Student Writing Handbook Fifth+Edition

218 / Types of Writing

the basis for more than one letter. Consider the following examples and then write
your own main idea. Omit opening phrases such as this letter will serve to convince...
or the purpose of this letter is to.... Instead, state your opinion.

The County Council should initiate action to merge city and county govern-

ments for the sake of economic stability.

Local media have distorted the reasons for Fire Chief Daikerson’s dismissal.

The recent article entitled “Minding Your Own Business” omitted two poten-

tially serious stumbling blocks for someone who is considering establishing his

own business.

Does your one-sentence statement of purpose follow these models?

STEP 2: Prewriting—Planning the Supporting Details

Planning the supporting details calls for two thought processes. First, with your
statement of purpose in front of you, think about the examples, situations, illus-
trations, descriptions, comparisons, analogies, causes, or effects that will help you
explain your point of view. Make a list of them.

Next, think about the newspaper or magazine reader. What will attract the reader’s
attention? With what can the reader most easily identify? What message hits closest
to home? Make a list of these ideas.

Finally, survey your two lists. How can they best fit together? If your audience identi-
fies with the problem of unemployment, then what situation, illustration, or cause
will best serve that identification?

Compare the writer’s following two lists with his completed letter to the editor at the
end of this section:

List of examples

B’s tax incentives; K’s warnings

B’s drug testing; K’s crackdown

K’s incinerator fight; B’s nothing

Ideas to attract the reader

increased taxes—hit pocketbook

drug test harassment

“yes” man

Analyzing the lists will help you select supporting details.