When starting any correspondence, you need to develop a rhetorical
strategy - a method for assessing the rhetorical situation and devising
a plan to best meet the perceived needs of that situation.
As with all documents, you need to focus on purpose,
audience, and writing techniques.
Rhetorical Strategy for Correspondence
- Purpose
First, ask yourself what your real purpose is? What do
you want to happen as a result of this correspondence? What do you
need? When you write down your purpose, you may find that what started
as a short note may actually end up a complicated document.
- Audience
Second, decide on a specific audience and then determine
the needs of that audience. What do they want from this document?
Do they want this document? What perspective, bias or special concerns
might they have? Refer to the Audience
Analysis Worksheet (Audience and Purpose Module) for more details.
- Writing Technique
Third, in light of the document's purpose and goals, make
decisions about Format (letter,
memo, or email), Organization, Language
and Style.
Letter, memo, or email? Choosing a "mode"-->
