How To Make

ATTRACTIVE

'of Agriculfurc

July 1951

gricifÉure Handbook No. 26
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

EXTENSION SERVICE

WASHINGTON 25, D. C.

July 1951

Dear Extension Coworker:

Most extension workers knov that the successful

circular letter is one of our effective and economical tools for driving home ideas and values.

They know, too, that the "read" letter is the one

that appeals to the reader's interest, is timely,

is neat and sprightly enough to wig-wag and hold

the eye, and is written clearly and readably.

We all know these things, to he sure. And yet we

frequently see clrculeir letters that are drah and

poorly written. They hardly Justify the effort of

the postman to deliver them.

Some of the handicaps can be reeidlly overcome with

a little more attention to details. This handbook

Includes some hints about how to do this. It will

help you to brighten your circular letters, make

them look neater, and point up your messages In a

briefer way through the use of illustrations. It

suggests some of the aids that will encourage your

circular letter to warm its way into the mind of

the reader.

Sincerely,

Lester A. Sohlup, Chief

Division of Extension Information
How To Make Circular Letters Attractive

By MARGARET M. MASCHI, Specialist in Visual Presentation

The chief factors that help to make a circular

letter look attractive are—

Wide margins.

Clear-cut typing and duplicating.

Orderly arrangement.

An interesting heading in larger lettering.

Illustrations.

Color.

All circular letters should have the first three

elements—wide margins, clear-cut typing and duplicating, and an orderly arrangement—if you want to

make a favorable impression on the reader. The other

three—an interesting heading, illustrations, and

color—should be added if your letter needs to have

special appeal.

WIDE MARGINS

People are reluctant to read form letters if they

look as though they will take too much time. Mail

boxes are stuffed with so much showy and lengthy advertising material that a circular letter can best

compete by being brief and simple. So it is better

to cut down on the text rather than crowd the page.

Use margins 1 to 1^ inches wide at the sides, and 2

inches or more at the bottom if the text is full.

Wider margins are desirable where the text is short.

Especially in these days of threatened paper shortages, however, it is inadvisable to go to extremes in

leaving paper blank.
CLEAR-CUT TYPING AND DUPLICATING

Good stencils require only a little extra care, and

the end result is well worth the trouble. If your

circular letters are smudged, or the typing is

blurred and uneven, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I using the right touch?

• Is my typewriter properly adjusted? Is the

platen in good condition? And do all the

keys hit evenly?

• Are my type keys clean? Should I brush them

clean after every 5 or 10 lines?

• Should I use an extra cushion sheet? Should

I use a sheet of cellophane on the face of

the stencil?

• Do I have the proper tools for making an illustration—light table, styli, writing plate,

screen plates?

• Do I have lettering guides in large sizes and

up-to-date styles?

• Is the duplicating machine properly adjusted?

Are paper and ink in good condition?

• Should I change the ink pad?

• Do I know how to make sure that my stencil will

print squarely on the paper?

You will find helpful information on all these

points and many more in any of the manuals on preparing good stencils. They are put out by duplicating-machine manufacturers and by paper companies.
ORDERLY ARRANGEMENT

An orderly arrangement of the various elements you have to work with can

be achieved by a little thought before

you begin typing the stencil.

If you have text alone, arrange it in

a shape that corresponds to the proportions of the paper. If the text is

solid, break it up with paragraphs or

subheads.

If you are arranging several elements such as text, a hand-lettered

heading, and an illustration, it is

better to have a rough draft of the

typed material, and to sketch roughly

in pencil on a tissue sheet, just where

you are going to place each part.

Four examples of orderly arrangement

of text and illustrations are shown

on page 12. You will find that additional ideas for pleasing arrangements come to you with a little experience.

Above all, do not crowd the letter

up into the letterhead so that it is

difficult to tell where the letterhead stops and the letter begins.

Keep a file of circular letters that

have the snappy look you are trying to

achieve. They will give you ideas for

future use.

Remember that every improvement you

make on the stencil will be multiplied

by as many letters as are run from it.

Therefore, the extra time you may

spend in preparation will be justified

many times over.

Rough draft.

Tissue lay-out.

Finished copy.
AN INTERESTING HEADING

Almost every advertisement that you

look at these days has a "catch line."

This is a sentence or a phrase, usually

at the top and played up in display

lettering, to catch the reader's eye.

By arousing the reader's interest, it

leads him on to read the text.

Circular letters that make use of

this principle are usually more effective. Catchy headings that will intrigue the reader are hard to think up,

but there is an easy way. Advertising

men have made an art of catchy headings, and magazines and newspaper advertisements are full of inviting captions. You can start a file of these

just like your file of circular letters, and by changing a word here and

there, adapt them to your subject

matter.

In lettering these headings, use a

lettering guide that is big and bold.

Letters about one-half inch tall are

most effective.

Frequently advertisements will have

words or even whole sentences that are

hand-lettered in a dramatic or distinctive way, and lend themselves to

tracing.

If you are going to do your lettering freehand, always make a pencil

version of it on tissue, then trace it

onto the stencil.

Let's try lettering a heading on a

practice stencil, but first—have you

all the tools shown on the opposite

page?
TOOLS

T-SQUARE.—Ruler that has a crosspiece, so that it can be held i.

against the side of the light Q

table as a guide for horizontal V

lines.

LIGHT TABLE.—A box with top

of frosted glass, with

light bulb inside. Inexpensive to make or buy.

WRITING PLATE.—Semitransparent sheet placed directly under the stencil.

Prevents tearing stencil

with stylus. Or you can

use cellophane for the

same purpose, but place it

on the face of the stencil.

PLAT« OR

OoOo¿o^|7esi^0¿i?lsZAXMA

-A3CDEFGHJ<LMNO\^STÜ

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LETTERING GUIDES.—Alphabet stencils in vari- /%

ous sizes made of plastic. Some letters are

given in two parts, and guide must be moved

to complete the letter.

LETTERING STYLUS.—The point is made of bent

wire for inserting in grooves of lettering

guides.
Step-by-Step We Use a Lettering Guide

Step 1.—Rough-in the lettering.

On a tissue, letter lightly in pencil

the heading you are going todo. This

will give you some idea of the size of

lettering guide to use.

You have your choice of several

styles in setting up the lettering—

All capitals.

Capitals and small capitals.

Capitals and small letters.

Or you may emphasize the most important word by doing it in a

different style of lettering.

Step 2.—Make a pencil outline.

Attach your tissue to the light

table with tape. Place the T-square

and lettering guide as shown at the

left, and outline the letters with a

sharp pencil using it as you would a

stylus. Now you know exactly how much

space the lettering takes up, so that

you can center it on the stencil. You

may want to spread the words or put

them more closely together to make

them fit. The light table does not

have to be lit for this.

Step 3.—Trace on the stencil.

Place a sheet of cellophane on top of

the stencil, or a writing plate directly under it, and arrange the stencil on the light table, alining it with

the T-square. Now trace the lettering

onto the stencil with your lettering

guide and stylus, using the tissue as a

model.

8
ILLUSTRATIONS

One of the purposes of using a circu;-ar-letter illustration is to arouse

the reader's interest. The illustration can also help to clarify the text.

It helps the reader to retain information by giving him a mental picture that

sticks in his mind and makes it eas

for him to recall the words that went

with the picture.

Dnly the simplest type of outline

drawing or diagram is suitable for a

circular-letter illustration. Even

if you are proficient at drawing, the

limitations of the stencil and styli

will prevent your being "artistic."

Try tracing the two lambs, shown in

the margin, on a stencil, and you will

see that the one drawn with straight

lines is easier to do than the "curly"

lamb, even though both look simple.

Beware of using elaborate cartoons

that attempt to be funny. They may be

misunderstood by a great many people.

Choose, rather, drawings that are

lively and show action.

Most pictures face either right or

left. Rarely do you see a front view.

Always have your illustration facing

toward the text. If the drawing you

want to use is facing the wrong way,

ti'ace it on tissue and use the reverse

s:.de. In reversing any picture, be

careful that people do not become lefthanded or that objects do not appear

unnatural.

Extension workers are not expected

to be artists, nor do they need to be in

Ei 9-^

ThisNot this.
these days when magazines and newspaper advertisements are full of small sketches that can be easilytraced. It is important and timesaving to have a

file of such drawings. Sometimes a slight change

will make them suit your purpose. The Federal Extension Service puts out pages of drawings called

SPOTS FOR EXTENSION LETTERS AND PUBLICATIONS.

These are issued from time to time and distributed

through the State extension offices. Commercial

companies also put out books of outline drawings for

tracing on stencils.

Be sparing with your illustrations. One good sizable drawing on a page is more effective than several

tiny ones. If you must use as many as three, leave a

wide margin at the left and run them down the side of

the text.

Leave plenty of white space around the illustration.

If it is crowded, so that it drips over into the text,

better leave it out entirely. When the sketch you

want to trace is too large, you may be able to eliminate

unnecessary parts of it.

If the drawing you are going to use is too detailed,

or has printing on the back, you will find it easier to

trace it first on tissue, and then trace it from the

tissue to the stencil.

Don't wait until you have to illustrate a circular

letter—try your hand on a practice stencil first.

Trace the same drawing each time, but use different

styli and different pressures. You will find that

using cellophane over the stencil, or a writing plate

under it, will make it almost impossible to tear the

stencil and you will be able to make firmer lines . Be

sure to mark the method and tool you used for each drawing right on the stencil, then run off the stencil and

see which method suits you best.

10
Step-by-Step We Make an Illustration

Step 1.—Place the illustration.

If you want to be sure of placing the

drawing correctly on the stencil, outline lightly on a letter-size tissue

the position of the drawing. Slip

this tissue under the stencil in proper

position and mark on the stencil where

the drawing should come. Then place

the drawing under the stencil where

you have marked it.

Step 2.—Trace the illustration.

Insert a writing plate between the

drawing and the stencil, and place

them on the light table. Or you may

use a sheet of cellophane on top of the

stencil. Now trace the drawing. You

may use either a stylus with a thin

loop of wire at the point, or a ballpoint stylus.

Use a firm touch, and get bold, clear

lines. A fuzzy illustration is unpleasant to look at and may be confusing.

Step 3.—Shade the illustration.

To shade parts of the drawing, use a

shading screen. Never try to do this

by hand. The shading screen is a small

plastic or metal square with raised

dots in various patterns . It is placed

under the stencil where you want the

shading to go. Rub over the area with

a loop stylus or burnisher.

Corrections can be made with correction fluid on the stenciled drawing

just as in the typing, so don't be

afraid of making a mistake.

11
Su33ssted Lay-Outs for Illustrated Circular Letters

LETTERED

HEADING

/í'Ui'íi^

ía)

LETTERED

HEADIN&

^******i^

(b)

The simplest and easiest lay-out you can use is one with the

drawing at the top of the page, and the lettered heading alongside it (a) . If the drawing is facing to the right, place it at

the left of the page, and vice versa. If you have two drawings,

they can balance each other on the page (b).

LETTERED

HEADING

'*^/|/^t *u

(d)

If you have to place your drawing so that it cuts into the text,

try to place it at the left, so that the text frames it evenly (c) .

When you have three drawings, arrange them in an orderly pattern

in the left margin, rather than scatter them through the text (d) .

12
COLOR

Color adds appeal to almost any written material.

The simplest way to add color to your circular letter

is to run it on colored paper. Care must be used to

select a paper that is pale enough, so that the typing

will not lose any legibility.

When using colored paper that has no letterhead,

type your letterhead on the stencil.

If you send out a series of letters, you can often

save time by having an illustrated heading printed or

multilithed on colored paper. The printing can be

done in a contrasting ink, and each letter in the

series on a different color at virtually the same

cost. You will want the printing done on the proper

kind of paper, such as paper with soft finish, suitable for use in duplicating machines.

DUPLICATED LEAFLETS

Attractive leaflets as well as attractive circular

letters can be prepared for duplicating when printed

material is not available. These can be useful as

hand-outs to office visitors or after meetings.

By using the paper vertically or horizontally and

folding it into halves or thirds, you can use a variety

of arrangements such as are found in printed leaflets.

Since you will be using both sides of the paper, be

sure to use a stock heavy enough to prevent the typing

from showing through.

You will notice that the text in printed folders is

blocked-up at the right. This gives a crisp, clearcut look to the text that can be achieved on the typewriter by "justifying" each line. This takes time

and trouble, however, and may be worth while only on

material of special importance. An illustration

loses its effectiveness if it is bordered by straggly

lines of text. So to give it a neat, squared-of f look,

the text around it should be justified.

13
Suggested Lay-Outs for Duplicated Leaflets

(a) Paper is folded vertically. Inside spread has two columns, one wide

and double spaced, the other narrow

and single - spaced. (b) Paper is

folded in half horizontally, (c) Paper

is folded in thirds horizontally, cut,

and stapled at the side to resemble an

album-type publication. (d) Paper is

folded horizontally in thirds. This

is the most popular fold for printed

leaflets, but is difficult to do with a

stencil, as the stencil has to be inserted sidewise in the typewriter.

This can be done more easily if the

typewriter carriage is 15 inches or

wider.

14
HOW TO JUSTIFY TYPING TO GET AN EVEN

RIGHT-HAND MARGIN

Make a rough draft of your typed material and set the

typewriter stops for the width of the line required.

Do not type beyond this width, but fill out the extra

spaces with asterisks:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are**

created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator***

with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,

Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Go back over the copy and indicate by checks where

you can skip spaces. Spread your "skips" so that they

do not occur directly under one another and make

rivers of white space:

We holdAthese truthsAto be self-evident, that all men are**

created equal, thatAthey areAendowed byAtheir Creator***

with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,

Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Now type the stencil, skipping the spaces:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are

created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,

Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

IU*/iA^

y This—

Not thi..|>

I/«'*»»»

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1951 O—954737

15
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