Purpose of Writing Refusal Letters

The main purpose of a refusal letter is simply to "convey rejection of a job offer, an invitation for a seminar or event, a business proposal, etc". (Kartha, para.1, 2015) I think most people feel troubled and perplexed when attempting to write their first letter of refusal. This type of anxiety is understandable because you are responsible for finding a way to send a negative message without actually hurting the addressee's feelings. Hence, it is important to keep the tone of the message positive and avoid offending the reader by choosing appropriate words to use in the letter. Although writing one can be a tricky task, there are still ways to successfully create one. To see some examples of refusal letters, check out this website: www.buzzle.com. This link leads to several samples of letters and offers some informative guidelines on what to include in a letter.

So why are these types of letters important? I mean who needs a letter when you could simply give them a verbal answer or reply by email, right? Well...simply holding a conversation can be tough to do and people can easily come up with excuses; whereas sending an email may be fast and easy, but they are meant to be short, concise, and direct. In my opinion, letters are more intimate and generally feel more genuine because you are actually taking the time to consider how that person will react to the refusal. 

Do you agree with my point on writing letters instead of talking or emailing? If no, which method would you use?

References

• Kartha, D. (2013, March 26). Refusal Letter Example. Retrieved March 6, 2015, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/376836.html