Since the first edition of was written, the personal computer has replaced the typewriter.

This has had an impact on not only formatting, layout and editing but also the method of communicating written information itself.

If you have trouble adhering to the space limit, omit your name from the contact details section; you will anyway be signing your name in the ending salutation.

If your stationery does not include your printed address, place it in the upper right-hand corner of the first page. If your address is already printed, the date is placed in the upper right-hand corner of the first page.

It is more likely that a mailed letter will stay private; e-mailed ones can easily be forwarded inadvertently or intentionally.

The Holidays: the joy, the snow, the rush…the frustration, the bad tempers, the rudeness!

The underlying principle of all forms of communication, not just letter writing, is the following: say what you have to say clearly and succinctly (see Chapter 13 Plain Language, "Plain Language").

The layout of the document should be such that the reader can quickly determine who the sender and intended recipient are, when the document was written or sent, what it is about, and what follow-up, if any, is required of the recipient.