(Today let’s talk honestly about writing to decision-makers. Mostly, what NOT to do….)
I’ve written many fervent letters to officials whose opinions I wanted to change or whose decisions I wanted to challenge. As a wordsmith—and with technology adding to the ease of sending those words—I have crafted correspondence that I hoped could attract the attention of other word-lovers.
But I also have to admit the possibility that the more ardently written and lengthy my letters become, the less they might get read. The less they might motivate. My advocacy writing—some of it tinged with spiritual themes—may come close to yammering.
Over the years I’ve been part of letter-writing, voter turnout campaigns. That’s where I’ve learned how to set aside my well-reasoned rhetorical flourishes. Now I try to send out messages that have a better chance of being read, understood and acted on. Some of the guidelines I’ve picked up from experts:
- Focus the writing on one subject only. (Other letters can treat other matters.)
- Keep word count minimal, sentence length varied and word choices simple-but-interesting.
- Don’t repeat yourself.
- Try not to engage the recipient in an imagined debate about lofty ideals reliant on complex verbiage—sermonizing by another name.
- Don’t try to impress the reader. (That probably won’t work.)
- Be direct, using grammatic structures with you as the presumed sentence subject.
- Avoid generic or accusatory language.
- Use a conversational style that lets kindness, respect and other emotions shine through.
- Edit, rewrite. Edit. Rewrite.
- Conclude with a question, request or invitation about a specific action or response.
- Offer more than polite thanks.
- Sign the note with your own name.
Writing with these ideas in mind can make letter (or postcard) writing less difficult. Once you’ve internalized this style of persuasive speech, it may also influence how you talk and think about other important matters.
Carry on….!
