State Bar of Wisconsin

Vol. 75, No. 6, June 2002

Organization Matters Structuring Your Letters

by Mary Barnard Ray

Great letter writing is an art. The right touch with tone, point of view, level of formality, and personal references requires a clear eye and ear. Great letter writing cannot be reduced to a dry set of rules; but good letter writing can be.

A good letter, in any situation, needs three parts:

• an opening, which orients the reader to the letter's purpose;
  
  
• a middle, which delivers the content with any supporting detail or explanation needed; and
  
  
• an ending, which reaffirms the writer's original tone and purpose in writing the letter and which closes politely.

The Opening: Orienting the Reader

A letter reader's first question is usually something like, "Why is this person writing to me?" or "What is this letter about?" It also may be "Is this letter good news or bad news?" A good letter opens with an answer to the reader's question. Thus, for example, a cover letter for a resume can begin by stating that the writer is interested in a job. A request for information from an insurance company can start with the reason for and nature of the request. A letter answering the reader's question can start with a reference to the question. Whatever the situation, the opening sentences should answer the reader's initial question.

The Middle: Delivering the Content

As soon as the reader is oriented to the purpose of the letter, he or she is ready for the content. To delay delivery of that content is to frustrate the reader. Thus the writer should deliver the main point by the beginning of the second paragraph at the latest. Then the writer can elaborate as needed, adding details, caveats, or further questions. The reader may read this elaboration carefully or in cursory fashion; but in either case he or she will read with understanding of the main point, rather than with frustration. The writer's goal in this part of the letter should be to answer the reader's questions and deliver needed information without ever causing the reader to ask, "Why am I reading this?"

The Ending: Closing Consistently and Politely

After the content has been delivered and explained as needed, the writer needs to exit gracefully. This usually involves echoing the tone of the original paragraph, explaining to the reader the next step, if applicable, and telling the reader where to go with further questions, if needed. Thus a cover letter for a resume can thank the reader and state how to reach the writer. A request for information from an insurance company can thank the reader and give the phone number to call if questions remain. A letter answering the reader's question can tell the reader how to reach you if further questions exist.

The letter's ending, although often short and almost a formality, should echo the tone and level of formality used in the letter's opening. This detail, often overlooked by writers, is important for creating a sense of the writer's sincerity. If a letter is friendly in the opening but distant in the closing, the reader is left questioning the writer's true attitude.

This three-part structure breaks letter writing into three manageable pieces, and with variations, can be applied to all sorts of structures, as the accompanying exhibit illustrates.

Most often, a good letter sent on time is what is needed. For those times, the format presented above can help. And, when you want to write a great letter, this format can help you quickly reach the place where you can begin focusing on your art.

Wisconsin Lawyer