Put all the information that the reader will want to know at the beginning of the letter, before you even begin to write the body. If you're writing to a close friend, you won't need much except the date, which will help your friend remember when it was received. If you're writing a business letter, on the other hand, the reader may not even know who wrote the letter (if an assistant threw the envelopes away before passing along the letters). The arrangement of this information depends on the type of letter you're writing, but as long as you provided it neatly and completely, you should be fine:
Your address, sometimes including contact information; some people prefer to write this out at the bottom of the letter, under the signature and printed name. This can also go at the top as a letterhead.The recipient's name, address, contact information; in business letters, this can be referred to as the "inside address(Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr.) on the side of caution--use Ms. or Dr. if you think it might apply;[1] use your country's address; if the inside address is in another country, write that country's name in capital letters as the last line.The date (e.g. American: September 18, 2011)A subject line, usually beginning with "Re:" (e.g. Re: Graduation application #4487)2Start with a proper greeting. The opening should begin at the left side of the page, not the middle or up against the right side of the sheet. The most common opening is "Dear" followed by the person's first name and a comma. For a more casual greeting, you can write "Hello (name)," or "Hey (name)," or Hi (name) but if the letter is formal, use the recipient's last name and a colon instead of a comma (e.g. "Dear Mr. Johnson:". Sometimes, if you don't know the recipient's name, you can write "To Whom It May Concern:" If you don't know the person's gender, write out his or her full name to avoid using “Mr.” or “Ms.” (e.g. Dear Taylor Johnson:).
Start with a proper greeting.3Write an opening paragraph. Tailor your opening to the recipient. For example, if the letter is casual, you can begin with, "What's up?" or "How's it going?" Otherwise, a simple "How are you?" is fine. If it is a business letter, be direct about why you are writing the letter. Summarize your intentions and be sure to write clearly so that the reader will understand you.
Write an opening paragraph.4Construct the body of the letter. This is the part that will really be unique to each letter. Most business letters should be no more than two pages long, but casual letters can be as long or as short as you want them to be. No matter who the recipient is, try not to ramble. Keep each paragraph engaging.
Construct the body of the letter.5Use the closing paragraph to indicate the type of response you are seeking. If you would like a letter in return, you can write, "Please write when you have a chance" or, if you prefer a phone call/email, write "Call me soon." or "Email me some time".
Use the closing paragraph to indicate the type of response you are seeking.6Include a closing such as "Love always" ,"Cheers", "Sincerely", "Talk soon", or "Look forward to seeing you soon". Again, choose your closing based on the recipient and the level of formality. The closing can be aligned on the left or the right side of the page. In business letters, stick with "Regards," or "Respectfully," and sign your name underneath. Then print your name under the signature.
Include a closing such as "Love always" ,"Cheers", "Sincerely", "Talk soon", or "Look forward to seeing you soon".7Address your envelope. Your address should be written on the front of the envelope in the upper left hand corner or on the back. The recipient's address must be on the front of the envelope, right in the middle. Carefully fold your letter into thirds with the top part of the letter slightly longer than the other two sections. This allows the letter to be opened with ease. Use your envelope as a folding guide by tucking the letter under the flap and folding upward from the bottom of the letter to the line of the envelope. The writing of your letter should be on the inside of your folding so that the page appears blank as they pull it out of the envelope, only to reveal your lovely letter when they unfold it. Be sure to choose both paper and envelopes that are of similar dimensions. Put your letter in the envelope, with the longest edge upward, then seal it, stamp it, and send it off.
Address your envelope.
