How to Write & Print Letters

It's rare pleasure in a time with email, cell phones, and text messaging to receive a good old-fashioned letter from a friend or relative in your mailbox. In order to share that joy, you can send personalized, printed out letters to your friends and family. They'll appreciate the extra time that you take to mail the letter and seeing your hand signed signature at the bottom. If you're lucky enough, maybe they'll send you a letter in return and correspondence will continue.

If using Microsoft Word, select the Office button -- the round button with the colorful Office logo -- at the top left of the page. Select New. This will bring up a template window. From the menus along the left, choose a letter template that you like, that fits your personal style. The template will appear in the main Word window.

Type the recipient's name and address in the spaces indicated by the template. Type your name and return address in the indicated template spaces as well.

Delete the suggested greeting from the template and type in your own personalized greeting.

Type the body of the paragraph in the sections designated. Write pointed, concise paragraphs, and include a conclusion at the end.

Type your personalized valediction, the phase that ends your letter (such as "Sincerely" or "Best"), and your name into the spaces provided at the bottom of the template.

Proofread your letter. Correct any typos or awkward wording.

Select the round Office button at the top left of the Word window and select Print from the drop down menu. Choose your printer from the print screen and the number of copies you would like to print. Hit print in the lower right corner of the window.