How to Write a Business Letter and Create Your Own Letterhead. (MS Word)

Open a new document in MS Word . When you start MS Word a blank page will appear. This is the page we will be working with. If for some reason you do not have a blank, white page then you will need to click on "File" on the top left of the screen and click on "New" or your menu bar should have a blank page icon underneath of word "File". You can click on the blank page to start a new document.

Next you will have setup the page margins to one inch on the right and the left sides of the page. Click on "File" and the click on "Page Setup".

When the dialog box opens click on the down arrows on the "Right" and "Left" margins until they are at "1". This will set the right and left margins to one inch on both sides of the page. Then click on "okay".

Now we will make a letterhead. Click on "View" and then click on "Headers and Footers".

Once you have opened the "Headers and Footers" toolbox you will then format your name and address within the box. First, you will click on the "Center" button on the menu bar so that your text will be centered in the middle of the page. The blinking cursor will now be in the middle of the "Headers and Footers" toolbox.

Now you can begin to create your letterhead. Simply begin typing your first, middle initial and last name. Then press the enter key, which will bring your cursor to the next line and type your address. Press the enter key and then continue typing your city, state, and zip code . When you have finished click on the "Close" button on the header and footer toolbox. Now each page you type on will have your name and address. When the header toolbox closes your text will be light gray.

The cursor will be blinking just underneath of the letterhead. You will now press the enter key nine times. This is the line where you will begin to type your letter. If you do not use a letterhead then you would press the enter key 12 times from the top of the page.

Now you will type the date that you are writing this letter. You will press the enter key twice to give you two spaces. Then you will type the name and address of the person or company you are writing to.

After you have typed the address of the recipient you will press the enter key once and type the person's name to whom the letter is being addressed to. If you are unsure of whom the letter will be read by then you can address the letter to "To Whom It May Concern:” If you have a person's name then you will place a comma after the name. If you are using the default, "To Whom It May Concern" then you would use a colon. After which you will press the enter key once to make one space.

Whenever you start a new paragraph you always indent five spaces. Just press the spacebar five times and begin typing your letter. (In business letters you do not indent). Paragraphs are at least five sentences long. This format makes a letter or an essay easier to read by the reader. When you begin a new thought or subject you will begin a new paragraph. In the example I have shown, my letter is brief. Therefore, my paragraph is short and I have started my closing comments in a new paragraph. Now you know how to write a professional looking letter.