Criticism Letter : Definition, Types and Format

Problems will arise in life, and that’s pretty natural, isn’t it? After the occurrence of a problem, what do we try to do? We negotiate and try to bring the situation under control to make things normal. Being polite in words can get you far, but sometimes you need to be straightforward and call a spade a spade when facing certain problems.

In corporate life or any institutional embodiment, there are formal ways of expressing the problem and if need be, the solution. Commonly, it is done is through a criticism letter.

If a criticizing letter needs to be written to a person in a company or any other corporate dealings, it can be tough to find the balance between staying polite and making sure that your point is loud and clear. Brainstorm a bit to elucidate what the problem is, how it happened, and how you want to solve it. Then, write your letter to let the recipient know how you feel. Let’s make this clearer.

Definition of a Criticism Letter

The letter that is written by the authority to warn an offensive behavior or an inappropriate action done by a person or an employee is the criticism letter.

People always think criticism means finding mistakes. But that’s not true. Criticism ameliorates oneself. But sadly, it is almost always hard to take or deal with because people get offended very easily nowadays. Criticizing is easy but to making the victim of the criticism perfectly understand the gist for criticizing is tough. In a criticism letter, before doing your job, it is required to create a positive environment. So, the selection of proper words is necessary. A criticism letter shouldn’t degrade. Instead, it should motivate.

Types of Criticism Letters

There are different kinds of criticism letters. For example:

1. Critical letter to a coworker
2. Critical letter to a classmate
3. Critical letter to a neighbor (sample)
4. Critical letter to an employee (sample)
5. Critical Letter to the Editor

Format of a Criticism Letter

Before writing:

• Firstly, brainstorm your mind and try to find out what’s disappointing you or what are you upset about.
• Then after denoting the problem decide how you want to fix the problem. Getting upset or venting won’t solve anything. The criticism would be more successful if the main focus is on the problem.
• Now get your pen and paper.

During writing:

• Start with the date and the recipient’s name beneath it. You can refer the person by his/her name e.:  “Dear David”
• Be as frank as possible about the Give a brief introduction that summarizes your problem in one or two sentences.
• Follow up with another paragraph and keep explaining to backup the previous statements if needed.
• Now the next paragraph is basically situation based. You can start by negotiating or give him an option.
• Give him an exact deadline by which you want the problem to be solved or else he might not take the problem seriously if there is no timeframe.
• Format your letter by using a professional font if you want your letter to be taken seriously. Times New Roman is a good option.
• Include your contact information so the recipient can contact you if required. 

After writing:

• Attach materials if it helps to explain the problem
• Proofread for grammar and make it sound clear and formal, not vicious.

Tips for writing an Acceptance Letter:

1. Never write the letter when you are angry or upset. It may deteriorate the situation and give a hostile tone in your letter.
2. Give as much explanation as needed to make your point clear.
3. Do not use vague terms like the opinion of others or how many people agree with you.
4. Avoid using colorful paper to write the letter as it might distract the reader from the main topic.
5. Don’t make your letters too lengthy. The crispness would be lost if such happens.
6. The letter should provide a valid solution too.
7. You should also make the reader aware of the consequences if he/she doesn’t take the issue seriously. 

Hopefully, your problems will come to an end after you’ve written your criticism letter!