Writing Tasks: Convey Good News and Bad News Letter writing is a visual medium, and the placement of
information has a bearing on how the reader will view both the
information and its writer. Therefore, business writers use
organizational strategies to make their writing sensitive and
meaningful. This piece
describes how to give the good, the bad and the ugly.
Wayne Schiess, Writing for Your Audience: The Client June 2002
In this article Schiess addresses three typical characteristics
of legal language that appear too often in client letters:
legalisms, legal citation, and over formality.
He gives examples and shows you how to overcome it.
Cheryl M. Stephens, Plain Language Legal Writing: Part III –
Mastering Modern Legal Correspondence
This article provides a checklist for better writing, and
details topics in the checklist:
1. Clarify your purpose.
2. Consider your reader.
3. Write complete and accurate business letters.
4. Organize the letter for highest impact.
5. Choose your words thoughtfully.
6. Use modern formats.
7. Present good news and bad news keeping the psychology of
readers
in mind.
