a sample of a complaint letter. Should you desire other types of business letters to be included, please let us know and we can add them. To send your suggestion, Click Here>>

Here are the basics in a good letter:

• A good business letter does not ramble. Your finished work supplies only pertinent information in a clear and concise manner. You may need to draft the letter and then go back and edit it until it is clear and concise.
• Using 1" margins and a serif font such as Times New Roman (12 point) or Georgia (11 point), your sentences should be no longer than 2 ½ lines, preferably shorter.
• Conventional business correspondence contains the date you are writing the letter, an inside address, and a salutation ("Dear Mr. Smith," or "To whom it may concern"), in addition to the body of the letter.
• The complete letter should still fit easily on one side of an 8 ½" x 11" sheet of paper.
• Tip: Pretend that you are on a limited budget and every word you use costs you money. As a result, you must be frugal about the number of written words used in every sentence. Keep it very brief!
  
  
• Next: State Your Purpose in the First Sentence>>
• Set The "tone" of your letter>>
• The Three-stage Proofreading Cycle>>
• Writing A Letter of Complaint>>
• Sample Letter of Complaint>>