BUSINESS LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14208, 3 November 1909, Page 9

BUSINESS LIFE.

: BETTER WRITING. The one great test of handwriting is its legibility. It hardly matters how the letters are formed, -if they arc easy to read. To this end they should all have plenty of space around them; they should be of equal height, and everything in the way of fancy work should be avoided.

With regard to the subject matter, whether a letter is written for social or business purposes, ,it should be couched in precisely the same kind of English as you would use if you were talking to the person to whom your letter is to be despatched.

You do not address all people in the same way. With some you are familiar, with others you have to be respectful. Every letter therefore will be adjusted in its tone by the personality of the receiver. The day. is far past when it did not matter whether a business letter was correct in form; in spelling, and in grammar. We used to say, "What do I care for the grammar of a "letter, so long as we get to business?" Even such an apparently small matter as punctuation should be carefully studied. . . Think what you have to say, write it down, and then put a full stop, and begin with a capital letter. If two things depend upon one another, put them into two sentences and join them by and or "but," and then close your sentence with a full stop again. Any clerk who would take the trouble to learn elementary English, so that he could write correctly and rapidly the. business letters of his firm from a few notes supplied by his employer, would be worth an immediate rise of shillings per week.

All stereotyped jargon such as " With regard to your favour," " Hoping this finds you well as it leaves us at present," "We note," "So far as your order is concerned" —any phrase, in fact, which departs from ordinary usage is bad. They all give a stiff, formal, meaningless impression. You should imagine your correspondent sitting before you, and then talk like a salesman or a friend as the case may be. A good corresponding clerk will soon learn to write smart, snappy letters to those who like them, and long clfatty, and detailed ones to those who prefer that style.

POINTS FOR BUSINESS GIRLS. "I find that it is a great help to me if I pin a long sheet of foolscap in a prominent place, and each morning after taking letters write down on it the important matters I lie- 3 to remember during tho day or by the week-end. When I have done them I put a red line through the entry, and in this way hardly ever forget. I always rule a margin of about an inch and a-half on the left-hand pages of my shorthand notebook. I find this very useful for noting down any additions that may have to be made to a letter, and for points to be specially noted in transcribing notes, etc. ; When carbons are beginning to give a faint impression through constant use, I find it is a good plan to hold them for a few minutes in front of a fire; this restores them wonderfully, and they give as good an impression as when . new. In tho same way, should the cap of a fountain pen become loose, if it is held over the top of a gas jet or lamp it wi\l fit Quite ticlitlv a train.. '