Pre-Writing: Perform a PAD analysis (Purpose, Audience, and Design) of your chosen correspondence by answering the following questions to yourself:

What’s your purpose? More than just the stated purpose? What’s the goal, the desired outcome?

Who’s your audience? More than just a name, what’s their stake in the situation? How are they disposed toward your correspondence?

Are they an internal or external audience? What’s the power dynamic between you? What level of formality do they expect? What tone is appropriate?

What design will be most effective? Think about genre (i.e., letter, email, or memo). What genre is most appropriate. Think about style and format and length. Think about structure and organization. Consider the expectation of your audience and the purpose of the correspondence.