《The Bantam Book Of Correct Letter Writing》

BOOK ⅠTHE BASIC RULES OF SUCCESSFUL LETTER WRITING1

1．Letter Writing as a Social Asset1

What the ability to write good letters can mean to you1

A letter is like a＂visit＂on paper2

How letters can enrich life－create more enduring friendships3

The busiest people make the best letter writers3

Write the letters that don＇t need to be written5

Send personal letters instead of greeting cards whenever you can6

If you＂don＇t know what to say＂in a letter6

2．Personality in Letter Writing7

Make your letters sound the way you do!7

Visualize the person to whom you are writing8

Just write as you speak－that＇s the whole secret!8

Use your customary words and patter9

Some easy ways to make your letters sound conversational11

Keep your language simple－short words are the best13

How to write with greater ease and clarity14

People judge you by your letters15

Avoid careless remarks that may be misunderstood15

Don＇t write anything you may later regret16

The letter everyone loves to receive16

3．The Physical Characteristics of Your Letter17

The correct stationery for social and personal correspondence18

Short notes should be handwritten20

Use of the typewriter21

The spacing and arrangement of a letter22

Sequence of pages and folding the letter23

How to avoid mistakes in spelling and grammar23

The use of punctuation24

4．The Parts of a Letter25

The heading25

The salutation27

The body of the letter28

The close28

The signature32

How to address the envelope35

BOOK ⅡYOUR SOCIAL CORRESPONDENCE43

1．The General Rules of Social Correspondence43

All social correspondence has a specific purpose44

The difference between formal and informal correspondence44

What you should know about informal correspondence45

What you should know about formal correspondence48

2．Dinner Invitations and Acknowledgments52

Always respond promptly to a dinner invitation54

Dinner in honor of a special guest or guests55

Dinner to celebrate a special occasion57

Dinner followed by concert or opera57

Dinner by sons and daughters in honor of parents58

How to postpone or cancel formal dinner invitations59

How to break a formal dinner engagement60

Inviting a friend to fill an empty place at dinner60

Informal dinner invitations－and how to answer them62

Inviting friends to dinner and the theater66

When a daughter acts as hostess66

Note to recall an informal dinner invitation67

Note to break an informal dinner engagement67

Note to an intimate friend recalling a dinner invitation68

Note to an intimate friend breaking a dinner engagement68

3．Luncheon and Supper Invitations and Acknowledgments69

Invitations for simple informal luncheons73

Inviting someone you do not know74

Supper invitations76

4．Party Invitations and Acknowledgments80

Card party invitations80

For an informal bridge luncheon82

For a formal bridge luncheon82

For an informal cocktail party83

For a formal cocktail party83

For an informal tea party83

Formal tea parties84

Garden party invitations86

Invitations for house and week-end parties86

Invitations for showers89

Invitations for christenings89

5．Dance Invitations and Acknowledgments92

Debutante dances and dinner dances94

Supper dance invitations95

How to acknowledge formal dance invitations97

Recall or postponement of formal dance invitations97

Subscription dances and charity balls98

Invitations for informal dances99

The friendly note of invitation100

Asking an invitation for a relative or friend101

6．Wedding Invitations and Announcements103

Announcing an engagement107

The church wedding108

Church admission card110

The home wedding111

Train and direction cards112

Wedding announcements114

Enclosing＂at home＂cards with the announcement115

Wedding invitations for special and unusual circumstances116

Invitation to a double wedding117

The bride with one parent118

When the bride has no parents119

Invitations for a second marriage121

When the groom is in the military services121

Recalling a wedding invitation123

How to acknowledge wedding invitations124

The informal wedding invitation written by hand125

Bride＇s note of invitation to a close friend126

To a relative126

If there has been a recent bereavement127

To an old friend of the groom－a stranger to the bride127

To a business associate of the groom127

Inviting a friend to the reception only128

Invitations to wedding anniversaries129

7．Letters of Thanks130

When and how to acknowledge wedding gifts131

To relatives132

To intimate friends133

To less intimate friends134

To a business associate of the groom135

To an old classmate of the groom－a stranger to the bride135

Shower gifts should be individually acknowledged135

Notes of thanks for Christmas gifts136

For birthday gifts137

For wedding anniversary gifts138

For a gift for a newborn baby or young child138

For a＂Bon Voyage＂gift139

The bread-and-butter letter140

Thanks for gifts to a patient or invalid141

Thanks for a favor received142

Thanks for a letter of condolence143

Thanks for a letter of congratulation146

On a birthday146

On an engagement146

On a marriage147

On a wedding anniversary148

On the birth of a child148

On graduating from college148

On winning an honor or distinction149

8．Letters of Congratulations149

Congratulations on an engagement149

Congratulations on marriage151

Congratulations on a wedding anniversary152

Congratulations on a birthday153

Congratulations on the birth of a child154

Congratulations on graduation155

Congratulations on winning an honor or distinction156

Congratulations on a promotion or a new venture156

Congratulations on a speech or a performance157

9．Letters of Condolence158

On the death of a parent159

On the death of a husband or wife162

On the death of a child164

On the death of a relative165

When death is a release167

When someone is killed or commits suicide168

Some famous letters of condolence169

10．Notes of Sympathy on Illness，Injury and Material Loss171

To those who are ill171

To those who have been injured174

To those who have suffered material loss or damage176

11．Letters of Introduction177

To be presented in person178

To be sent by mail179

＂Follow-up＂letters of introduction giving additional information181

A famous letter of introduction181

BOOK ⅢYOUR PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE183

1．The General Rules of Personal Correspondence183

Answer every letter promptly－it＇s easier for you185

You don＇t need literary style to write interesting letters185

How long should a letter be？186

2．Friendly Letters186

How to begin a friendly letter187

What to write in a friendly letter189

What not to write in a friendly letter190

Consider the person to whom you are writing192

How to close your letter193

Examples of letters to personal friends194

Friendly letter from one man to another194

Letters to friends in distant places195

Letters from distant places to friends back home197

Christmas letter to a friend199

3．Family Letters201

The ever-welcome letter from home201

To a daughter living and working in another city202

To a husband away on business204

To a married sister living at a distance205

Letters to children away at school or camp207

Excerpts from letters to children written by famous people211

From a bride to her parents on her honeymoon213

Letter to a relative who has asked for advice214

4．Love Letters215

Examples of love letters from women to men216

Examples of letters from men to women218

Excerpts from the love letters of famous men and women220

Postscript on personal letter writing220

BOOK ⅣYOUR BUSINESS AND CLUB CORRESPONDENCE223

1．The General Rules of Business Correspondence223

The parts of a business letter226

The inside address228

The salutation229

The body of the letter230

The complimentary close231

The signature232

Addressing the envelope234

Suggestions for writing more effective business letters235

Write your letters from the reader＇s point of view236

Be sure it sounds sincere236

Enthusiasm is contagious236

Courtesy counts in letter writing，too237

How to prejudge the effectiveness of your letter238

2．The Tone and Language of a Good Business Letter239

Abbreviations in business letters240

The opening paragraph241

Examples of effective openings for various types of letters243

The closing paragraph244

Examples of effective closings for various types of letters245

The use of postscripts in business letters246

The Ten Commandments for writing a good business letter246

3．Examples of Routine Business Letters248

Letters of order and confirmation248

Letters of complaint and adjustment251

Letters of inquiry and acknowledgment254

Letters about credit257

Collection letters260

Acknowledging collection letters263

Miscellaneous business letters264

4．Letters That Sell265

Examples of effective sales letters268

Letters that sell good will271

5．Letters of Application272

Don＇ts in preparing your letter of application277

Examples of good letters of application278

Letters of reference284

Letters of introduction and reference285

Letters requesting information from references285

Thank-you letters for help in getting a job286

6．Your Club Correspondence287

Notification of election to office289

Letters of resignation290

Requests to speak or entertain at a club291

Answers to invitations from clubs292

Letter of thanks for speaking or entertaining at a club293

BOOK ⅤCHILDREN＇S CORRESPONDENCE297

1．The Letters All Children Must Learn to Write297

Children＇s thank-you notes for gifts298

Children＇s thank-you notes for hospitality301

Children＇s personal correspondence302

2．Children＇s Invitations and Acknowledgments306

Notes of invitation306

Notes of acceptance308

Notes of regret309

Appendix311

Forms of Address311