Within the past week, I had the honor of writing – not one, but – two letters of recommendation for first-year friends applying for academic programs. The educational programs they applied to sought further description of applicants and wanted testimony from their peers of their presence in and out of the classroom. Through writing both letters, I came to realize a general narrative structure that works well within letters of recommendation of any kind; And, since narratives are the subject of my passion blog, I thought it fitting to base this week’s entry on what I learned.
When writing a letter of recommendation – or any purposeful work for that matter – you must consider the reason for your words. Why are you composing this letter? What message do you wish to share with the recipient? What is the theme of your narrative? Your first task is to identify this “theme;” Such is what the final letter should exude.

The first friend to enlist my aid asked me to submit a letter to the selection committee of an abroad program he wishes to attend this summer to speak toward his character and his work ethic – this was the theme I was to focus on. My task was to write a letter that described him as an individual the program would view as an asset to its cohort both socially and academically. Once I identified his traits that I thought best exemplified this, I had my theme.
Once you identify your theme, your next task is structuring the letter. A good letter should include an introduction of yourself (the author), a story about the applicant that conveys the theme, and a conclusive assessment of the applicant’s quality and fitness for the program/position.
The purpose of the introduction is to state the significance of your letter. Why should the selection committee care about your input? How is your word relevant to the applicant and the position in question? Once the exigence of your letter is made clear, you should quickly segue into the next section – there’s no need to waste the reader’s time with irrelevant information that may reflect poorly on the applicant.
Your story about the applicant should convey the previously identified theme and comprise the majority of the letter. In this section, be sure to “show, not tell” the reader the story’s message. Pick a situation wherein the applicant had demonstrated the trait about him or herself you want to share.
Finally, the letter’s conclusion should be where you clearly state the theme of the story and state that you believe the individual is fit for the position in question.