Letter writing has been used for centuries in communicating across the great
oceans, as well as many other facets of communication. Letter writing has a way
of bringing people together, but it can also destroy relationships and people.
That is why it is so important to make sure that what is written on paper comes
across just as the writer meant it.
For you see, reading a letter can not only mend a broken heart, but it can bring great joy to the beholder. A letter can offer a complaint, resolve a disagreement, offer an apology, say a thank you, accept an invitation, ask for help, admit blame, and save a soul.
Therefore, it’s important to follow the five C’s in letter writing, and they are as follows:
1. Clear: Try not to beat around the bush when letter writing. Every word should come across as something that is understood. The best way to test this is to read what you wrote out loud, in a tape recorder, and play it back to yourself.
2. Concise: Do not ramble. Try to make your words go straight to the point.
3. Courteous: Remember that words can come across a lot harsher on paper. It’s best to save arguing to verbal usage, so that you can clear up any misunderstandings.
4. Correct: Double check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. There is nothing worse than trying to read a letter full of mistakes. It makes the clarity of the written word harder to decipher.
5. Complete: Make sure that when you bring up a topic, you do not change topics in mid-stream. Make sure that you finish what you have to say before you go on to another topic.
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