Comments on: The Perils of Writing to Someone You Don’t Know

By: MS

MS — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:20:36 +0000

A just in case clarification: Addressing me as Miss *** in opening the letter is what I prefer. I indicated this preference when I made my donation.

By: MS

MS — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:18:25 +0000

I just received an email from an organization for which I recently made a donation.

They are thankful for my “family’s support” and “your family’s special gift “. This goes to beyond the issue of Miss or Mrs. I am single, I have no children or husband, and live alone.

Shouldn’t they be choosing to thank me as a “you” and not as “my family”. I would argue that I have no family since I no longer live with either my parents or siblings.

By the way, the letter (sent via email) opens with “Dear Miss ***).

By: Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:46:54 +0000

Ms. Hingman
It sounds like either method would work fine, since you correct them in the returning response. The only other way is to use Ms. on all your correspondence and introductions. A bit too formal for me, but could be the best way.

By: Hingmn

Hingmn — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:28:27 +0000

I have a question for the Charlies up there… My name is Hingman (and I’m female). Because my name ends in “man,” people assume that I am male and so address me as “Mr. L” in correspondence 90% of the time. My question is how do I tactfully but subtly correct the person I’m writing/emailing? Sometimes I note in my reply that I am female (when it is relevant to the letter), and sometimes I just sign with Ms. Hingman L.

Is there a widely accepted way to do this?

By: PreciseEdit

PreciseEdit — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:43:04 +0000

Is it just me, or does the “Dear” seem a little awkward when starting a business letter to someone whom you have never met or communicated? If I have to call someone “Mr.” or something similar, is this person really dear to me?

Awkwardness aside, we tend to use “Dear John Smith.”