Manners are the happy way of doing things.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Behavior, in The Conduct of Life, 1860
The first time I heard about letter components was in typing class back in 1987. For the record, I learned how to type on those big, heavy, and black machines called typewriters. After countless hours of typing groups of letters that didn’t make sense, we were taught the parts of a letter. In other words, we learned how to typeset a letter properly.
The following is an example of a typical exercise.
asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
We manually loaded paper into the typewriter, began typing, made mistakes, pulled the paper out, and threw it into the trash hundreds of times before getting it right. Although liquid paper existed, our instructors forbade its use; we had to submit spotless, wrinkle-free, and error-free exercises. My keyboarding class at Missouri Military Academy further reinforced these valuable skills.
From 2019 to 2023, I taught Senior Portfolio at Texas State University. Few of my students knew or vaguely remembered the components of such an important document. For my seniors, a well-addressed and properly typeset cover letter often represented their only chance for an interview appointment. For others, it might have been their first client proposal or resignation letter. Although emails are more common now, everyone will eventually need to rely on this almost forgotten skill—the art of typing a letter—even if they ask ChatGPT to do it for them. Learning the proper etiquette and components of a letter remains essential.
DESIGN
First of all, design your letterhead; it must have your logo or name and contact information if you can. Do not use regular paper for letterheads. They should be printed in higher-quality paper. Traditionally, letterheads are printed on 100% cotton paper with matching envelopes; however, there are many great alternatives, My favorite choices for stationery systems—letterhead, envelopes, and business cards—are Neenah® Paper lines, such as Classic Cotton®, Classic Crest®, Classic Columns®, Classic® Linen, or Royal Sundance®. Finally, my best advice for choosing the correct paper is to talk to a Graphic Designer or your local Paper Distributor—mine is Clampitt Paper in San Antonio, Texas.
A. LOGO
The logo is an essential part of your letterhead. It identifies the company or the person, and it comes in different sizes, shapes, and forms. If you do not have a logo, design one; hire one if you are not a designer.
B. CONTACT
Ensure the contact information on your letterhead aligns cohesively with your style or brand. Typically, this includes a mailing address, phone number, and website. Personal letterheads should also feature your name, title, and email address. Set the contact information in 8–9 point font, depending on the typeface. Typeset the letter’s content between 10 to 12 points.
1. DATE
Include the date you plan to present, sign, or mail the letter.
2. ADDRESSEE
Provide the recipient’s information: name, title, company name, and mailing address.
3. SALUTATION
Use proper titles and the recipient’s last name. After the last name, place a comma or a colon for more formal letters. Appropriate titles include Mr., Mrs., Ms., Lt.Col., Maj., etc. In informal letters, you may address the recipient using their first name.
4. BODY
Keep the letter’s body short and concise. Organize the content into three main parts: introduction, content, and conclusion. Typically, divide the content into three major statements or main points.
5. CLOSING
Write a complimentary close such as: respectfully, sincerely yours, regards, faithfully, appreciatively, etc. End this section with a comma.
6. SIGNATURE
Leave a space for your handwritten signature.
7. NAME
Type the name of the person sending the letter, which may be accompanied by a title.
The cover photograph is licensed under a CC license, with no modifications other than cropping. Author: Markus Spiske
Montes de Oca Sicilia, Maria del Pilar. (2009). El Manual Para Escribir Bien. Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Lectorum S.A. de C.V.
Manners. (1997). In M. Miner, & H. Rawson, Rawson’s dictionary of American quotations. Hugh Rawson.
We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.
Ernest Hemingway
