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Most everyday writing is casual. Tweets, Facebook updates, holiday cards, friendly emails — these have their own simple etiquette, and we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about them before we lick that stamp or hit send. 大部分日常写作都比较随意。社交网站碎碎念，节日贺卡或电子邮件都各有一套，写起来根本不费什么心思。 Sometimes, though, the occasion calls for something more formal. Whether it’s a letter to your political representative about an important issue, a cover letter to a potential boss, or a business proposal letter, these require a bit more care if you’re going to be taken seriously. Here are a few points to keep in mind when you’re writing your own formal letter, whether it will go through the mail or via cyberspace. 但有些场合，写作就得正规点。无论是写信给官方代表讨论重大问题，还是向企业老板提交求职信或业务建议书，你都应认真对待。在写正式信函或电邮时，以下几点可以借鉴。 1. Understand your purpose 明确目标 Why are you writing? What do you want the reader to do after reading your letter? Do you want to change her mind or convince him to take a specific action? Are you seeking forgiveness? Do you mean to complain about bad service or a faulty product? Are you trying to get hired? What’s the “ask”? 为何写信？你期望收信人看完后做什么？你想改变她的决意，还是希望他采取具体措施？抑或你在寻求宽恕？你要投诉糟糕的服务、劣质的产品，还是要谋取职位？你的“请求”是什么？ | 
