How to Write a Letter on Google Docs

Interested in discovering how to write a letter using Google Docs?

Don’t worry; it’s a breeze!

But remember, you need to follow some rules.

This means setting up your page, deciding how many paragraphs to use, picking the right fonts, and figuring out how much space to leave.

In this article, we’ll take you through each of these steps one by one so that you can write your letters confidently on Google Docs.

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How to Write a Letter on Google Docs

To write a letter on Google Docs, first, set the page size to “Letter” and adjust the margins to 1 inch. Choose the “Times New Roman” font, size 12. Add your contact info, date, recipient’s details, salutation, body, closing, and your name/title, leaving proper spacing for a well-formatted letter.

Step 1: Set the page size to “Letter”

To begin, open a blank document in Google Docs.

Then, navigate to File > Page setup.

This will open the Page setup pop-up window.

Under the “Paper size” text, you’ll see a menu.

Click on it and select the “Letter” paper size, which is the standard size.

However, if you have A4 paper in your printer, you can select the A4 paper size or any other size that you need.

Step 2: Set the margins to “1 inch” all around

In the Page Setup pop-up, locate the “Margins” section and ensure that the margins are set to 1 inch or 2.54 cm.

Click the “OK” button to close the pop-up and proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Choose the “Times New Roman” font and set the font size to “12”

Now that you have set up the page, it’s time to select the font and font size.

From the fonts menu, choose “Times New Roman”.

If the Times New Roman font is not available in Google Docs, select other popular fonts like Arial, Roboto, or Georgia.

Also read: The Best Aesthetic Fonts on Google Docs

Then select “12” from the “Font size” menu.

Keep the font color black.

With the letter and font selected, you can now proceed to the next step of typing your letter.

Step 4: Enter your address

When writing a formal letter, the first thing to include is your address.

Place the cursor on the first line of the document and begin typing the necessary information.

Step 5: Leave a blank line

After writing the information, press the “Enter” key on your keyboard to move to the next line.

Then, press the “Enter” key again to leave a blank line after the contact information.

This will help you proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Type the date and leave a blank line

Now, type the date in this format: September 4, 2023

After typing the date, leave a blank line.

Step 7: Enter the recipient’s name and address, and leave a blank line

Enter their name on the first line, followed by their designation (optional), and then their address on the following lines.

You can split the address into two lines, but ensure that the name and address are perfectly aligned.

After typing the recipient’s name and address, leave a blank line.

Step 8: Type the salutation, followed by a comma and a blank line

Now, include a salutation such as “Dear Mr. XYZ” or “Dear Dr. XYZ”, followed by a comma. Then, leave a blank line and proceed to the next step.

Step 9: Type the body of your letter, leaving one blank line after each paragraph

It is now time to type the most important part of the letter: the body.

The body is usually made up of three paragraphs.

In the first paragraph, mention the reason for writing the letter.

In the second paragraph, provide details.

In the last paragraph, include a conclusion and call to action.

You can rewrite the reason and urge the reader to take action, such as calling back, emailing, or taking other steps.

Make sure to keep paragraphs short, use simple terms, and most importantly, include a blank line after every paragraph.

Step 10: Type the closing, followed by a comma

To conclude your letter, you should choose an appropriate closing such as “Sincerely” or “Thanks, and best wishes” based on the tone and purpose of the letter.

After the closing, remember to include a comma.

Step 11: Leave four blank lines

After adding the appropriate closing, leave four blank lines.

These lines are for your signature. You can either add an image of your signature or print and sign the document.

Regardless of the method you choose, make sure to leave four blank lines after the closing.

Step 12: Type your name and title

Finally, after the four lines, please mention your name.

Then, on the next line, enter your title.

You can then print the letter.

Summary

Writing a letter using Google Docs is a straightforward process.

Here’s how to write a letter on Google Docs:

1. Set the page size to “Letter”
2. Set the margins to “1 inch” all around
3. Choose the “Times New Roman” font and set the font size to “12”
4. Enter your address.
5. Leave a blank line
6. Type the date and leave a blank line
7. Enter the recipient’s name and address and leave a blank line
8. Type the salutation, followed by a comma and a blank line
9. Type the body of your letter, leaving one blank line after each paragraph
10. Type the closing, followed by a comma
11. Leave four blank lines
12. Type your name and title