Introduction

Whether it’s finding out that you didn’t get the job you wanted or the funding you asked for, no one likes to receive bad news. Most writers don’t enjoy writing such correspondence either.

Writing a good bad-news document requires a strong command of style, tone, and structure, and recognition of the reader’s expectations and needs. In fact, an e-mail or a letter conveying bad news may be the most difficult type of writing you have to do.

In this module, you will learn a structure for conveying bad news in correspondence. You will have an opportunity to evaluate several examples of correspondence conveying bad news and to identify the structure in action. Finally, you will plan and draft a bad-news document.

“When giving bad news in writing, including key elements will
help you maintain a good relationship with your reader.”
―Program Manager