Send a Letter to Someone Important

A well-written letter can convince someone to adopt your point of view or give you what you want. You might write a letter to elected representatives, college or university presidents, or members of the clergy. When writing a letter to someone important, it is key to use the correct format and to maintain a consistent, professional tone. Support your arguments with evidence and address any strong counter-arguments. You should always keep a copy of the letter for your records and request a receipt when you mail it.

Steps

Writing an Effective Letter

1. Explain why you are writing. You should identify why you are writing in the first paragraph of your letter. If you don’t do this right off, the recipient might be confused and set your letter aside. Remember to get right to the point.
   • For example, you can write, “I am writing to ask you to vote ‘No’ on the upcoming Senate bill authorizing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I believe drilling will cause serious harm to the environment.”
2. Support your argument. Generally, you will probably send a letter to an important person because you want to change their mind about something. Accordingly, you need to give them a reason to see the issue the way you see it. This might mean you need to do some research.
   • Refer to books or articles by name. Cite facts, statistics, or anecdotes to support your argument. If you are relying on personal observation, then include key details—who, what, where, when, etc.
   • If you have more than one reason for your position, then develop each in separate paragraphs. This type of organization makes it easier for the reader to follow along.
   • If you aren’t writing a letter to argue, then simply include the bulk of the information you want to convey in the body of the letter.
3. Direct the reader to additional supporting information. Remember that you are writing a letter, not a master’s thesis. Accordingly, you might want to point the reader in the direction of where they can find more fully-developed arguments.
   • For example, you can include the address to a website where the recipient can find additional information.
   • You can also mention the names of books or articles on the subject.
4. Address counter-arguments. It is particularly effective to mention common counter-arguments and then rebut them. Only mention the strongest counter-arguments but provide a reason why the reader should not give these arguments too much weight.
   • For example, you can argue that a counter-argument is based on faulty data. You might write something like, “Supporters of Arctic drilling argue that abundant oil exists beneath the surface. However, newer data has cast doubt on those claims.”
   • Alternately, you could argue that the counter-argument is mistaken. For example, you could write, “Preserving the Arctic will not result in higher oil costs. In fact, newer wells in Texas and Oklahoma can make up the difference.”
5. Use an appropriate tone. You convey important information through tone. Tone is hard to define, but you hear tone when people are speaking. Someone can say, “That’s crazy” in a humorous tone or in a fearful one. Tone also exists when we write. You want to maintain a professional tone when addressing someone important.
   • Avoid using contractions, which are too casual. Write “I am” instead of “I’m.”
   • Don’t use slang or jargon. Write “I was disturbed” instead of “I was freaking out.”
   • Be polite and respectful. Don’t insult someone or call them names. This can be difficult, especially if you are writing a letter because you want to argue.
6. Write in the active voice. Your sentences should be as forceful as possible. Accordingly, write in the active voice. Active sentences are clearer and usually simpler than passive voice sentences. Compare the following:
   • Passive voice: “This issue was already decided ten years ago.” In this sentence, someone decided the issue—but you don’t know who.
   • Active voice: “Congress decided this issue ten years ago.” With an active voice sentence, you know exactly who the subject is.

Editing Your Letter

1. Revise the letter. After you type a draft, you should try to condense the letter as much as possible. Strip out any unnecessary words and sentences. Simplify complicated sentences or ideas, and reorganize your paragraphs if necessary.
2. Proofread your letter. Typos, dropped words, and grammatical errors reduce the quality of your letter. Accordingly, you want to go over your letter to make sure you have written it accurately.
   • Read it backwards. Start with the last sentence, then read the one before it. By reading backwards, you won’t anticipate what you intended to say. Instead, you will focus on the words on the page.
   • Read it out loud. You might hear a mistake that your eyes would gloss over.
   • Don’t rely only on spellcheck or grammar check. A lot of errors slip by.
3. Ask someone else to read the letter. Tone is so key you need another person to read the letter to make sure you aren’t being too rude, angry, or informal. However, you should also have them read it and share their impressions about the content:
   • Were they convinced by your argument? Did they remain unconvinced?
   • What other information would help convince them?
   • Did you come across as professional and credible?

Formatting and Sending Your Letter

1. Set up your word processing document. You should type your letter, and you should choose a font style and size that reads comfortably for most people. Generally, Arial or Times New Roman 12 point will work.
   • If you are creating a letter for email, you should still use a standard font. Avoid colors or anything that is hard to read.
   • Also set up one-inch margins on all sides.
2. Include your address. You should include your address, but not your name, in the upper-left hand corner. Use block formatting, so don’t indent. All information should line up with the left-hand margin.
   • If you use letterhead, then you don’t need to include your address.
3. Add the date. Skip down a line and then include the date you wrote the letter. If you wrote the letter over multiple days, then include only the date you finished the letter. Type out the date using the format of the country where the recipient lives.
   • In the U.S., the date is listed as follows: “February 12, 2017.”
   • In other countries, the date will be listed like this: “12 February 2017.”
4. Include the recipient’s information. Skip down another line and include the address for the recipient. You should include their name and the address.
   • Remember to keep the information lined up with the left-hand margin.
5. Insert your salutation. This is your greeting. Salutations are usually the same. You write “Dear” and then the name followed by a colon. For example, use the following:
   • If you know the recipient’s last name, write “Dear Mr. Jones:”
   • If you know the woman is married, you can use “Mrs.” as in “Dear Mrs. Johnson:”
   • If the woman is single, or if you don’t know if she’s married, write “Dear Ms. Johnson:”
   • If you don’t know if the person is a man or woman, you can write “Dear Sir or Madam:”
   • If the person has a title, you can use the title: “Dear Senator Collins:” or “Dear Dr. Smith:”
6. Tell the recipient how to contact you. Before ending the letter, you should thank the recipient for their time and identify how they may reach you if they have questions. Provide a phone number and email address, if possible.
   • For example, you can write, “Thank you for your time. I know you are very busy, but I feel passionately about this issue. I am happy to answer any questions you have. I may be reached at 555-5555 or by email at abczy122@gmail.com.”
7. Insert your closing. You need to bring the letter to close. Type “Sincerely,” and then skip down several lines before typing out your name. You’ll sign the letter in the space in between.
   • Be sure to sign the letter using a felt-tip pen or other pen that produces a smooth, continuous signature.
8. Note any enclosures. You might include a brochure, article, or other supporting documents with your letter. You should type “Encl.:” or “Enclosures:” and then briefly describe what you have included.
   • For example, you could type “2 Enclosures: article, letter.” This states you are including an article and another letter with your own letter.
   • Ideally, you should have mentioned the enclosures elsewhere in the body of the letter. You want the recipient to immediately understand why you included them.
9. Add the names of additional recipients. You might send copies of your letter to other people. You should note this below your enclosures. Type “cc:” below the enclosures. This stands for “courtesy copy.”
   • You can include the person’s name and title, such as “cc: James Roberts, Assistant to the University President.”
   • If you are sending a copy to more than one person, then align the other recipients’ names underneath the first. You don’t need to add another “cc.”
10. Mail the letter. If you want confirmation that the letter was received, you can mail it certified mail, return receipt requested (in the U.S.) In the U.K., you can send the letter Royal Mail Signed For.
    • Always keep a copy of the letter for your own records.

Sources and Citations

See also

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