Introduction to Letter Writing
As we know People used to write letters since ancient times. As a matter of fact, they wanted to get in touch with those who were living in distant places. During that time the main purpose of letter writing was to send information, news and greetings. Most importantly the purpose remains same in the present era.
However We are living in a world where emails and instant messaging apps have taken the place of communication. Therefore, the question arises-“Is letter writing outdated today”? The answer is No. Moreover, It is as indispensable as it was years ago. when most of the work is accomplished online the importance of a well drafted letter cannot be ruled out.
On the other hand, a physical letter has a better authority in the court of law than an email.
Above all, letters play a vital role as far as important communication is concerned. Therefore, it becomes necessary for a person to know how to write a letter in the most effective way.
Similarly it brings new friendships and alliances. Secondly, it gives an edge over others if you know the right way to express yourself in words. A well written letter can win many partnerships. It can stop a pitched battle if written in the right way.
Over the years, email has taken the preference of masses and letter writing has taken a back seat. Certainly, emails are fast and reach within seconds to the receiver. It has changed the world. In other words we can say that instant communication has taken the global business to another level.
In the further paragraph we will look over some advantages which letter writing has over emails.
Letter Vs Email(Comparison)
| Letter | |
| More authority to be proved at court of law | Less authority to be proved at court of law |
| Handwritten, therefore has personal touch | Lacks personal touch |
| More Secure | Electronic communication is considered to be less secure as the medium or source can be hacked. |
| Np special device is required | Special device like computer, laptop or a mobile phone is required |
However,Many renowned personalities have adopted letter writing as a tool to speak their heart out. Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru are some famous personalities who personally wrote many letters. People still read them with great interest.
Here in the paragraph below we will discuss types of letters.
Types of Letters
- Formal Letter- Letters from banks, Cover Letter for a job, Applying to a University, Business Letters, etc.
- Informal Letter- Letter to a friend, letter to parents etc.
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Format of a Letter
To make it understandable we have given a sample of business letter in the paragraphs below
Address: plot 1243
Rohini, Delhi
Date-mm/dd/yyyy
Mr Robert
CEO, XYZ Company
Ville Parle, Mumbai
Dear Mr Robert
Firstly, I would like to thank you for giving us an opportunity to submit our eligibility for the joint venture in the solar business segment.This refers to our meeting held at your Mumbai office regarding a collaboration in the alternative energy segment where your company is the market leader globally.
For instance, we would like to inform you that we have a great presence in all over the entire northern region and have the largest network of vendors and suppliers, who work incessantly to keep us at the top of the chart. Being one of the largest producers of solar panels in our region, we have been awarded with the prestigious Corporate Leadership Award thrice in a row.
Hence, we look forward to have a strategic partnership with your company so that we can deliver more value to our customers through this strategic alliance.
Therefore, we request you to kindly review our proposal and let us know how we can move ahead.
Yours Sincerely,
Rajesh K
The most effective way to write a letter:
Step 1
Be polite and formal in the letter. As far as possible do not use informal language because it makes the letter common place.
Step 2
Use salutation as and when required as people like to be treated with respect. Moreover, it increases the chance of making a good relation with the receiver.
Step 3
In the address column, do not use comma or full stop.
Step 4
Be precise and clear in your communication. For instance, if you are addressing an issue you can go to the main topic after a brief introduction of the problem.
Step 5
An introduction of a letter serves a major role as it has been rightly said first impression is the last impression. Therefore, an introduction should be well written. As a result the issue can be communicated to the reader in the right way.
Similarly, Conclusion is also important. It should leave an impact on the reader. If the conclusion is written in the right way it enables the reader to decide further course of action.
Step 6
One has to adhere to the specified word limit.
Step 7 In the letter to the editor, do not ask the editor to solve the problem. He can only address the issue in the newspaper. However other agencies or authorities can take cognisance of the letter and further action can be initiated on their end.
To sum up we can say that letter writing is still relevant today and we must know how to write a letter in the most effective way. In this endeavour, we have discussed several tips in the above paragraphs which will make letter writing effective.
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