HOW TO LAY OITT A LETTER IN insuring that a circular-letter will convey as good a first impression as possible, the actual arrangement of the typing is often quite as important as the paper upon which it is printed and the heading that surniounts it. Even the most delicately designed heading, embossed on the most expensive paper, will fail to have a good effect if the actual letter itself is badly arranged and carelessly typed. The first point requiring care is the spacing of the letter, and although this naturally depends very largely on the length of the letter itself, it is, as a rule, wise to use double spacing and a fairly long line if the letter extends beyond the first page, and single spacing, with a narrower line, if the letter can be confined to a single sheet. Moreover, in endeavouring to get all the matter on to the first page, particular care should be taken not to cramp the margins. Upon the ordinary quarto sheet, measuring about 8/ in. by 10/ in., a margin of an inch and a half on each side is not too much to leave if the letter is a short one which can be condensed into that space without seeming crowded. If necessary, the margin on the right-hand side can be reduced, and need not be quite so wide a.s that on the left. The latter margin, however, should seldom be less than an inch, and never less than three-quarters of an inch, while more than an inch and a half is apt to look a little eccentric unless the letter is an extremely short one, consisting of little more than one paragraph.
If the name and address is being filled in at the top of the letter, ample space should be left for its inclusio» ; but if the letter is to be sent out without any name or address, care should be taken not to leave too big a gap at the top, otherwise the blank space is apt to call attention to the fact that the name is missing, and needlessly to emphasise the fact that the leder is a circular.
Single-sheet letters, if possible, should not finish so close to the bottom of the sheet that the signature has to be crowded in with difficulty. As a rule, the final " Yours truly " should, if possible, be at least an inch and a quarter above the bottom of the paper. If this cannot be arranged, the letter should be set to a slightly w;der measure or closed up in some way so as to leave more space for the signature. At the same time, a firm rule should be made never to finish a letter so that the signature comes at the top of the second page. The transition from one page to another is always bound to be a somewhat critical stage in a letter, and there is always the possibility of the reader not troubling to turn over if the letter is almost, though not quite, finished. For the same reason a page should never finish with a full-stop. The matter should, on the contrary, be so arranged as to lead on to the next page, and to make the reader turn over before he can finish his sentence. In fact, although broken words at the end of a line should as a rule be avoided, they are sometimes quite useful in the case of the last line on a page.
As regards the merely mechanical details, the usual conventions of good typewriting hold good. Thus, there should always be a spare between the words " Dear Sir " and the body of the letter, which should moreover begin at the same position of the line as the " Dear Sir " finishes. Another space should be left between each paragraph, and the first line of each paragraph should be indented slightly, or, in other words, should not commence as near the left-hand margin as the other lines. All these paragraph indentations should of course be the same. Paragraphs, moreover, should be made according to the sense of the matter, and care should be taken to see that the letter is not split up into too many paragraphs. A letter should read smoothly on, with only the paragraphs that are necessary, and it should not be a collection of disjointed sentences. Probably the ideal arrangement for a short letter is three paragraphs, the first a short sentence designed to rivet attention and to ensure the letter being read, the second a longer paragraph explaining the proposition thoroughly, and the third another short paragraph clinching the matter and suggesting immediate action.
One or two other devices will suggest themselves as a means of varying the appearance of a series of form-letters. The first is the use of tabulated or displayed matter. Such a device can be used with advantage when the letter offers any special bargain lines. The details of such bargains can be typed in the middle of the letter in a much narrower measure, and this will not only give greater prominence to them, but will also assist in breaking up the possibly somewhat dull appearance of the letter. The same can be done with condensed summaries of the various points in an argument.
Another favourite device is to use postscripts at the end of a letter. In the case of women, the postscript is popularly supposed to be more important than the letter, and sonic firms employ postscripts with as much success as women. The postscript can point out the necessity for immediate action, it can ask for further inquiries, or it can often point out the advantages of some other line than that featured in the circular. The following are three post scripts actually used by successful firins : "Send in the enclosed Privilege Payment Certificate with our enrol ment within seven days, and 1)3 of your fee can be paid after your training has enabled you to secure a better position." "As I have laid aside 1,000 Cyrene treatments for this special intro ductory offer, I should like to have your answer by return of post. If by chance you should decide notto take advantage of it, I wish you would write me in any case, so that if you do not take the treatment I may give some one else the benefit of this exceptional opportunity." " Should you fail to find illustrated the article you are desirous of purchasing, pray let me hear from you, as our stock comprises everything known to the high-class watchmaker and silversmith, and I believe I could send you a satisfactory quotation."