of someone’s name can sound like an affectation, as if you’re a phony
or obsequious.
In the discussion later in this chapter regarding salutations, you’ll learn
that using someone’s name at the start of your communication is almost
always a good idea (e.g., Dear George, or Dear Dr. Janson). You might
also consider closing with a reference to your reader or readers (e.g.,
“Thanks again, Matthew, for your assistance.”).
Be cautious, however, about using references in the body of a letter
or other communication. Adding references risks conveying an overly
familiar, even servile attitude.
Don’t be discouraged from referring to people by name; just be certain
the tone is appropriate. One way to do this is to read the text aloud,
pretending that you are having a conversation with your reader. If it
sounds natural in conversation, probably it’s appropriate in writing.
Using a category that refers to your readers, such as a job title, can be
a viable alternative to naming someone. This approach is effective when it’s
impractical to write to individuals because there are too many of them. For
example, in a newsletter article or a press release, the text needs to reach a
broad audience. Saying “Employees with more than five years’ service need
to update their forms” is an example of referring to a specific segment of the
population, in this case, all employees with more than five years’ service.