Summary

Keeping in mind our core assumptions about effective writing — good organization, reader focus, good mechanics — you should be able to plan and draft a well-written letter, e-mail, or short document based on a dialogue with your reader.

The first step of planning is to determine whether you are writing a responsive or an initiative document. That is, did the reader ask for something (responsive), or are you starting the dialogue (initiative)?

From there, you can continue planning with a reader analysis and then a dialogue with your reader. Using the appropriate Dialogue Worksheet, you will do the following:

• Determine your purpose.
• Consider the reader’s main question.
• Answer the main question in your main message.
• Anticipate the next questions that your reader will have after reading the main message, and sketch out your answers to those questions.
• Plan how to close your e-mail, letter, or short document.

As you draft your document, work from the plan you created in your Dialogue Worksheet. Pay attention to the particular standards for e-mails or letters, especially the format and the opening and closing of your document. Be sure to position your main message near the beginning of your document — in the first paragraph or at the beginning of the second.