Want to write an apology letter, but you have no idea how to go about it? You need to learn to avoid sounding as if you are begging for forgiveness, and yet, make the reader forgive you instantly. This article will tell you how.
It’s normal for people to make mistakes. It might be something that we say or do, knowingly or unknowingly, that may hurt others. As they say, “To err is human”. Although we can easily say sorry to some stranger, or to someone who does not mean that much to us, apologizing to a loved one, who means a lot to us, is difficult. Take a lesson from the great Indian leader, Gandhi. He wrote an apology letter to his father when he had committed a mistake, and was too scared to say sorry.
Steps to Keep in Mind
If you follow those steps, you surely can write a letter that will not sound too dramatic, and will impress the reader. These steps are for both, professional as well as personal purposes.
Timeliness
If you commit a mistake today, and send a letter of apology after 3 months, it will not have its desired effect. It’s important that you write the letter as soon as possible, and do not delay. When you write as soon as the error takes place, whatever feelings you have are better reflected in your writing. That is better than just a forced-to-write letter.
No Beating Around the Bush
Instead of just beating around the bush, directly come to the point. Also, it’s no use crying over spilled milk. So, instead of focusing mainly on the incident, just focus on how terrible you feel about hurting the reader.
Be Sincere
Remember that from what you have written, the reader will get a feel whether or not you actually mean what you wrote. Hence, you have to be sincere, and really mean what you write. Writing does not mean that you have to use flowery words. Use simple and clear language. Keep it short and sweet.
Accept Your Mistake
Accept your faults, and ask for forgiveness. Give an explanation as to why you behaved that way. Be respectful, and take full responsibility.
Business Format
Given below is a format representing how exactly you should go about in writing, and what the letter should contain. There is no hard and fast rule to follow. However, keep in mind that the letter should be meaningful and simple.
Name and Address of Sender Date Name and Address of Receiver Dear (Name of recipient), First Paragraph: This should contain a few sentences that will thank the receiver for their patience, and also for understanding the situation both of you are in. Second Paragraph: The second paragraph should express how sorry you and the entire company is for the trouble that the reader had to face. Apologize sincerely, accept your mistake, and explain the situation. Third Paragraph: This should contain how you and the company intend to compensate for the loss that the receiver had to face. Be clear about the compensation part. Fourth Paragraph: Assure the reader that this kind of mistake will never occur in future. Politely thank them again for their patience and understanding. Tell them whom to contact if they face any problems in future. Sign off (Sincerely yours/ Yours Truly) Name of Sender |
Personal Format
A personal letter is written in the same manner, except that there is no need for too many formalities, as this is a letter written to a friend or someone whom you know well. If you are writing the letter to your boyfriend/girlfriend or to any loved ones, then just follow the same tips. Given below is a personal letter sample.
Dear (Name of person),
I am sorry for my behavior last night. I did not know what I was doing, and why was I doing it. I love you so much, and you know how possessive I am about you. I was so jealous to see you with that girl last night, that I did not think twice about who she actually might be. When I realized that she was your first cousin, I felt bad for shouting at you. You really mean a lot to me. Please forgive me. I assure you that the next time something like this happens, I will not flare up like this. I love you. Yours Truly (name of sender) |
Instead of learning how to write an apology, it’s better that you do not do anything that will make you write a letter like this. Do not hurt others’ feelings; be careful about what you say to others.