                   BASIC STEPS TO WRITING A BUSINESS LETTER

Step 1: Choose a letter style. The easiest style to use is the "block" style in
which all copy, including the date and complimentary close, start at the left
margin.

Step 2: Use an appropriate and proper inside address and salutation. It is
preferable to write to an actual person and to use his/her formal title. See
the example in the sample letter below. Some accepted salutations, in order of
decrecreasing formality are: Sir (or Madam), Dear Sir, My dear Sir, Dear Mr.
Smith, My dear Mr. Smith, My dear Joe, and Dear Joe. Use a colon after the
saluation and do not capitalize "dear" when it follows "my."

Step 3: Declare the purpose of the letter. Use short sentences and direct, but
not antagonistic language.

Step 4: State the facts. You can't bluff your way through this part and write a
good business letter. Neither can you present a good case if your facts are
jumbled and difficult to follow. Begin by making notes. In many cases, these
best way to do this is to outline the events in the order in which they
occured.

Step 5: Make your request or summarize the facts. Be firm, but avoid making
unreasonable or outlandish demands that won't be taken seriously.

Step 6: Use an appropriate complimentary close. Some of the most common and
accepted are: Respectfully yours, Respectfully, Truly yours, Yours truly,
Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially yours and Cordially. More intimate forms
used by business friends include: Best regards, Gratefully yours, Yours with
appreciation, and Your Louisiana friend.





October 1, 1992




Ronda Faries,
ODM Product Manager,
Softdisk Publishing
606 Common Street
Shreveport, LA 71101

Dear Ms. Faries:

I am writing you to express my satisfaction with your product and to share my
program ideas with you.

First of all, each issue of On Disk Monthly provides me a good mix of
programs--productivity, financial, graphics, utilities and games. Don't change
the program mix! Do publish more programs that utilize the beautiful graphics
your art staff creates.

Some of my ideas for programs that would utilize your graphics are: a utility
for capturing any graphic screen and saving it as a .PCX file, a draw program
that would allow me to modify existing .PCX images, a program that would allow
me to turn .PCX images into Print Shop images, a greeting card creator that
would import .PCX images, and an update to your previously published
"Certificate Creator" that also would import .PCX images.

I've enclosed some samples of the news letter I create for my department at
work. You'll recognize some of the graphics.

It is not necessary for you to respond to my letter. However, I will look
forward to seeing one of my ideas on a future disk.

Respectfully yours,




John Fitzgerald Doe

(Enclosure)