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– 10 min read

A detailed guide to quoting

Jessica Malnik

Jessica Malnik

write a letter quote

Quotations have the power to elevate your written work when used correctly. But in order to use a quote properly, you must give full credit to the original source.

Before you can learn how to properly include quoted material, you need to have a firm understanding of what a quotation is, the purpose for using one, and the difference between quoting and paraphrasing.

What is a quotation in writing?

Quotations serve multiple purposes in writing. Students and professionals alike can benefit from using quotations in their work. Whether you’re writing a research paper or a blog article, you’ll likely find yourself needing to use them at some point. Quoting can add perspective, validation, and evidence to your piece.

What do you mean by quoting?

Quoting is a technique that allows you to include an original passage from a source in your work as a direct quote. You do this by framing or surrounding the quote in quotation marks like this, “This is an example of a sentence framed by quotation marks.” 

However, you can’t just add quotation marks and call it a day. You also need proper attribution for your source. 

Keep in mind that there is a difference between direct quoting and indirect quoting. With direct quoting, you include the source’s exact words framed within quotation marks. 

With indirect quoting, you can paraphrase what the person or text said in your own words instead of copying it verbatim. Indirect quoting, also known as indirect speech or discourse, is mostly used to summarize what someone said in a talk or interview. Indirect quotations are never placed within quotation marks.

How do you properly quote? 

To properly quote someone, you’ll need to follow some general quoting rules along with properly citing your source using your preferred MLA, APA, or Chicago style guide. 

For example, many people incorrectly use punctuation with quotation marks. Do you know whether or not to include punctuation inside the quotation marks?

Here’s how to handle punctuation marks with quotes, as well as a few more rules to consider when including quotations in your work:

Punctuation

As a good rule of thumb, periods and commas should go inside quotation marks. On the other hand, colons, semicolons, and dashes go outside of the quotation marks. 

However, exclamation points and question marks aren’t set in stone. While these tend to go on the inside of quotation marks, in some instances, you might place them outside of the marks. 

Here are a few examples to illustrate how this would work in practice:

“ You should keep commas inside the quotation marks, ” he explained.

She wanted to help, so she said, “ I’m happy to explain it ” ; they needed a thorough explanation, and she loved to teach her students.

It gets a little trickier with exclamation marks and question marks when quoting. These can be either inside the quotation marks or outside of them, depending on the situation. Keep question and exclamation marks inside the quotations if they apply to the quoted passage. If they apply to your sentence instead of the quote, you’ll want to keep them outside. Here’s an example:

He asked the students, “ Do you know how to use quotation marks? ”

Did the students hear the teacher when he said, “ I will show you how to use quotation marks ”?

Closing quotations

Once you start using a quotation mark, you have to close it. This means that you can’t leave a quote open like the example below because the reader wouldn’t know when the quote is over.

write a letter quote

Capitalization

The rule of capitalization changes depending on the context. 

For example, if you quote a complete sentence, then you should capitalize the first word in the sentence. However, if you are quoting a piece of a sentence or phrase, then you wouldn’t need to start with capitalization, like this:

She said, “ Here’s an example of a sentence that should start with a capital letter. ”

He said it was “ a good example of a sentence where capitalization isn’t necessary. ”

Sometimes, you’ll want to split a quote. You don’t need to capitalize the second half of the quote that’s divided by a parenthetical. Here’s an example to show you what that would look like:

“ Here is an example of a quote, ” she told her students, “ that doesn’t need capitalization in the second part . ”

What is the purpose of quoting? 

As stated above, quotations can serve multiple purposes in a written piece. Quotes can signify direct passages or titles of works. Here are a few of the reasons to include a quote within your written work:

To establish credibility with the words of an authority on the topic. To share a particularly powerful, meaningful, elegant, or memorable message. To expand on the point or analyze it further. To argue the position of the source material.

These intentions can apply whether you’ve interviewed your source or are taking a quote from an existing, published piece. 

However, before you use a quote, you’ll want to understand how it can strengthen your work and when you should use one. We’ll discuss when you should use quotes and how to properly cite them using different style guides in the next section.

When you should use quotes

Quotations should be used strategically, no matter what type of writing you’re doing. For instance, if you’re a professional copywriter crafting a white paper or a student writing a research paper, you’ll likely want to include as much proof as possible in your work. However, stuffing your paper with a ton of quotations can do more harm than good because the piece needs to represent your ideas and interpretations of the source, not just good quotes.

That being said, quoting reputable sources in your work is an excellent way to prove your points and add credibility to the piece. Use quotations in your work when you want to share accurate ideas and passages from source materials.

You should also use quotes when you want to add emphasis to a source on the topic you’re covering. 

For example, if you’re writing a research paper, then it would be beneficial to add quotes from a professor involved in the study you’re referring to in your piece.

How to cite a quote in MLA, APA, and Chicago 

MLA, APA, and Chicago are three of the most common citation styles. It’s a standardized way of crediting the sources that you quote. Depending on your assignment, you may need to use a specific one when citing your sources.

This section shares how to cite your quotes in these three popular citation styles, along with several examples of each.

Modern Language Association (MLA) is most often associated with academics in English or philosophic fields. With this style of citation, you’ll need to include quotes word-for-word. It’s fine to use only phrases or pieces from a specific quote, but you’ll need to keep the spelling and punctuation the same.

Here are some other criteria to keep in mind when citing using MLA style:

• If the quote goes longer than four lines, you must use a blockquote. Do not indent at the start of the quote block.

• Start quotes on the next line, ½ inch from the left margin of the paper.

• Quotes must be double spaced like the rest of the paper.

• Only use quotations when quotation marks are a part of the source.

• Include in-text citations next to the blockquote.

• If a blockquote is longer than a paragraph, you must start the next paragraph with the same indent.

• Don’t include a number in the parenthetical quotation if the source doesn’t use page numbers.

Here’s an example of a short, direct quote with MLA using a website resource without page numbers:

She always wanted to be a writer. “ I knew from a young age that I wanted to write a novel . ” (Smith)

And an example of a blockquote from page 2 of the source:

John Doe shares his experience getting his book published in the prologue:

I never expected so many people to be willing to help me publish this book. I had a lot of support along the way. My friends and colleagues always encouraged me to keep going. Some helped me edit, and others reminded me why I started in the first place. One of my good friends even brought me dinner when she knew I was going to be working late. (2)

With MLA, the reader can reference the full sources at the end in the Work Cited section. For this example, it could look like this:

Works Cited

Smith, J. (2021). Example Blog Post. Retrieved 2021, from www.example.com

Doe, J. (2021). Book Title One (1st ed., Vol. 1). Example, TX: Example Publishing.

See this article for more information on MLA style citations.

American Psychological Association (APA) is used often in psychology, education, and criminal justice fields. It often requires a cover page and abstract.

Here are a few points to consider when using APA style to cite your sources:

• Citation pages should be double spaced.

• All citations in a paper must have a full reference in the reference list.

• All references must have a hanging indent.

• Sources must be listed in alphabetical order, typically by the last name.

Using the same source examples as we did with MLA above, here is how they would be cited in APA:

Doe, Jane. Example Blog Post . 2021, www.example.com. 

Doe, John. Book Title One . 1st ed., vol. 1, Example Publishing, 2021. 

See this article for more information on APA style citations.

Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) is commonly used in history and humanities fields. It was created to help researchers. Here are a few points to keep in mind for Chicago Style:

• There are 2 types of referencing styles:

    → Notes and Bibliography

    → Author-Date

• The list of bibliography must be single-spaced.

• The text should be double spaced, except for block quotations, tables, notes, and bibliographies.

• The second line should be indented for sources.

•Author last names must be arranged alphabetically.

Here’s how the same example sources used above would be cited using Chicago style:

Doe, Jane. “Example Blog Post,” 2021. www.example.com. 

Doe, John. Book Title One . 1. 1st ed. Vol. 1. Example, TX: Example Publishing, 2021.

See this article for more information on Chicago style citations.

Types of quotes and examples

There are two main types of quotes: direct and indirect.

Whenever you want to use someone’s statement word-for-word in your text, you’ll need to include properly cited, direct quotations. However, if you want to paraphrase someone’s words then indirect quotes could be more appropriate.

For example, say that you’re writing a press release for a company. You could interview different people within the company’s staff and paraphrase their quotes. This is particularly useful if the direct quote wouldn’t work well within your piece. For instance, you could change this direct quote example into an indirect quote that would more succinctly represent the speech:

Direct quote:

“I just found out we’ll be publishing some new textbooks on quotations. That’s so exciting because we’ve wanted to do that for a while now. I really can’t wait. It’s great news for the company, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Becky.

Indirect quote:

Becky says she’s excited about the company’s new opportunity to publish textbooks on quotations.

Keep in mind when using quotations that you should aim for using as few words as necessary. You don’t want to quote an entire paragraph when only one sentence contains the key information you want to share. If you need to add context, do so in your words. It’ll make for a much more interesting piece if you’re using quotes to support your stance alongside your interpretation instead of just repeating what’s already been said.

--> “A wide screen just makes a bad film twice as bad.” -->

May Habib CEO, Writer.com

Here’s what else you should know about Ascending.

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Euphemism: definition and examples

Masooma Memon

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Monthly dispatches on the AI revolution. Delivered to your inbox.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What this handout is about

Used effectively, quotations can provide important pieces of evidence and lend fresh voices and perspectives to your narrative. Used ineffectively, however, quotations can clutter your text and interrupt the flow of your argument. This handout will help you decide when and how to quote like a pro.

When should I quote?

Use quotations at strategically selected moments. You have probably been told by teachers to provide as much evidence as possible in support of your thesis. But packing your paper with quotations will not necessarily strengthen your argument. The majority of your paper should still be your original ideas in your own words (after all, it’s your paper). And quotations are only one type of evidence: well-balanced papers may also make use of paraphrases, data, and statistics. The types of evidence you use will depend in part on the conventions of the discipline or audience for which you are writing. For example, papers analyzing literature may rely heavily on direct quotations of the text, while papers in the social sciences may have more paraphrasing, data, and statistics than quotations.

Discussing specific arguments or ideas

Sometimes, in order to have a clear, accurate discussion of the ideas of others, you need to quote those ideas word for word. Suppose you want to challenge the following statement made by John Doe, a well-known historian:

“At the beginning of World War Two, almost all Americans assumed the war would end quickly.”

If it is especially important that you formulate a counterargument to this claim, then you might wish to quote the part of the statement that you find questionable and establish a dialogue between yourself and John Doe:

Historian John Doe has argued that in 1941 “almost all Americans assumed the war would end quickly” (Doe 223). Yet during the first six months of U.S. involvement, the wives and mothers of soldiers often noted in their diaries their fear that the war would drag on for years.

Giving added emphasis to a particularly authoritative source on your topic.

There will be times when you want to highlight the words of a particularly important and authoritative source on your topic. For example, suppose you were writing an essay about the differences between the lives of male and female slaves in the U.S. South. One of your most provocative sources is a narrative written by a former slave, Harriet Jacobs. It would then be appropriate to quote some of Jacobs’s words:

Harriet Jacobs, a former slave from North Carolina, published an autobiographical slave narrative in 1861. She exposed the hardships of both male and female slaves but ultimately concluded that “slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women.”

In this particular example, Jacobs is providing a crucial first-hand perspective on slavery. Thus, her words deserve more exposure than a paraphrase could provide.

Jacobs is quoted in Harriet A. Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, ed. Jean Fagan Yellin (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1987).

Analyzing how others use language.

This scenario is probably most common in literature and linguistics courses, but you might also find yourself writing about the use of language in history and social science classes. If the use of language is your primary topic, then you will obviously need to quote users of that language.

Examples of topics that might require the frequent use of quotations include:

Southern colloquial expressions in William Faulkner’s Light in August

Ms. and the creation of a language of female empowerment

A comparison of three British poets and their use of rhyme

Spicing up your prose.

In order to lend variety to your prose, you may wish to quote a source with particularly vivid language. All quotations, however, must closely relate to your topic and arguments. Do not insert a quotation solely for its literary merits.

One example of a quotation that adds flair:

President Calvin Coolidge’s tendency to fall asleep became legendary. As H. L. Mencken commented in the American Mercury in 1933, “Nero fiddled, but Coolidge only snored.”

How do I set up and follow up a quotation?

Once you’ve carefully selected the quotations that you want to use, your next job is to weave those quotations into your text. The words that precede and follow a quotation are just as important as the quotation itself. You can think of each quote as the filling in a sandwich: it may be tasty on its own, but it’s messy to eat without some bread on either side of it. Your words can serve as the “bread” that helps readers digest each quote easily. Below are four guidelines for setting up and following up quotations.

In illustrating these four steps, we’ll use as our example, Franklin Roosevelt’s famous quotation, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

1. Provide context for each quotation.

Do not rely on quotations to tell your story for you. It is your responsibility to provide your reader with context for the quotation. The context should set the basic scene for when, possibly where, and under what circumstances the quotation was spoken or written. So, in providing context for our above example, you might write:

When Franklin Roosevelt gave his inaugural speech on March 4, 1933, he addressed a nation weakened and demoralized by economic depression.

2. Attribute each quotation to its source.

Tell your reader who is speaking. Here is a good test: try reading your text aloud. Could your reader determine without looking at your paper where your quotations begin? If not, you need to attribute the quote more noticeably.

Avoid getting into the “he/she said” attribution rut! There are many other ways to attribute quotes besides this construction. Here are a few alternative verbs, usually followed by “that”:

Different reporting verbs are preferred by different disciplines, so pay special attention to these in your disciplinary reading. If you’re unfamiliar with the meanings of any of these words or others you find in your reading, consult a dictionary before using them.

3. Explain the significance of the quotation.

Once you’ve inserted your quotation, along with its context and attribution, don’t stop! Your reader still needs your assessment of why the quotation holds significance for your paper. Using our Roosevelt example, if you were writing a paper on the first one-hundred days of FDR’s administration, you might follow the quotation by linking it to that topic:

With that message of hope and confidence, the new president set the stage for his next one-hundred days in office and helped restore the faith of the American people in their government.

4. Provide a citation for the quotation.

All quotations, just like all paraphrases, require a formal citation. For more details about particular citation formats, see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . In general, you should remember one rule of thumb: Place the parenthetical reference or footnote/endnote number after—not within—the closed quotation mark.

Roosevelt declared, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” (Roosevelt, Public Papers, 11).

Roosevelt declared, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”1

How do I embed a quotation into a sentence?

In general, avoid leaving quotes as sentences unto themselves. Even if you have provided some context for the quote, a quote standing alone can disrupt your flow.  Take a look at this example:

Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression. “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2).

Standing by itself, the quote’s connection to the preceding sentence is unclear. There are several ways to incorporate a quote more smoothly:

Lead into the quote with a colon.

Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression: “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2).

The colon announces that a quote will follow to provide evidence for the sentence’s claim.

Introduce or conclude the quote by attributing it to the speaker. If your attribution precedes the quote, you will need to use a comma after the verb.

Hamlet denies Rosencrantz’s claim that thwarted ambition caused his depression. He states, “I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2).

When faced with a twelve-foot mountain troll, Ron gathers his courage, shouting, “Wingardium Leviosa!” (Rowling, p. 176).

The Pirate King sees an element of regality in their impoverished and dishonest life. “It is, it is a glorious thing/To be a pirate king,” he declares (Pirates of Penzance, 1983).

Interrupt the quote with an attribution to the speaker. Again, you will need to use a comma after the verb, as well as a comma leading into the attribution.

“There is nothing either good or bad,” Hamlet argues, “but thinking makes it so” (Hamlet 2.2).

“And death shall be no more,” Donne writes, “Death thou shalt die” (“Death, Be Not Proud,” l. 14).

Dividing the quote may highlight a particular nuance of the quote’s meaning. In the first example, the division calls attention to the two parts of Hamlet’s claim. The first phrase states that nothing is inherently good or bad; the second phrase suggests that our perspective causes things to become good or bad. In the second example, the isolation of “Death thou shalt die” at the end of the sentence draws a reader’s attention to that phrase in particular. As you decide whether or not you want to break up a quote, you should consider the shift in emphasis that the division might create.

Use the words of the quote grammatically within your own sentence.

When Hamlet tells Rosencrantz that he “could be bounded in a nutshell and count [him]self a king of infinite space” (Hamlet 2.2), he implies that thwarted ambition did not cause his depression.

Ultimately, death holds no power over Donne since in the afterlife, “death shall be no more” (“Death, Be Not Proud,” l. 14).

Note that when you use “that” after the verb that introduces the quote, you no longer need a comma.

The Pirate King argues that “it is, it is a glorious thing/to be a pirate king” (Pirates of Penzance, 1983).

How much should I quote?

As few words as possible. Remember, your paper should primarily contain your own words, so quote only the most pithy and memorable parts of sources. Here are guidelines for selecting quoted material judiciously:

Excerpt fragments.

Sometimes, you should quote short fragments, rather than whole sentences. Suppose you interviewed Jane Doe about her reaction to John F. Kennedy’s assassination. She commented:

“I couldn’t believe it. It was just unreal and so sad. It was just unbelievable. I had never experienced such denial. I don’t know why I felt so strongly. Perhaps it was because JFK was more to me than a president. He represented the hopes of young people everywhere.”

You could quote all of Jane’s comments, but her first three sentences are fairly redundant. You might instead want to quote Jane when she arrives at the ultimate reason for her strong emotions:

Jane Doe grappled with grief and disbelief. She had viewed JFK, not just as a national figurehead, but as someone who “represented the hopes of young people everywhere.”

Excerpt those fragments carefully!

Quoting the words of others carries a big responsibility. Misquoting misrepresents the ideas of others. Here’s a classic example of a misquote:

John Adams has often been quoted as having said: “This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it.”

John Adams did, in fact, write the above words. But if you see those words in context, the meaning changes entirely. Here’s the rest of the quotation:

Twenty times, in the course of my late reading, have I been on the point of breaking out, ‘this would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!!!!’ But in this exclamation, I should have been as fanatical as Bryant or Cleverly. Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in public company—I mean hell.

As you can see from this example, context matters!

This example is from Paul F. Boller, Jr. and John George, They Never Said It: A Book of Fake Quotes, Misquotes, and Misleading Attributions (Oxford University Press, 1989).

Use block quotations sparingly.

There may be times when you need to quote long passages. However, you should use block quotations only when you fear that omitting any words will destroy the integrity of the passage. If that passage exceeds four lines (some sources say five), then set it off as a block quotation.

Be sure you are handling block quotes correctly in papers for different academic disciplines–check the index of the citation style guide you are using. Here are a few general tips for setting off your block quotations:

  • Set up a block quotation with your own words followed by a colon.
  • Indent. You normally indent 4-5 spaces for the start of a paragraph. When setting up a block quotation, indent the entire paragraph once from the left-hand margin.
  • Single space or double space within the block quotation, depending on the style guidelines of your discipline (MLA, CSE, APA, Chicago, etc.).
  • Do not use quotation marks at the beginning or end of the block quote—the indentation is what indicates that it’s a quote.
  • Place parenthetical citation according to your style guide (usually after the period following the last sentence of the quote).
  • Follow up a block quotation with your own words.

So, using the above example from John Adams, here’s how you might include a block quotation:

After reading several doctrinally rigid tracts, John Adams recalled the zealous ranting of his former teacher, Joseph Cleverly, and minister, Lemuel Bryant. He expressed his ambivalence toward religion in an 1817 letter to Thomas Jefferson:

Adams clearly appreciated religion, even if he often questioned its promotion.

How do I combine quotation marks with other punctuation marks?

It can be confusing when you start combining quotation marks with other punctuation marks. You should consult a style manual for complicated situations, but the following two rules apply to most cases:

Keep periods and commas within quotation marks.

So, for example:

According to Professor Poe, werewolves “represent anxiety about the separation between human and animal,” and werewolf movies often “interrogate those boundaries.”

In the above example, both the comma and period were enclosed in the quotation marks. The main exception to this rule involves the use of internal citations, which always precede the last period of the sentence. For example:

According to Professor Poe, werewolves “represent anxiety about the separation between human and animal,” and werewolf movies often “interrogate those boundaries” (Poe 167).

Note, however, that the period remains inside the quotation marks when your citation style involves superscript footnotes or endnotes. For example:

According to Professor Poe, werewolves “represent anxiety about the separation between human and animal,” and werewolf movies often “interrogate those boundaries.” 2

Place all other punctuation marks (colons, semicolons, exclamation marks, question marks) outside the quotation marks, except when they were part of the original quotation.

Take a look at the following examples:

I couldn’t believe it when my friend passed me a note in the cafe saying the management “started charging $15 per hour for parking”!

The coach yelled, “Run!”

In the first example, the author placed the exclamation point outside the quotation mark because she added it herself to emphasize the outrageous nature of the parking price change. The original note had not included an exclamation mark. In the second example, the exclamation mark remains within the quotation mark because it is indicating the excited tone in which the coach yelled the command. Thus, the exclamation mark is considered to be part of the original quotation.

How do I indicate quotations within quotations?

If you are quoting a passage that contains a quotation, then you use single quotation marks for the internal quotation. Quite rarely, you quote a passage that has a quotation within a quotation. In that rare instance, you would use double quotation marks for the second internal quotation.

Here’s an example of a quotation within a quotation:

In “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” Hans Christian Andersen wrote, “‘But the Emperor has nothing on at all!’ cried a little child.”

Remember to consult your style guide to determine how to properly cite a quote within a quote.

When do I use those three dots ( . . . )?

Whenever you want to leave out material from within a quotation, you need to use an ellipsis, which is a series of three periods, each of which should be preceded and followed by a space. So, an ellipsis in this sentence would look like . . . this. There are a few rules to follow when using ellipses:

Be sure that you don’t fundamentally change the meaning of the quotation by omitting material.

Take a look at the following example:

“The Writing Center is located on the UNC campus and serves the entire UNC community.”

“The Writing Center . . . serves the entire UNC community.”

The reader’s understanding of the Writing Center’s mission to serve the UNC community is not affected by omitting the information about its location.

Do not use ellipses at the beginning or ending of quotations, unless it’s important for the reader to know that the quotation was truncated.

For example, using the above example, you would NOT need an ellipsis in either of these situations:

“The Writing Center is located on the UNC campus . . .”

The Writing Center ” . . . serves the entire UNC community.”

Use punctuation marks in combination with ellipses when removing material from the end of sentences or clauses.

For example, if you take material from the end of a sentence, keep the period in as usual.

“The boys ran to school, forgetting their lunches and books. Even though they were out of breath, they made it on time.”

“The boys ran to school. . . . Even though they were out of breath, they made it on time.”

Likewise, if you excerpt material at the end of clause that ends in a comma, retain the comma.

“The red car came to a screeching halt that was heard by nearby pedestrians, but no one was hurt.”

“The red car came to a screeching halt . . . , but no one was hurt.”

Is it ever okay to insert my own words or change words in a quotation?

Sometimes it is necessary for clarity and flow to alter a word or words within a quotation. You should make such changes rarely. In order to alert your reader to the changes you’ve made, you should always bracket the altered words. Here are a few examples of situations when you might need brackets:

Changing verb tense or pronouns in order to be consistent with the rest of the sentence.

Suppose you were quoting a woman who, when asked about her experiences immigrating to the United States, commented “nobody understood me.” You might write:

Esther Hansen felt that when she came to the United States “nobody understood [her].”

In the above example, you’ve changed “me” to “her” in order to keep the entire passage in third person. However, you could avoid the need for this change by simply rephrasing:

“Nobody understood me,” recalled Danish immigrant Esther Hansen.

Including supplemental information that your reader needs in order to understand the quotation.

For example, if you were quoting someone’s nickname, you might want to let your reader know the full name of that person in brackets.

“The principal of the school told Billy [William Smith] that his contract would be terminated.”

Similarly, if a quotation referenced an event with which the reader might be unfamiliar, you could identify that event in brackets.

“We completely revised our political strategies after the strike [of 1934].”

Indicating the use of nonstandard grammar or spelling.

In rare situations, you may quote from a text that has nonstandard grammar, spelling, or word choice. In such cases, you may want to insert [sic], which means “thus” or “so” in Latin. Using [sic] alerts your reader to the fact that this nonstandard language is not the result of a typo on your part. Always italicize “sic” and enclose it in brackets. There is no need to put a period at the end. Here’s an example of when you might use [sic]:

Twelve-year-old Betsy Smith wrote in her diary, “Father is afraid that he will be guilty of beach [sic] of contract.”

Here [sic] indicates that the original author wrote “beach of contract,” not breach of contract, which is the accepted terminology.

Do not overuse brackets!

For example, it is not necessary to bracket capitalization changes that you make at the beginning of sentences. For example, suppose you were going to use part of this quotation:

“The colors scintillated curiously over a hard carapace, and the beetle’s tiny antennae made gentle waving motions as though saying hello.”

If you wanted to begin a sentence with an excerpt from the middle of this quotation, there would be no need to bracket your capitalization changes.

“The beetle’s tiny antennae made gentle waving motions as though saying hello,” said Dr. Grace Farley, remembering a defining moment on her journey to becoming an entomologist.

Not: “[T]he beetle’s tiny antennae made gentle waving motions as though saying hello,” said Dr. Grace Farley, remembering a defining moment on her journey to becoming an entomologist.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Barzun, Jacques, and Henry F. Graff. 2012. The Modern Researcher , 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, and William T. FitzGerald. 2016. The Craft of Research , 4th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Gibaldi, Joseph. 2009. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 7th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Turabian, Kate. 2018. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, Dissertations , 9th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Feb 22, 2023

How to write a quotation email with 6 samples and template

Writing quotation request emails is a fundamental part of professional life, so it pays to get it right. Read our tips and use the 6 email samples we provide.

Blog writer

Lawrie Jones

Table of contents

Quotations are a fixed price for a product or service, enabling you to budget and plan accurately.

If you're involved in production and planning, asking for quotations is a bread-and-butter part of your business – but are you doing it correctly?

If you've been asked to request a quote from a supplier but don't know where to start, we're for you!

Writing quotation request emails is a fundamental part of professional life, so it pays to get it right.

First, we explain what a quotation email is and the differences between estimates. Then we share some expert insights on how to write perfect professional quote emails, including a request for quotation email and how to follow up with a revised quotation.

What is a quotation email?

Quotation emails are different from cost estimates. How? Estimates can provide you with an idea of costs.

Quotations are fixed prices that you can use in a budget proposal and as part of a procurement process.

You may want a quote for an individual part or a whole truckload. You may also want a quote for delivering a single service or ongoing support.

Here are some of the common reasons you may want to create a quotation request:

  • Requesting an initial quote from a provider
  • Negotiating the terms and conditions of a quote (such as delivery timescales)
  • Refreshing a quote after some time
  • Revising a quotation
  • Sending a quote to a customer
  • Following up on a quotation email

In each of these situations, your quote emails should follow a similar structure – so let's outline what that is!

How to write a quotation email

If you're writing a quote email to a supplier, vendor, or partner, here are 8 tips you should always follow.

  • Make it clear you want a price (or make the price clear) – hit them up with a request for a price first, as this is what most people care about.
  • Push paint points – pain points are the problems you face. Reflect on these in your quotation emails and highlight how you want the person to solve them!
  • Keep it short – quotation emails are (almost) all about asking for a price, so don't waste time with lengthy messages; instead, keep it short and sweet.
  • Provide details in attachments and links – every quote must be finalized with a contract, so don't try to include it in an email. But do include necessary attachments and links.
  • Ask for quotes like a pro and proofread – a spelling mistake, grammar error, or (even worse) an incorrect price could destroy your professional reputation, so always proofread everything.
  • Make it personal – address the person directly and make them feel confident and in control. Use professional language, but try to build a personal connection.
  • Put a time limit – tell the person if you need a reply quickly, and always include a deadline for responses.
  • Use Flowrite – we can't over-emphasize the importance of professional language and tone in a quotation email. If you're struggling with English, outsource it to AI and use Flowrite.

What to write in email when sending a quotation

Pros use the tips above to craft professional messages. It's not all, though.

When they come to create a quote email, they all include the same standard parts:

  • Quotation price – state that you're asking for a quote as soon as possible as you can in the email.
  • Quote details – define what the quote request includes and what it doesn't...
  • What's included – list precisely the products/services contained within the quote. Use bullet points or attachments to give a comprehensive overview of everything.
  • What's excluded – ensure you include what's not included in the quote, such as product maintenance agreements.
  • Include add-ons – provide details of any additional services you may require either now or in the future.
  • Why would they want to work with you – provide details of the benefits of working with your business (and why they should offer you a good deal!)
  • Technical terms – state the terms of the quote, including any add-ons (including VAT), interdependencies, and clauses.
  • Contact details – spell out, in simple terms, how the customer, client, or company can contact you with a quote.

Quotation email format

Now, let's get into creating effective messages by describing the proper layout and structure of a quotation email.

Following this outline and the tips and tricks above will ensure you include everything in your messages in a logical and easy-to-understand way.

Quote emails have three core parts:

  • Subject line

Let's delve into the details!

1. Quotation email subject line

Quotation emails should always be clear and professional. Don't try to be too friendly, funny, or informal. It's critical to include key details in the subject line so that anyone can see it's a quotation email, who it's from, and what it relates to.

Here's how to write a clear and attention-grabbing subject line for a quote email:

  • Request for quotation
  • Can you provide a quote for (what)
  • Would you like to quote?
  • We need a price for (whatever you need)
  • (Company name) – Quotation request

2. Quotation email body

The email body will include an explanation of the quotation in detail. You must outline the quote details and any relevant Ts and Cs. Feel free to use bullet points or tables to present the quotation request as efficiently as possible.

  • We've reviewed your company information and wanted to invite you to quote for a project. We've broken our requirements down in the table below so you can see each part we need a price for.
  • I've attached a copy of our terms and conditions with this email. This includes our payment terms and timescales.

Now they've got the price, finish with a positive message about the future with a focus on building a relationship.

  • The quote should reflect the total cost of delivering all aspects of our request. We're searching for a partner that can help us grow, smash targets, and storm sales! We want to be with you every step of your journey.

Set out the following steps, and include any quote conditions.

  • We hope that you provide us with a quote. We've got contracts ready and waiting, and we're on hand to get started ASAP.

Always personalize and customize every email to each recipient, reflecting who they are and the company they work for.

3. Quotation sign-off

In your closing remarks, you'll want to thank the person providing the quotation. You can also set out the next steps in the process, and remember to include your contact details.

Salespeople rarely take no for an answer (at least for the first 50 times), so if you're planning on follow-up your message, make it clear this is the case.

  • Thanks in advance for preparing your quote. I'm always here to clarify any details or answer any questions. You can contact me at any time at (insert information). Please return your quote to us by (date) to enable us to make a decision. We plan to assess submissions and appoint a supplier by (date).

Always add a polite sign-off (kind regards, best regards, etc.), proofread, and then hit send!

6 quotation email examples

To explain the principles above, here are six examples of effective quotation emails for various products, services, and situations.

As well as the samples themselves, we provide a short analysis of the audience and why they're effective.

Samples and templates are, by nature, generic – so before using them in business, be sure to edit and adapt them!

Don’t forget to customize, personalize, and proofread

1. Request for quotation email sample

This quotation request email is one you can send to multiple suppliers. It outlines what you want when you want it, and why.

This quotation request email reflects the appropriate tone and language when requesting a quotation. The content and structure also adhere to the tips outlined above, and you can see how we've asked for critical information.

  • Add details here, including a full list of requirements, quantity, delivery timescales, etc.

2. Sample email for a revised quotation

If the proposal you've received doesn't cover everything, then ask for a revised quotation.

When sending a revised quotation request email, specify precisely what you need to avoid confusion. Be sure to clearly explain the reason for requesting a revision of the quotation.

Explaining the changes you want to be made in the revised quote can ensure that you won't have to go back and ask for more and instead can make your decision.

3. Sample email for price quotation

This price quotation email template is simpler than others as we're asking upfront for one thing – the price.

If you want, you can provide an outline pricing schedule and a comparison with other suppliers' prices (to see if they match the price). If you're buying in bulk, you can ask for an explanation of any discounts or special offers you may be entitled to.

4. Sample email to supplier for quotation

Getting the best deal is critical to effective supply chain management, so always push for the best price. This example of how to write an email to a supplier for a quotation focuses on the size of your operation to build your reputation.

It's essential to explain the requirements and expectations of the supplier. Also, remember to give a deadline with your quotation request!

  • List what you want

5. Sample email to a vendor for quotation

The vendor selection process usually involves getting several quotes and comparing them.

In this sample, we outline how to write an email to a vendor for a quotation. We create a customizable template that can be adapted in seconds and sent to several businesses.

Like all samples, there's a clear explanation of what's required (you'll need to fill this in!). It's the easiest way to slim down your vendor selection process.

6. Sample quotation email to customer

We will flip the script now and outline the content and structure of a quotation email to a customer.

First, we briefly describe the products and services we're quoting for, then offer the price. Next, we explain why our quote is the best and why no other business can compare!

We encourage you to use bullet points, tables, links, and attachments to enrich your message and make it as easy as possible to understand.

Quotation email template

Our samples provide an excellent way to understand the different ways to request a quote (and reply). We finish with a customizable template suitable for all types of quotation requests.

If you want to use the template to create quick and efficient quotation emails, add the details in the gaps provided and delete those sections that are unnecessary or irrelevant.

It's the perfect template for writing professional and effective quotation emails!

Send effective quotation emails with Flowrite

Flowrite is your personal email assistant that uses artificial intelligence to write your emails for you.

It's the fastest way to write repetitive emails that normally take a large chunk of your day.

You can automate a part of your email writing like so:

Conclusion on quotation emails

Writing quotation request emails can save you time and secure you the best deal. Following our tips, using the correct format, and focusing on the outcome will see you get results.

The simplest approach is to adapt our samples and template, but you should aim to develop your own style. For the easiest quote emails, there's always Flowrite!

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Create a quote in 8 simple steps: a guide for small businesses.

Create a Quote in 8 Simple Steps: A Guide for Small Businesses

A quote (or “quotation”) is usually a document that includes a fixed price for a job. It can also be verbal. A quotation is sent from a supplier to a potential buyer.

Writing winning quotes for jobs is important, as this generates new business and helps your company grow, according to Business Queensland .

The below article covers how a small business can create a quote in eight simple steps.

In this article, we’ll cover:

  • Select a Template
  • Add Client Information
  • Enter the Quote Number
  • Include a Date of Issue
  • Enter Products or Services
  • Add Terms and Conditions
  • Include Notes
  • Add Optional Details

1. Select a Template

Creating winning quotes is a learning process. It helps to use a standard quote format so you can create professional-looking, comprehensive and detailed quotes that clients will love.

You can also customize your template and make it even more professional by adding your company letterhead or logo, according to Business Queensland .

There are many price quote templates available. Picking the right business quotation format template for you will depend on what kind of software you have and what programs you are most comfortable using. This article has free quotation templates for Word, Excel, PDF and Google Docs.

If you already have the Microsoft Office suite, the Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel quotation is a great place to get started. They are easy to customize and familiar to most users. You can save these in a quote PDF format, making it easy to send a professional version to a client.

If you prefer using Google Docs, FreshBooks can provide a free quotation template in google sheets. All you have to do is customize the empty sections, save and send. With FreshBooks, your quotations will be ready in the touch of a button.

The below price quote template for photography has some of the basic elements we’ll explore in the following steps:

price quote template for photography

Source: Quotationtempaltes.net

Many companies also use accounting or bookkeeping software to generate their quotes.

Estimates are very similar to quotations except the price is approximate, not fixed. FreshBooks has online estimating software that makes it simple to generate an estimate in the cloud and send it to your client.

An estimate maker is a great way to ensure that you are sending your client a professionally formatted, accurate estimate. It avoids any potential mistakes that could harm your business and its professional standing.

First, you select the estimate function:

FreshBooks has online estimating software

Source: FreshBooks

Then you customize the FreshBooks template:

customizing FreshBooks template

Then go ahead and share the estimate via email with your client. They can approve it automatically.

2. Add Client Information

Make sure you include who the quote is for. Include information such as:

  • Business name
  • Phone number
  • Fax number (if applicable)
  • Email address
  • Contact name and title

And don’t forget your contact information. That said, if you use company letterhead, you may not need to include it.

write a letter quote

3. Enter the Quote Number

Accounting software automatically generates a quote number for you, adding increments of one to each new quote. However, you should be able to edit the quote number if you like. If you’re using a template in Word or such, you can start with “1” and go from there.

If you have multiple pages that you are sending off in the same email, the accounting software will include individual page numbers on your quotation sheets to keep everything precise.

4. Include a Date of Issue

This is the date you send the quote to the client. A date of issue is important because quotes are usually limited time offers. You will probably want to add: “Valid for 30 days.” Or you can extend or decrease the timeline, as desired.

5. Enter Products or Services

Add the products and/or services you’re quoting as line items. Include a description of the items as well as quantities, product number, unit price and total price per item (if applicable).

You can also divide up the products and services according to different project stages. You may want to separate labor and materials costs. A quotation template specific to your industry will help you organize your cost breakdown.

FreshBooks provides a range of sample quotations in multiple formats, so that you can choose the right one to suit your business. Have a look at our gallery template to select the right quotation format for you.

Note anything that is not included in the project. For example, a contractor may charge for the labour required to install kitchen cabinets but not include picking up the cabinets from the store (which the homeowner can choose to do, instead).

Total up all the costs to find your subtotal. Then add tax, if applicable, for the grand total.

6. Add Terms and Conditions

Here’s where you account for any possible variations in the project. For example, you might note that the project timeline for landscaping a backyard depends on having good weather.

A small business can also explain how much additional work will cost. For example, they might note any additional work will cost $50 per hour. Explain under what conditions additional work might be required, since a business quote is supposed to be a fixed price.

Also include how you want to be paid and when. Do you prefer a check or direct deposit? Do you accept credit cards? Will you bill a lump sum upon completion? Do you expect a deposit? Do you want half up front and half on completion? Include these details in your payment terms .

7. Include Notes

This section is for any other details you want to include. Notes is a good place to detail timelines and expected completion date. You can also summarize the project scope. It’s also professional to thank your client for the opportunity to quote and express that you’re looking forward to working with them.

8. Add Optional Details

The following information isn’t required for your quotation, but it can be a good idea. Here are some elements you can consider adding to your quotes:

  • Purchase order number (from client)
  • Business number (EIN)
  • Sales tax number (get yours here )
  • Signature section

For example, the below quotation form template has a place for the client and business to sign to indicate their acceptance of the quote. It also includes a discount.

quotation with a place for the client and business to sign to indicate their acceptance of the quote

Source: Buildingcontractor.co

Now, check your spelling and grammar! Then check that all the math is right. Now you can send your quote to your client, confidant that you’ve made a detailed, thought-out quote that will impress its recipient.

People also ask:

How to Request a Quote

How to decline a quote.

A small business might request a quote if they need to hire a subcontractor or specialist for a job that goes beyond their field of practice. They can send a “request for quote letter” to one or multiple vendors, who send them back price quotes.

A request for quote letter should be clear and concise and mention what date you want the quote. Include the quantity of products you intend to order. For services, specify which ones you’re interested in.

Here are some samples of requests for quotes:

  • This estimate template, available in Excel or Word , allows for detailed requirements
  • Letters.org has formal letter or informal email templates that you can copy and paste
  • Or download templates in Word or PDF formats from Letters.org

Below is an example of a request for quote letter. It includes the date, business information, contact information and requests for details such as what taxes apply, delivery timeline, terms of payment and that all prices should be firm.

example of a request for quote letter

Source: Biztree

Received a price quote and it wasn’t to your liking? Perhaps the price was too high or you decided to go with another company.

Still, it’s important to reply since the company took the time to prepare the quote. Thank them for their submission and explain why you aren’t accepting their quote.

Here’s a quotation rejection template from Best Sample Letters you can copy, paste and revise:

1234, Main Street Boston, MA 02123

<Recipient Address Goes Here>

Thank you for submitting a <quotation/bid/proposal> on <name of project>. We’re sorry to inform you that we have decided to go with someone else this time.

<Reasons why.>

We appreciate the time it took for you to submit a <quotation/bid/proposal> and will keep you in mind for the future.

write a letter quote

Quotation Templates for Different Business Types

Advertising Services Quotation Format

As an advertiser, you know how important design and presentation is in your industry. A professional quotation is a crucial component of gaining clients who are interested in your advertising services. 

With the free advertising services quotation from FreshBooks, you can be sure to impress your potential clients with a beautifully formatted list of your services and prices. This can be fully customized with your business logo and design choices, to ensure that companies know why you are the best choice for their projects. 

Audit Services Quotation Format

An auditor relies on their attention to detail and financial expertise to excel in their field. If you own an auditing business or are providing auditing services to clients, you will need an organized quotation format to clearly outline the details of the work you provide. 

The FreshBooks audit services quotation format includes line by line descriptions of your services, with detailed pricing breakdowns to make sure that your clients understand the accounting and financial services that you provide. They’ll know that you are the number one pick for your industry!

Cleaning Services Quotation Template

Cleaning services are a valued service for many industries. To make sure that your clients know why you are the best choice for the job, use a sample quotation template for cleaning services. 

You’ll be sure to sweep them off their feet with the cleaning quotation template from FreshBooks, which can be easily customized to suit the service you are providing, from deep cleaning to a window cleaning quotation template. 

Construction Quotation Template 

If you work in construction, you know that a strong foundation is the most important step to building anything — including building a business. Letting your clients know what services you provide in a specific time frame is a great way to drum up interest and get companies on board.

FreshBooks offers a free construction quotation template that provides sections for individual services, labor costs and material costs. Companies will be impressed by your professionalism, so download the construction service quotation template today to get started.

Personal Auto Insurance Quotation

Customers rely on you for insurance on the road. To make sure that they know the details of the services you provide, you’ll need to give them a quotation first. A template is a great way to avoid mistakes and keep everything accurate and presentable. 

Ensure that you are the right choice for the job with the free personal auto insurance quotation template from FreshBooks.

Photography Quotation 

If you want to let clients know about your photography services, you can send them a quotation to let them know your prices. The right quotation template clearly outlines the different kinds of photography services you provide, as well as any hourly billing or extended services you require. 

With the photography quotation sample template from FreshBooks, you will be snapping up customers left and right.

Taxi Quotation

If you run a taxi business and are looking to get the word out, sending out a quotation to potential clients is a great start.

Use the FreshBooks taxi quotation template to get your clients on board with your services, with line by line service information and tailored hourly billing.

Wedding Quotation

As a wedding planner, you know that every client wants the best for their special day. With a quotation template, you can set out your services in block quotation formats to showcase the different options they can choose. 

Your clients will fall in love with your services with the Wedding Quotation Template from FreshBooks

Sales Quotation

If you work in sales, you know that a good first impression can work wonders. FreshBooks offers a free sales quotation template that can be easily customized to suit your company, and lets customers know why your services are the best in the business.

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Quotation Letter Format

A quotation letter format is a formal letter written to quote the price of a particular product/service by the seller/service provider to the customer. A quotation letter can be used to evaluate the approximate cost and expenditure involved in the purchase of an item and also for reimbursement provided by the company/service provider for a particular product or service.

Sellers/suppliers often use quotation letters to present their products or services to potential buyers/customers. A supplier/service provider can make a good business relationship with the customer by writing such a letter. It can reduce the time and effort of both customer and seller in enquiring about the prices of products.

It is used by business organizations while buying any products or goods. It keeps track of all the transactions regarding the requested services or goods between the seller and buyer. A quotation letter can also be written by a customer to the seller. It is a letter written by a customer to inquire about the prices of a service/goods offered by the supplier. The supplier responds by including the details of the quoted price and terms and conditions of the services/goods to the customer through a Quotation Letter.

Quotation letter format

Quotation Letter Format: Guidelines and Tips

  When you write from the point of view of a customer:

  • The quotation letter should be written following the format of a formal letter. As an official letter, the matter should be brief and to the point.
  • The subject should be precise and a single line telling the purpose of your letter.
  • Add a formal and respectful salutation for the receiver.
  • The sender should add proper details of the products they need to inquire about.
  • Any kind of terms and conditions from the sender’s side should be mentioned so that the supplier can reciprocate to them.

When you write from the point of view of a supplier:

  • Mention relevant details about the product/service such as price, mode of payment, terms and conditions, etc.
  • Explain the advantages of the product to the customer and why they should select your services/goods.
  • Explain to the customer how your products/services are beneficial comparatively.
  • Make sure to write it precisely and relevantly.
  • Provide your contact information to communicate with you in case of further queries.
  • Use a formal style and professional language.

  Quotation Letter Format

  Sender’s address

Date: (dd/mm/yyyy)

Receiver’s address

Body of the letter

Yours sincerely/faithfully/truly

Sender’s name

Contact information

Attachments: (if any)

Sample Letter 1 – Requesting a Quotation Letter with Product Details

Sudha Holdings

Art Life Business Park

Business Road

Date: 15/03/2022

Supply Manager

Success Holdings

Mark Business City

Subject: Enquiry about the material of products

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

I am Krishna Das, supply manager of Sudha holdings. I am writing this letter to know about the cloth material services offered by your organization. We are one of the leading clothing companies in the city. We work for many prominent customers in the industry and are keen to expand. We would like to see the quotation for the materials supplied by you.

In our office, around 16 workstations are available for production. Please provide the quotation as per the above-mentioned number. We expect excellent quality of service and excellent customer care facilities. Any interruption in your service will impact our business, reputation and goodwill. So, we are very disciplined towards our work. I have attached a list that comprises our requirements for the material. Kindly check the list attached and let us know if you can meet our needs.

As your company is a reputed company, your packages might be competitively priced. After deciding the price factor, you can send your representative to our company to finalize the deal with us. Please contact the provided number or email in case of any query.

We would appreciate an early response from you.

Looking forward to expanding our business with you.

Yours sincerely,

Krishna Das

Contact number: 7727272763822

Email: Sudha@holdings

Attachments:

  • Requirement list
  • Production capacity chart

Explore More Sample Letters

  • Leave Letter
  • Letter to Uncle Thanking him for Birthday Gift
  • Joining Letter After Leave
  • Invitation Letter for Chief Guest
  • Letter to Editor Format
  • Consent Letter
  • Complaint Letter Format
  • Authorization Letter
  • Application for Bank Statement
  • Apology Letter Format
  • Paternity Leave Application
  • Salary Increment Letter
  • Permission Letter Format
  • Enquiry Letter
  • Cheque Book Request Letter
  • Application For Character Certificate
  • Name Change Request Letter Sample
  • Internship Request Letter
  • Application For Migration Certificate
  • NOC Application Format
  • Application For ATM Card

Sample  Letter 2 – Responding to a request for a Quotation Letter

Subject: Reply to your request for a quotation letter dated 15/03/2022

I am Ritika Sood, supply manager at success holdings. I would like to thank you for your letter. We appreciate your interest in taking up a deal with our clothing holding.

I would like to point out that we provide clothing materials specialised in linen and satin base, which are among the best available in the market. Our materials are ecologically safe and biodegradable. We also are working on providing a cotton base, which may require nearly 4 weeks from now.

Given below are details regarding the various materials for your reference. We have also given the price details for cotton base products if you would like to have a look at those.

(A table showing full details of the product should be attached here by the supplier)

Please contact the provided number or email in case of any query. Looking forward to expanding my business with you.

Ritika Sood

Contact number: 993387378282

Mail: success@holding

FAQs about Quotation Letter Format

Question 1. What is a quotation letter?

Answer. A quotation letter is a formal letter written to quote the price of a particular product/service by the seller/service provider to the customer. A quotation letter can be used to evaluate the approximate cost and expenditure involved in the purchase of an item and also for reimbursement provided by the company/service provider for a particular product or service.

Question 2. Is a quotation letter essential from the supplier’s point of view?

Answer. Sellers/suppliers often use quotation letters to present their products or services to potential buyers/customers. It is used by business organizations while buying any products or goods. It keeps track of all the transactions regarding the requested services or goods between the seller and buyer.

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Posted on Mar 29, 2019

170 Writing Quotes by Famous Authors for Every Occasion

When you're feeling stuck on your novel, an important thing to remember is that we've all been there in the past. That's right — even the J.K Rowling's and Ernest Hemingway's of this world. Which is why it's always a great idea to turn to your most famous peers (and their writing quotes) for inspiration.

Without further ado, here are 170 writing quotes  to guide you through every stage of writing. ( Yes! We've added more since we first published this post! )

The number one piece of advice that most authors have for other authors is to read, read, read. Here’s why.

1. “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools ) to write. Simple as that.” — Stephen King
2. “You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” — Annie Proulx
3. “Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.” — Eudora Welty
4. “Read, read, read. Read everything  —  trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner
5. “I kept always two books in my pocket: one to read, one to write in.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
6. “The Six Golden Rules of Writing: Read, read, read, and write, write, write.” — Ernest Gaines
7. “The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” — Samuel Johnson
8. “Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” ― Lisa See
9. “One sure window into a person’s soul is his reading list.” — Mary B. W. Tabor

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The well of inspiration, we’re afraid, often does run dry. Here are the writing quotes to replenish it and, hopefully, remind you that there might be a story idea waiting for you just around the corner of life.

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10. "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." — Toni Morrison
11. “Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any.” — Orson Scott
12. “Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.” — Stephen King
13. “Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use.” — Mark Twain
14. “When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” — George Orwell
15. “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.” — Natalie Goldberg
16. “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” — Madeleine L'Engle
17. “How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” — Henry David Thoreau
18. “Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” — William S. Burroughs
19. “Write what should not be forgotten.” — Isabel Allende
20. “The story must strike a nerve in me. My heart should start pounding when I hear the first line in my head. I start trembling at the risk.” — Susan Sontag
21. “Sometimes the ideas just come to me. Other times I have to sweat and almost bleed to make ideas come. It’s a mysterious process, but I hope I never find out exactly how it works. I like a mystery, as you may have noticed.” — J.K. Rowling
22. “As for ‘Write what you know,’ I was regularly told this as a beginner. I think it’s a very good rule and have always obeyed it. I write about imaginary countries, alien societies on other planets, dragons, wizards, the Napa Valley in 22002. I know these things. I know them better than anybody else possibly could, so it’s my duty to testify about them.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
23. “I’m very lucky in that I don’t understand the world yet. If I understood the world, it would be harder for me to write these books.” — Mo Willems
24. “Ideas are cheap. It’s the execution that is all important.” — George R.R. Martin
25. “If you wait for inspiration to write you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.” — Dan Poynter

Now, finding your "voice" is not as simple as entering a nationally-televised competition on NBC ( nyuk nyuk! ). Yet your voice will define you as a writer, and these famous writers have plenty of tips and writing quotes for you when it comes to finding it.

Which famous author do you write like?

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26. “To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.” — Allen Ginsberg
27. “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” — Jack Kerouac
28. “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” —Robert Frost
29. “It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.” — P.D. James
30. “Voice is not just the result of a single sentence or paragraph or page. It’s not even the sum total of a whole story. It’s all your work laid out across the table like the bones and fossils of an unidentified carcass.” — Chuck Wendig
31. “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative.” — Elmore Leonard
32. “Your writing voice is the deepest possible reflection of who you are. The job of your voice is not to seduce or flatter or make well-shaped sentences. In your voice, your readers should be able to hear the contents of your mind, your heart, your soul.” — Meg Rosoff
33. “I don’t want just words. If that’s all you have for me, you’d better go.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
34. “Literature is strewn with the wreckage of men who have minded beyond reason the opinions of others.” — Virginia Woolf
35. “Everywhere I go, I’m asked if the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them.” — Flannery O’Connor
36. “There are some books that refuse to be written. They stand their ground year after year and will not be persuaded. It isn’t because the book is not there and worth being written — it is only because the right form of the story does not present itself. There is only one right form for a story and, if you fail to find that form, the story will not tell itself.” — Mark Twain

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37. “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” — Louis L’Amour
38. “First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him.” — Ray Bradbury
39. “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” — Ernest Hemingway
40. “Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself.” — Mark Twain
41. “Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of job: It’s always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins.” — Neil Gaiman
42. “It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” — Ernest Hemingway
43. “It doesn’t matter how many book ideas you have if you can’t finish writing your book.” — Joe Bunting
44. “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” — Margaret Atwood
45. “A blank piece of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it is to be God.” — Sidney Sheldon
46. “I am not at all in a humor for writing; I must write on until I am.” — Jane Austen
47. "Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good." — William Faulkner
48. “One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing — writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.” — Lawrence Block
49. “Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day, it helps. Then when it gets finished, you are always surprised.” — John Steinbeck
50. “You can fix anything but a blank page.” — Nora Roberts
51. “I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” — Pearl S. Buck
52. “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed.” — Ernest Hemingway

Don’t get discouraged if you get this far and you’re thinking that your first draft is rather poor. These writing quotes are reminders that it’s just part of the process.

53. “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” — Terry Pratchett
54. “Get through a draft as quickly as possible.” — Joshua Wolf Shenk
55. “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” — Douglas Adams
56. “The first draft of everything is shit.” — Ernest Hemingway
57. “There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” — Frank Herbert
58. “I would advise any beginning writer to write the first drafts as if no one else will ever read them — without a thought about publication — and only in the last draft to consider how the work will look from the outside.” — Anne Tyler
59. “I just give myself permission to suck. I delete about 90 percent of my first drafts, so it doesn’t really matter much if on a particular day I write beautiful and brilliant prose that will stick in the minds of my readers forever, because there’s a 90 percent chance I’m just going to delete whatever I write anyway. I find this hugely liberating.” — John Green
60. “Be willing to write really badly.” — Jennifer Egan
61. “On first drafts: It is completely raw, the sort of thing I feel free to do with the door shut — it’s the story undressed, standing up in nothing but its socks and undershorts.” — Stephen King
62. “I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.” — Tom Clancy
63. “Anyone who says writing is easy isn’t doing it right.” — Amy Joy

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64. “You fail only if you stop writing.” — Ray Bradbury
65. “If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn't brood. I'd type a little faster.” — Isaac Asimov
66. “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” — Ray Bradbury
67. “You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler
68. “I believe myself that a good writer doesn’t really need to be told anything except to keep at it.” — Chinua Achebe
69. “The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It’s not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work.” — Augusten Burroughs
70. “It is by sitting down to write every morning that one becomes a writer.” — Gerald Brenan
71. “Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but most of all, endurance.” — James Baldwin
72. “You just have to go on when it is worst and most helpless — there is only one thing to do with a novel and that is go straight on through to the end of the damn thing.” — Ernest Hemingway
73. “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” — Kurt Vonnegut
74. “The nearest I have to a rule is a Post-it on the wall in front of my desk saying ‘Faire et se taire’ from Flaubert. Which I translate for myself as ‘Shut up and get on with it.’” — Helen Simpson
75. “I’ve been writing since I was six. It is a compulsion, so I can’t really say where the desire came from; I’ve always had it. My breakthrough with the first book came through persistence, because a lot of publishers turned it down.” — J.K. Rowling
76. “Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer.” — Ray Bradbury
77. “It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily. Doubts creep in. Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything.” — Virginia Woolf
78. “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” — Richard Bach

“Write drunk, edit sober” might be one of the most famous writing quotes about editing, but we can’t all outdrink Ernest Hemingway. Which is why these other words of wisdom and writing quotes exist!

79. “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” ― Jodi Picoult

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80. “When your story is ready for a rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.” — Stephen King
81. “The best advice on writing was given to me by my first editor, Michael Korda, of Simon and Schuster, while writing my first book. 'Finish your first draft and then we'll talk,' he said. It took me a long time to realize how good the advice was. Even if you write it wrong, write and finish your first draft. Only then, when you have a flawed whole, do you know what you have to fix.” — Dominick Dunne
82. “Editing might be a bloody trade, but knives aren’t the exclusive property of butchers. Surgeons use them too.” — Blake Morrison
83. “The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.” — E.B. White
84. “You write to communicate to the hearts and minds of others what's burning inside you, and we edit to let the fire show through the smoke.” — Arthur Plotnik
85. “Half my life is an act of revision.” — John Irving
86. “I'm all for the scissors. I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil.” — Truman Capote
87. “It is perfectly okay to write garbage — as long as you edit brilliantly.” — C. J. Cherryh
88. “I've found the best way to revise your own work is to pretend that somebody else wrote it and then to rip the living shit out of it.” ― Don Roff
89. “Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we'.” — Mark Twain
90. “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.” ― Dr. Seuss
91. “Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.” — Henry David Thoreau
92. “I would write a book, or a short story, at least three times — once to understand it, the second time to improve the prose, and a third to compel it to say what it still must say. Somewhere I put it this way: first drafts are for learning what one's fiction wants him to say. Revision works with that knowledge to enlarge and enhance an idea, to reform it. Revision is one of the exquisite pleasures of writing.” — Bernard Malamud
93. “No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published.” — Russell Lynes
94. “Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.” — Annie Dillard
95. “No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft.” — H.G. Wells

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96. “A writer is a world trapped in a person.” — Victor Hugo
97. “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” — Thomas Mann
98. “People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know that they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.” — R.L. Stine
99. “As a writer, you should not judge, you should understand.” ― Ernest Hemingway
100. “I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.” — Gustave Flaubert
101. “Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences.” — Sylvia Plath
102. “I go out to my little office, where I’ve got a manuscript, and the last page I was happy with is on top. I read that, and it’s like getting on a taxiway. I’m able to go through and revise it and put myself — click — back into that world.” — Stephen King
103. “I think all writing is a disease. You can’t stop it.” — William Carlos Williams
104. “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.” — Gore Vidal
105. “For your born writer, nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word.” — Catherine Drinker Bowen
106. “The task of a writer consists of being able to make something out of an idea.” — Thomas Mann
107. “Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” — T.S. Eliot
108. “Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.” — Margaret Chittenden
109. “A writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.” — Eugene Ionesco
110. “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” — Benjamin Franklin
111. “A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it.” — Roald Dahl
112. “Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don’t feel I should be doing something else.” — Gloria Steinem

From cavemen to our modern day in the 21st-century, we have written our joys and sorrows throughout history. What compels us to write? Here’s what some of the most beloved writers we know have to say.

113. “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” — Anne Frank
114. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” — Anais Nin
115. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou
116. “The very reason I write is so that I might not sleepwalk through my entire life.” — Zadie Smith
117. “The good writing of any age has always been the product of someone’s neurosis.” — William Styron
118. “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” — Robin Williams
119. “Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they'll go through anything. You read and you're pierced.” — Aldous Huxley
120. “You can make anything by writing.” — C.S. Lewis
121. “Writers live twice.” —  Natalie Goldberg
122. “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” — Winston Churchill
123. “Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it.” — Oscar Wilde
124. “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” — Ray Bradbury

writing quotes-5

125. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass .” ― Anton Chekhov
126. “My own experience is that once a story has been written, one has to cross out the beginning and the end. It is there that we authors do most of our lying.” — Anton Chekhov
127. “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” — Somerset Maugham
128. “Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.” — Stephen King
129. “Substitute 'damn' every time you're inclined to write 'very;' your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” — Mark Twain
130. “Find your best time of the day for writing and write. Don’t let anything else interfere. Afterwards it won’t matter to you that the kitchen is a mess.” — Esther Freud
131. “Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. [...] All they do is show you've been to college.” — Kurt Vonnegut
132. “To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.” — Herman Melville
133. “Write drunk, edit sober.” — Ernest Hemingway
134. “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” — Mark Twain
135. “The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But it’s definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it ­honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.” — Neil Gaiman
136. “Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.” — Jane Yolen
137. “Style means the right word. The rest matters little.” — Jules Renard
138. “My aim in constructing sentences is to make the sentence utterly easy to understand, writing what I call transparent prose. I’ve failed dreadfully if you have to read a sentence twice to figure out what I meant.” — Ken Follett
139. “And one of [the things you learn as you get older] is, you really need less… My model for this is late Beethoven. He moves so strangely and quite suddenly sometimes from place to place in his music, in the late quartets. He knows where he’s going and he just doesn’t want to waste all that time getting there… One is aware of this as one gets older. You can’t waste time.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
140. “ Part 1. I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English — it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don’t let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in . Part 2. When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don’t mean utterly, but kill most of them – then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. Part 3. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice.” — Mark Twain

“You miss 100% of the shots that you never take — Wayne Gretsky,” as Michael Scott once said. In tribute to this sentiment, these writing quotes help show why it’s important not to let failure or rejection get you down.

141. “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” — John Wooden
142. “Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil — but there is no way around them.” — Isaac Asimov
143. “Was I bitter? Absolutely. Hurt? You bet your sweet ass I was hurt. Who doesn’t feel a part of their heart break at rejection. You ask yourself every question you can think of, what, why, how come, and then your sadness turns to anger. That’s my favorite part. It drives me, feeds me, and makes one hell of a story.” — Jennifer Salaiz
144. “I love my rejection slips. They show me I try.” — Sylvia Plath
145. “I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent, he would be wise to develop a thick hide.” — Harper Lee
147. “I used to save all my rejection slips because I told myself, one day I’m going to autograph these and auction them. And then I lost the box.” — James Lee Burke
148. “This manuscript of yours that has just come back from another editor is a precious package. Don’t consider it rejected. Consider that you’ve addressed it ‘to the editor who can appreciate my work’ and it has simply come back stamped ‘Not at this address’. Just keep looking for the right address.” — Barbara Kingsolver
149. “To ward off a feeling of failure, she joked that she could wallpaper her bathroom with rejection slips, which she chose not to see as messages to stop, but rather as tickets to the game.” — Anita Shreve
150. “Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” — Neil Gaiman
151. “The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews.” — William Faulkner
152. “I think that you have to believe in your destiny; that you will succeed, you will meet a lot of rejection and it is not always a straight path, there will be detours — so enjoy the view.” — Michael York
153. “I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged.” — Erica Jong
154. “I tell writers to keep reading, reading, reading. Read widely and deeply. And I tell them not to give up even after getting rejection letters. And only write what you love.” — Anita Diamant
155. “I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long.” — Louise Brown
156. “I had immediate success in the sense that I sold something right off the bat. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake and it really wasn’t. I have drawers full of — or I did have — drawers full of rejection slips.” — Fred Saberhagen
157. “An absolutely necessary part of a writer’s equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself.” — Irwin Shaw
158. “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” — C. S. Lewis

Why does writing matter? If there’s anyone who might know the answer, it’s the people who write — and continue to write, despite adverse circumstances. Here are a few pennies for their thoughts.

159. “Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” — Virginia Woolf
160. “If the book is true, it will find an audience that is meant to read it.” — Wally Lamb
161. “A word after a word after a word is power.” — Margaret Atwood
162. “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” — Martin Luther
163. “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” — Albert Camus
164. “Good fiction’s job is to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” — David Foster Wallace
165. “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” — Philip Pullman
166. “All stories have to at least try to explain some small portion of the meaning of life.” — Gene Weingarten
167. “If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood.” — Peter Handke
168. “The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.” — Tom Clancy
169. “If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don’t listen to writers talking about writing or themselves.” — Lillian Hellman
170. “Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously.” — Lev Grossman

Of course, writing quotes by themselves won't write the book for you — you alone have that power. However, we hope that this post has helped inspire you in some way! If you're looking for more in-depth resources, you can check out these guides:

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Have a favorite quote that we missed? If you know of more cool quotes by writers, write them in the comments!

2 responses

Brian Welte says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

Here's a quote I absolutely adore: "The author, in his work, must be like God in the Universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere" [Quote from Gustave Flaubert]

Comments are currently closed.

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A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend.

In an age like ours, which is not given to letter-writing, we forget what an important part it used to play in people's lives.

Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them.

Letter writing is an excellent way of slowing down this lunatic helterskelter universe long enough to gather one’s thoughts

More than kisses, letters mingle souls.

Don't you like to write letters? I do because it's such a swell way to keep from working and yet feel you've done something.

I have now attained the true art of letter-writing, which we are always told, is to express on paper exactly what one would say to the same person by word of mouth.

I consider it a good rule for letter-writing to leave unmentioned what the recipient already knows, and instead tell him something new.

Letter-writing on the part of a busy man or woman is the quintessence of generosity.

You have a touch in letter writing that is beyond me. Something unexpected, like coming round a corner in a rose garden and finding it still daylight.

Music has seven letters, writing has twenty-six notes

I like writing letters and receiving letters. It's a shame that we've lost the art of letter-writing and saving correspondence. I mourn that.

write a letter quote

I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter.

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.

real letter-writing ... is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.

Yes, letter writing is antiquated - though there remain a few renegades who still so treasure the luxury of contemplating their lives in letters that they would rather write than call.

A letter is an unannounced visit, the postman the agent of rude surprises. One ought to reserve an hour a week for receiving letters and afterwards take a bath.

It does me good to write a letter which is not a response to a demand, a gratuitous letter, so to speak, which has accumulated in me like the waters of a reservoir.

Life is too precious to be spent in this weaving and unweaving of false impressions, and it is better to live quietly under some degree of misrepresentation than to attempt to remove it by the uncertain process of letter-writing.

In a man's letters you know, Madam, his soul lies naked, his letters are only the mirror of his breast, whatever passes within him is shown undisguised in its natural process. Nothing is inverted, nothing distorted, you see systems in their elements, you discover actions in their motives.

To read, write, and converse in due proportions, is, therefore, the business of a man of letters.

Letter-writing too often degenerates into a communicating of facts, and not of truths; of other men's deeds and not our thoughts.What are the convulsions of a planet, compared with the emotions of the soul? or the rising of a thousand suns, if that is not enlightened by a ray?

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Quote Investigator®

Tracing Quotations

If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written a Shorter Letter

Blaise Pascal? John Locke? Benjamin Franklin? Henry David Thoreau? Cicero? Woodrow Wilson?

Dear Quote Investigator : I was planning to end a letter with the following remark:

If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.

But the number of different people credited with this comment is so numerous that an explanatory appendix would have been required, and the letter was already too long. Here is a partial list of attributions I have seen: Mark Twain, George Bernard Shaw, Voltaire, Blaise Pascal, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Winston Churchill, Pliny the Younger, Cato, Cicero, Bill Clinton, and Benjamin Franklin. Did anybody in this group really say it?

Quote Investigator: Some of the attributions you have listed are spurious, but several are supported by solid evidence. The first known instance in the English language was a sentence translated from a text written by the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal. The French statement appeared in a letter in a collection called “Lettres Provinciales” in the year 1657: [1] 2006, The Yale Book of Quotations by Fred R. Shapiro, Section: Blaise Pascal, Page 583, Yale University Press, New Haven. (Verified on paper) [2] 2006, The Quote Verifier by Ralph Keyes, Page 119-120, St Martin’s Griffin, New York. (Verified on paper) [3] Oxford Dictionary of Quotations edited by Elizabeth Knowles, Section: Blaise Pascal, Oxford Reference Online, Oxford University Press. (Accessed March 27, 2012)

Je n’ai fait celle-ci plus longue que parce que je n’ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte.

Here is one possible modern day translation of Pascal’s statement. Note that the term “this” refers to the letter itself.

I have made this longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.

An English translation was created in 1658 and published in London. Here is an excerpt from that early rendition of the letter. The spelling differed in 1658, and the phrases “longer then” and “shorter then” occurred in this text instead of “longer than” and “shorter than”: [4] 1658, Les Provinciales, or, The Mystery of Jesuitisme by Blaise Pascal, [Translated into English], Second Edition Corrected, Page 292, Letter 16: Postscript, [Letter addressed to Reverend Fathers … Continue reading

My Letters were not wont to come so close one in the neck of another, nor yet to be so large. The short time I have had hath been the cause of both. I had not made this longer then the rest, but that I had not the leisure to make it shorter then it is.

Pascal’s notion was quite memorable, and it was discussed in a French book about language. That work was translated and published in London in 1676 as “The Art of Speaking”: [5] 1676, The Art of Speaking, Written in French by Messieurs Du Port Royal: In Pursuance of a former Treatise, Intitled, The Art of Thinking, Rendred into English, Page 8, Printed by W. Godbid, London. … Continue reading

These Inventions require much wit, and application; and therefore it was, that Mons. Pascal (an Author very famous for his felicity in comprising much in few words) excused himself wittily for the extravagant length of one of his Letters, by saying, he had not time to make it shorter.

In 1688 a religious controversialist named George Tullie included a version of the witticism in an essay he wrote about the celibacy of the clergy: [6] 1688, An Answer to a Discourse Concerning the Celibacy of the Clergy by George Tullie, Preface, [Page 2 of Preface; unnumbered], Oxford, Printed at the Theater for Richard Chiswell, London. (Google … Continue reading

The Reader will I doubt too soon discover that so large an interval of time was not spent in writing this discourse; the very length of it will convince him, that the writer had not time enough to make a shorter.

Below are listed several variations of the expression as used by well known, lesser known, and unknown individuals. The philosopher John Locke, the statesman Benjamin Franklin, the transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, and the President Woodrow Wilson all presented statements matching this theme and the details are provided.

Mark Twain who is often connected to this saying did not use it according to the best available research, but one of his tangentially related quotations is given later for your entertainment.

Here are additional selected citations in chronological order.

In 1688 “A Geographical Dictionary” by Edmund Bohun was published. This reference work presented an alphabetically list of cities, towns, rivers, mountains and other locations together with descriptions. The author crafted the following variant of the remark: [7] 1688, A Geographical Dictionary, Representing the Present and Ancient Names of all the Countries, Provinces, Remarkable Cities, …, Of the Whole World by Edmund Bohun, [Page unnumbered], Page … Continue reading

The Reader may pardon this long Discourse, because the Subject so well deserved it, and I wanted Art to make it shorter.

In 1690 the philosopher John Locke released his famous work “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” with a prefatory section called “The Epistle to the Reader”. Locke commented on the length of his essay and indicated why he decided not to shorten it: [8] 1714, The Works of John Locke Esq: In Three Volumes, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, [Essay originally published in 1690], The Epistle to the Reader, Page vii, Printed for John Churchill, … Continue reading

I will not deny, but possibly it might be reduced to a narrower Compass than it is; and that some Parts of it might be contracted: The way it has been writ in, by Catches, and many long Intervals of Interruption, being apt to cause some Repetitions. But to confess the Truth, I am now too lazy, or too busy to make it shorter.

In 1704 the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London printed a letter from William Cowper that contained the following: [9] 1706 [1704 March and April issue], Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, A Letter to Dr. Edward Tyson from William Cowper, Start Page 1576, Quote Page 1586, Printed for S. Smith … Continue reading

If in this I have been tedious, it may be some excuse, I had not time to make it shorter.

In 1750 Benjamin Franklin composed a letter describing his groundbreaking experiments involving electricity and sent it to a member of the Royal Society in London. Franklin excused the length of his report as follows: [10] 1754, New Experiments and Observations on Electricity Made at Philadelphia in America by Benjamin Franklin, Second Edition, Part I, [Letter to Peter Collinson from Benjamin Franklin; Dated July 29, … Continue reading

I have already made this paper too long, for which I must crave pardon, not having now time to make it shorter.

The quotation is sometimes attached to famous figures in antiquity. For example, in 1824 a version of the quote was assigned to the Roman orator Cicero: [11] 1824 August, The Harmonicon: A Journal of Music, Number 20, Signor Rossini and Signor Carpani, Start Page 153, Quote Page 156, Published by William Pinnock, Music Warehouse, London. (Google Books … Continue reading

Cicero excuses himself for having written a long letter, by saying he had not time to make it shorter.

The German theologian Martin Luther died in 1546. A biographical work published in London in 1846 attributed the following words to him: [12] 1846, The Life of Luther: Written By Himself, Collected and Arranged by M. Michelet, [Translated by William Hazlitt], Table Talk – Preaching, Page 293, Published by David Bogue, London. (Google … Continue reading

If I had my time to go over again, I would make my sermons much shorter, for I am conscious they have been too wordy.

In 1857 Henry David Thoreau wrote a letter to a friend that offered commentary about story length: [13] 1879, Letters to Various Persons by Henry David Thoreau, [Letter dated November 16, 1857 to Mr. B: Harrison Blake], Start Page 161, Quote Page 165, Riverside Press, Cambridge, Houghton, Osgood, and … Continue reading

Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.

In 1871 Mark Twain wrote a letter to a friend that included a remark about the length of his note. Twain’s comment did not really match the quotation under investigation but it is related to the general theme: [14] 1871 June 15, Letter from Mark Twain to James Redpath, Elmira, New York, UCCL 00617 (Union Catalog of Clemens Letters), Mark Twain Project Online. (Accessed marktwainproject.org on 2012 April 24) link

You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.

According to an anecdote published in 1918 Woodrow Wilson was asked about the amount of time he spent preparing speeches, and his response was illuminating: [15] 1918 April, The Operative Miller, Volume 23, Number 4, (Short freestanding item), Quote Page 130, Column 1, Operative Miller Press, Chicago, Illinois. (Google Books Full View) link

“That depends on the length of the speech,” answered the President. “If it is a ten-minute speech it takes me all of two weeks to prepare it; if it is a half-hour speech it takes me a week; if I can talk as long as I want to it requires no preparation at all. I am ready now.”

QI has examined a family of similar sayings about speeches in an entry located here .

Mark Twain died in 1910. Decades later in 1975 an article in the “Chicago Tribune” of Illinois about writing postcards attributed a version of the saying to Twain: [16] 1975 May 7, Chicago Tribune, Traveler’s guide: Postcard writing is the vacationer’s art, by Carol Baker, Section 3, Quote Page 16, Column 2, Chicago, Illinois. (Newspapers_com)

Writing a postcard well requires effort. Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.”

In conclusion, Blaise Pascal wrote a version of this saying in French and it quickly moved into the English language. The notion was very popular and variants of the expression have been employed by other notable figures in history. The saying has also been assigned to some prominent individuals without adequate factual support.

(The investigation was motivated by an inquiry from a brilliant and entertaining writer who is also a strong leader of a writing group in Florida. Thanks to BT Smith who highlighted the use of “then” for “than” in the 1658 passage.)

Update History: On March 5, 2014 the 1918 citation was added and the previous 1946 citation to a Woodrow Wilson biography was removed. On May 3, 2018 a statement about the spelling of “then” and “than” in 1658 was added. On January 28, 2020 the 1975 citation was added.

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12+ Quotation Letter Examples & Templates [Download Now]

Quotation Letter Examples

The role of quotation letters is to enable companies, organization and individuals to formally inquire about cost of services and products that another business offers. It’s a sensitive document because of the nature of the information that it contains. Naturally, you would want to write it to the best of your ability, without missing on anything. The best way to do this is to use ready-made templates. These have been professionally-created and thoroughly proofed. Not only are they detailed, but they also don’t have any grammatical mistakes. In this article, we tell you 10 quotation letter examples & templates that you can use to quickly create a professional letter that you send to your client. Read through to the end to learn more.

Quotation Letter Examples & Templates

1. cover letter for a cost quotation template.

cover letter for a cost quotation template

  • Google Docs

Size: A4 & US

This is a cover letter for a lost quotation. You will be called upon to write this type of letter to request for a quotation which had been sent to you but has been lost or misplaced. This template is intended to make it easy for you to complete your quotation letter. It has spaces where you insert your company name, address, phone number and email address of your organization. Everything is done for you, literally speaking, and the only thing you need to do is to insert your information. The format is also there, so you don’t have to worry.

2. Free Quotation Letter

free quotation letter

If you’ve never interacted with quotation letters and you don’t know how to create a quotation letter, do not worry. This template accomplishes everything for you. Just key in your information and you are good to go. Also, you can easily edit it in words so you don’t require any special program or knowledge to edit it.

3. Price Quotation Letter

free price quotation letter

This is another quotation letter example that you can download and use on the go. Just attach it with your quotation sample and your client will be fully informed about all the important details of your company and its policies. Also, it will show your client the pricing details that they had requested for the services or goods. It’s easy to customize to your exact situation.

3. Sample Cover Letter for a Cost Quotation Template

sample cover letter for a cost quotation template

  • Apple Pages

Size: 65 KB

4. Price Quotation Letter Template

price quotation letter template

Size: 48 KB

5. Sample Quotation Letter

sample quotation letter

Size: 205 KB

This is a sample quotation letter that you can use as a guide to draft your letter. Available in PDF, the document is easily editable and you don’t need a sophisticated program to edit it. Thus, replacing the placeholder with your information won’t take long. Quotation letter examples come in handy when you are at a remote location and you need to send a quotation letter. You only need to go to the internet, download the form, type in your information and print the letter via Bluetooth. Just like that and you have your quotation letter.

6. Tender Quotation Letter

tender quotation letter

Size: 102 KB

There are many types of quotation letters and these depend on the purpose for which you want one. If you want to compose a quotation letter, it’s important that you adhere to the standard format. But with these templates, you really don’t need to know anything. The templates have the correct format, so there is no cause for worry.

Also, the template is available in a PDF format that you can easily download and access anytime, anywhere. Next time you want to write a flawless quotation letter, you don’t have to start from the ground up. This template will do you a world of good.

7. Quotation Enquiry Letter

quotation enquiry letter

Size: 119 KB

Send this quotation letter if you want to communicate information, or you want to request for a quotation proposal or sales quotation . This template enables you to include information about the estimated cost of particular services or products that a given company is selling. The document is often prepared by a business and sent out to prospective clients.

8. Request for Quotation Letter

request for quotation letter

With this template however, you don’t have to know how to create a quotation letter. It has everything you need, and the only thing that you will be doing is to replace the placeholder with your information. It offers a fast, efficient and timely way of generating your quotation letter. Even if you’ve never done this kind of letter before, you will manage quote well.

9. Sample Quotation Cover Letter

sample quotation cover letter

Size: 11 KB

This quotation letter example is written in a standard format that makes the information it contains to be easily coherent and visible. It is straightforward in nature, something that enables it to pass information from the business to the prospective customer succinctly and concisely. The ready-made template has placeholders that you will replace with your information, meaning that just about anybody can learn how to create a quotation letter with this template. And editing is couldn’t be easier. You can use Ms Word or Excel sheet to edit the template and key in your information. Because it is downloadable, it is available on the go. Therefore, if you should find yourself away from the office but you want to prepare this document and send it over to a client, just download and edit it and you are good to go.

10. Sample Vehicle Quotation Letter

sample vehicle quotation letter

Size: 513 KB

This sample vehicle quotation letter template offers a great guide to writing your own letter . Available in PDF, this template includes everything that needs to be in a standard letter and there means you won’t miss a thing.

The good news is that with this template, creating your quotation letter doesn’t have to be difficult. As it has the right format with all the type of information that you should provide, anyone really can prepare this document. It takes only minutes for you to replace the information here with yours, and you will have created a quotation letter, just like that.

11. Regret Letter for Wrong Quotation

regret letter for wrong quotation

Size: 38 KB

These things happen. Sometimes you can unknowingly write a wrong quotation. To undo it, you will need to write a letter. This template is an example of a letter that you can write when you want to apologize for a wrong quotation.

The letter is complete, and you can use it to quickly create your quotation letter. It has the right format, and clearly asks you to include all the necessary information that’ usually required of this letter. It makes it very easy to learn how to create a quotation letter, as all that one needs to do is to type in their information.

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50 Quotes About Writing Letters For All Writers

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Looking for quotes about letter writing? We have rounded up the best collection of quotes about writing letters, sayings, proverbs, captions, (including images and pictures) which you will realte to if you love writing letters. In these days of emails and high-tech communication hand-written letters seem to be a lost art. But handwritten letters are the best and it adds a special touch to your memories. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Quotes About Writing Letters “Handwritten love letters will never go out of style.”                                                                                                            Quotes About Writing Letters (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “More than kisses letters mingle souls.” ― John Donne “Never write a letter while you are angry.” ― Chinese Proverb “To write is human, to receive a letter: Devine!” ― Susan Lendroth                                                                                        Writing Letters Quotes “Men who write love letters don’t live in this century.” ― Rita Rudner “Letters are expectation packaged in an envelope.” ― Shana Alexander “The talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female.” ― Henry Tilney “Why writing letters for you, when they have to fall in the bonfire.” ― Priyanshi “Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them.” ― James Fallows “Writing isn’t letters on papers. It’s communication. It’s memory.” ― Isaac Marion “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” ― Mark Twain “Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company.” ― Lord Byron “I keep all of my letters, postcards, and thank you notes. I’ll keep them forever!” ― Jane Levy “The one good thing about not seeing you is that I can write you letters.” ― Svetlana Alliluyeva “Behold me going to write you as handsome a letter as I can. Wish me good luck.” ― Jane Austen “A woman’s best love letters are always written to the man she is betraying.” ― Lawrence Durrell “What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters. You can’t reread a phone call.” ― Liz Carpenter “I’m pretty sure people are going to start writing letters again once the email fad passes.” ― Willie Geist “Letter-writing on the part of a busy man or woman is the quintessence of generosity.” ― Agnes Repplier “Letters are something from you. It’s a different kind of intention than writing an e-mail.” ― Keanu Reeves “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” ― Mother Teresa “Hated writing letters, but somehow ended up losing myself in spelling out your name in all my letters.” ― SB “To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart.” ― Phyllis Theroux “I have received no more than one or two letters in my life that were worth the postage.” ― Henry David Thoreau “A letter is the most basic—yet the most flexible—mode of correspondence, regardless of its subject matter.” ― Scribendi “Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “My most cherished possessions are my grandma’s letters and my vintage Martha Washington cookbook.” ― Sandra Lee “To acknowledge the receipt of letters is always proper, to remove doubts of their miscarriage.” ― George Washington “There must be millions of people all over the world who never get any love letters… I could be their leader.” ― Charlie Brown “A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend.” ― Emily Dickinson “Letter writing is an excellent way of slowing down this lunatic helterskelter universe long enough to gather one’s thoughts.” ― Nick Bantock “In an age like ours, which is not given to letter-writing, we forget what an important part it used to play in people’s lives.” ― Anatole Broyard “Or don’t you like to write letters? I do because it’s such a swell way to keep from working and yet feel you’ve done something.” ― Ernest Hemingway “I consider it a good rule for letter-writing to leave unmentioned what the recipient already knows, and instead tell him something new.” ― Sigmund Freud “I like writing letters and receiving letters. It’s a shame that we’ve lost the art of letter-writing and saving correspondence. I mourn that.” ― Elizabeth McGovern “You have a touch in letter writing that is beyond me. Something unexpected, like coming round a corner in a rose garden and finding it still daylight.” ― Virginia Woolf “It’s funny” in this era of e-mail and voice mail and all those things that even I did not grow up with, a plain old paper letter takes an amazing intimacy.” ― Elizabeth Kostova “Letter writing is a habit that allows us to explore new trails all our lives. Each day is a fresh new adventure when we regularly send and receive letters.” ― Alexandra Stoddard “I have now attained the true art of letter-writing, which we are always told, is to express on paper exactly what one would say to the same person by word of mouth.” ― Jane Austen “I love the rebelliousness of snail mail, and I love anything that can arrive with a postage stamp. There’s something about that person’s breath and hands on the letter.” ― Diane Lane “Yes, letter writing is antiquated – though there remain a few renegades who still so treasure the luxury of contemplating their lives in letters that they would rather write than call.” ― Joan Frank “The best time to frame an answer to the letters of a friend is the moment you receive them. Then the warmth of friendship and the intelligence received, most forcibly cooperate.” ― William Shenstone “To me, reading through old letters and journals is like treasure hunting. Somewhere in those faded, handwritten lines there is a story that has been packed away in a dusty old box for years.” ― Sara Sheridan “How wonderful it is to be able to write someone a letter! To feel like conveying your thoughts to a person, to sit at your desk and pick up a pen, to put your thoughts into words like this is truly marvelous.” ― Haruki Murakami “I love handwritten letters. The way the words get jumbled up when the writer’s excited. The way the words get neat when the writer is trying not to make a mistake. The way the words get pretty because the writer’s in love. I love handwritten letters.” “I think I became a writer because I used to write letters to my friends, and I used to love writing them. I loved the idea that you can put marks on a page and send it off, and two days later, someone laughs somewhere else in the world.” ― David Nicholls “Sending a handwritten letter is becoming such an anomaly. It’s disappearing. My mom is the only one who still writes me letters. And there’s something visceral about opening a letter – I see her on the page. I see her in her handwriting.” ― Steve Carell “Lobbying, protesting, letter-writing, American media, civil disobedience, and preaching pacifism ad nauseum, along with education is the most effective way to enlighten the masses. Welfare concessions/campaigns, are counterproductive and simply ineffective in this day and age.” ― Gary Yourofsky “In a man’s letters you know, Madam, his soul lies naked, his letters are only the mirror of his breast, whatever passes within him is shown undisguised in its natural process. Nothing is inverted, nothing distorted, you see systems in their elements, you discover actions in their motives.” ― Samuel Johnson “I grew up writing thank-you notes. Real, honest-to-goodness, pen-and-ink, stamped and posted letters. More than simple habit, it’s about what the commitment to expressing your thoughts and feelings in writing says about the character of the writer. About the joy, such notes bring to the reader.” ― Taylor Mali    

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  • How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago

Published on April 15, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Jack Caulfield. Revised on May 31, 2023.

Quoting means copying a passage of someone else’s words and crediting the source. To quote a source, you must ensure:

  • The quoted text is enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as a block quote
  • The original author is correctly cited
  • The text is identical to the original

The exact format of a quote depends on its length and on which citation style you are using. Quoting and citing correctly is essential to avoid plagiarism which is easy to detect with a good plagiarism checker .

How to Quote

Table of contents

How to cite a quote in apa, mla and chicago, introducing quotes, quotes within quotes, shortening or altering a quote, block quotes, when should i use quotes, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about quoting sources.

Every time you quote, you must cite the source correctly . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style you’re using. Three of the most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Citing a quote in APA Style

To cite a direct quote in APA , you must include the author’s last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas . If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”

An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative. In a parenthetical citation , you place all the information in parentheses after the quote. In a narrative citation , you name the author in your sentence (followed by the year), and place the page number after the quote.

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed after the citation, not within the quotation marks .

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin, 1859, p. 510) .
  • Darwin (1859) explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (p. 510) .

Complete guide to APA

Citing a quote in mla style.

An MLA in-text citation includes only the author’s last name and a page number. As in APA, it can be parenthetical or narrative, and a period (or other punctuation mark) appears after the citation.

  • Evolution is a gradual process that “can act only by very short and slow steps” (Darwin 510) .
  • Darwin explains that evolution “can act only by very short and slow steps” (510) .

Complete guide to MLA

Citing a quote in chicago style.

Chicago style uses Chicago footnotes to cite sources. A note, indicated by a superscript number placed directly after the quote, specifies the author, title, and page number—or sometimes fuller information .

Unlike with parenthetical citations, in this style, the period or other punctuation mark should appear within the quotation marks, followed by the footnote number.

Complete guide to Chicago style

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Make sure you integrate quotes properly into your text by introducing them in your own words, showing the reader why you’re including the quote and providing any context necessary to understand it.  Don’t  present quotations as stand-alone sentences.

There are three main strategies you can use to introduce quotes in a grammatically correct way:

  • Add an introductory sentence
  • Use an introductory signal phrase
  • Integrate the quote into your own sentence

The following examples use APA Style citations, but these strategies can be used in all styles.

Introductory sentence

Introduce the quote with a full sentence ending in a colon . Don’t use a colon if the text before the quote isn’t a full sentence.

If you name the author in your sentence, you may use present-tense verbs , such as “states,” “argues,” “explains,” “writes,” or “reports,” to describe the content of the quote.

  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • In Denmark, a recent poll shows that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that support for the EU has grown since the Brexit vote: “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Introductory signal phrase

You can also use a signal phrase that mentions the author or source, but doesn’t form a full sentence. In this case, you follow the phrase with a comma instead of a colon.

  • According to a recent poll, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • As Levring (2018) explains, “A membership referendum held today would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” (p. 3).

Integrated into your own sentence

To quote a phrase that doesn’t form a full sentence, you can also integrate it as part of your sentence, without any extra punctuation .

  • A recent poll suggests that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (Levring, 2018, p. 3).
  • Levring (2018) reports that EU membership “would be backed by 55 percent of Danish voters” in a referendum (p. 3).

When you quote text that itself contains another quote, this is called a nested quotation or a quote within a quote. It may occur, for example, when quoting dialogue from a novel.

To distinguish this quote from the surrounding quote, you enclose it in single (instead of double) quotation marks (even if this involves changing the punctuation from the original text). Make sure to close both sets of quotation marks at the appropriate moments.

Note that if you only quote the nested quotation itself, and not the surrounding text, you can just use double quotation marks.

  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “ “ Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, ” he told me, “ just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had ” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway introduces his narrative by quoting his father: “‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1).
  • Carraway begins by quoting his father’s invocation to “remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had” (Fitzgerald 1).

Note:  When the quoted text in the source comes from another source, it’s best to just find that original source in order to quote it directly. If you can’t find the original source, you can instead cite it indirectly .

Often, incorporating a quote smoothly into your text requires you to make some changes to the original text. It’s fine to do this, as long as you clearly mark the changes you’ve made to the quote.

Shortening a quote

If some parts of a passage are redundant or irrelevant, you can shorten the quote by removing words, phrases, or sentences and replacing them with an ellipsis (…). Put a space before and after the ellipsis.

Be careful that removing the words doesn’t change the meaning. The ellipsis indicates that some text has been removed, but the shortened quote should still accurately represent the author’s point.

Altering a quote

You can add or replace words in a quote when necessary. This might be because the original text doesn’t fit grammatically with your sentence (e.g., it’s in a different verb tense), or because extra information is needed to clarify the quote’s meaning.

Use brackets to distinguish words that you have added from words that were present in the original text.

The Latin term “ sic ” is used to indicate a (factual or grammatical) mistake in a quotation. It shows the reader that the mistake is from the quoted material, not a typo of your own.

In some cases, it can be useful to italicize part of a quotation to add emphasis, showing the reader that this is the key part to pay attention to. Use the phrase “emphasis added” to show that the italics were not part of the original text.

You usually don’t need to use brackets to indicate minor changes to punctuation or capitalization made to ensure the quote fits the style of your text.

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write a letter quote

If you quote more than a few lines from a source, you must format it as a block quote . Instead of using quotation marks, you set the quote on a new line and indent it so that it forms a separate block of text.

Block quotes are cited just like regular quotes, except that if the quote ends with a period, the citation appears after the period.

To the end of his days Bilbo could never remember how he found himself outside, without a hat, a walking-stick or any money, or anything that he usually took when he went out; leaving his second breakfast half-finished and quite unwashed-up, pushing his keys into Gandalf’s hands, and running as fast as his furry feet could carry him down the lane, past the great Mill, across The Water, and then on for a mile or more. (16)

Avoid relying too heavily on quotes in academic writing . To integrate a source , it’s often best to paraphrase , which means putting the passage in your own words. This helps you integrate information smoothly and keeps your own voice dominant.

However, there are some situations in which quoting is more appropriate.

When focusing on language

If you want to comment on how the author uses language (for example, in literary analysis ), it’s necessary to quote so that the reader can see the exact passage you are referring to.

When giving evidence

To convince the reader of your argument, interpretation or position on a topic, it’s often helpful to include quotes that support your point. Quotes from primary sources (for example, interview transcripts or historical documents) are especially credible as evidence.

When presenting an author’s position or definition

When you’re referring to secondary sources such as scholarly books and journal articles, try to put others’ ideas in your own words when possible.

But if a passage does a great job at expressing, explaining, or defining something, and it would be very difficult to paraphrase without changing the meaning or losing the weakening the idea’s impact, it’s worth quoting directly.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Paraphrasing
  • Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

In academic writing , there are three main situations where quoting is the best choice:

  • To analyze the author’s language (e.g., in a literary analysis essay )
  • To give evidence from primary sources
  • To accurately present a precise definition or argument

Don’t overuse quotes; your own voice should be dominant. If you just want to provide information from a source, it’s usually better to paraphrase or summarize .

Every time you quote a source , you must include a correctly formatted in-text citation . This looks slightly different depending on the citation style .

For example, a direct quote in APA is cited like this: “This is a quote” (Streefkerk, 2020, p. 5).

Every in-text citation should also correspond to a full reference at the end of your paper.

A block quote is a long quote formatted as a separate “block” of text. Instead of using quotation marks , you place the quote on a new line, and indent the entire quote to mark it apart from your own words.

The rules for when to apply block quote formatting depend on the citation style:

  • APA block quotes are 40 words or longer.
  • MLA block quotes are more than 4 lines of prose or 3 lines of poetry.
  • Chicago block quotes are longer than 100 words.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

  • APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
  • MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

In scientific subjects, the information itself is more important than how it was expressed, so quoting should generally be kept to a minimum. In the arts and humanities, however, well-chosen quotes are often essential to a good paper.

In social sciences, it varies. If your research is mainly quantitative , you won’t include many quotes, but if it’s more qualitative , you may need to quote from the data you collected .

As a general guideline, quotes should take up no more than 5–10% of your paper. If in doubt, check with your instructor or supervisor how much quoting is appropriate in your field.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & Caulfield, J. (2023, May 31). How to Quote | Citing Quotes in APA, MLA & Chicago. Scribbr. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-quote/

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  • Letter Writing
  • Formal Letter Writing In English
  • Quotation Letter Format

Quotation Letter Format and Samples

A quotation letter is a formal letter written to quote the price of a particular product or service. A quotation letter is sent by a seller or service provider when the customer requests a quotation letter. A quotation letter can be used for various purposes. It can be used to evaluate the approximate cost and expenditure involved in the purchase of an item or multiple items and also for reimbursement provided by the company for a particular product or service.

This article on quotation letter format explains the elements a quotation letter must contain and also gives you sample quotation letters that you can use as a reference when you have to draft a quotation letter.

Table of Contents

How to write a quotation letter.

  • Sample Quotation Letter – Requesting a Quotation Letter with the Fee Details of Various Courses

Sample Quotation Letter – Responding to the Request for a Quotation Letter

Sample quotation email format – requesting a quotation for the bulk purchase of products, sample quotation mail – request for information regarding the availability and cost of products.

  • FAQs on Quotation Letter Format

A quotation letter or a quotation mail is an official letter sent out to a manufacturer, a distributor or an organisation who deliver the required products or services. A request for a quotation is an enquiry about the prices and availability of the products or services. The main reason behind requesting a quotation letter is to evaluate if the particular product or service can be afforded or is well within the budget of the buyer.

Before you send a quotation request, ensure that you know perfectly well about what you need. List out clearly the product/service and the quantity required along with the specifications, if any. In case you are not sure about something, you can ask the distributor/manufacturer to provide details regarding the same. Check for the availability of the required quantity of products/services and enquire about the shipping cost as well. Be sure to let your receiver know that you are expecting a response from their side within a particular date.

Sample Quotation Letters

Go through the given sample quotation letters to have a better understanding of the format of a quotation letter.

Explore the different types of letter writing in this article on Letter Writing .

Sample Quotation Letter – Requesting for a Quotation Letter with the Fee Details of Various Courses

25 B, Pavilion Apartments

Chennai – 600023

21 st August, 2021

The Managing Director

VITA Training Academy

39, Alangad Census Town

Paravur, Ernakulam – 683513

Subject: Enquiry about Selenium Automation with Java/Python and Selenium with Appium courses

Respected Sir/Ma’am,

I have been working as a Manual Tester for four years. I am looking for short-term certificate courses to upskill myself and to suit the growing needs of my company. I came across your institute and found it to be highly promising and efficient.

I would like to know the details about the fees and duration of the Selenium Automation with Java/Python and Selenium with Appium courses. It would be highly appreciated if you could provide me with a quotation of the fees applicable for each of the courses as I have to submit it to the management. Also, if there are other Automation courses that would be suitable, please let me know.

I request you to kindly send me the quotation letter as soon as possible so that I can start taking classes soon.

Thanking you

Yours faithfully,

SHANU SHYAM

23 rd August, 2021

Mr. Shanu Shyam

Subject: Reply to your request for quotation letter dated 21/08/2021

Thank you for your letter. We appreciate your interest in taking up certificate courses at our training centre.

We would like to point out that we offer hands-on training for all IT related courses. You will also be required to work on a real-time project for the successful completion of the course.

Given below are details regarding the various courses for your reference. We have also given the fee details for other courses related to Selenium automation.

Please feel free to contact us in case of any doubts or queries.

Signature of the Managing Director

VIVIN CHRISTO

Managing Director, VITA Training Academy

Contact number: 99999

Email id : [email protected]

Recipient’s email id: [email protected]

Subject: Request for a Quotation for the Bulk Purchase of Products

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

Following our discussions with your Sales and Marketing Manager, we are pleased to inform you that we would like to purchase the following products from your company.

We would be open to having a deal as we would like to buy these products in large quantities, if you have offers on bulk purchases. Kindly send us a quotation for the above-mentioned products so we can discuss and proceed with the order. Hope and trust that you will quote the most favourable terms and prices. We expect a reply from you by the 15 th of January, 2022.

Please feel free to reach out to us in case you require any further clarifications. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you very much

STANLEY GEORGE

Email id : [email protected]

Receiver’s mail address: [email protected]

Subject: Request for a Quotation

I am Sachin, the Marketing Executive of AND Clothing Pvt. Ltd. I am writing to request you a quotation for the following fabrics.

Kindly confirm if these products are available and also send us the per metre cost and the discounted wholesale price for the above-mentioned fabrics, including the shipping cost. We expect a reply within a week.

Feel free to call or write to us in case of any queries or clarifications. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your time.

ANUPAMA SRINIVASAN

Contact Number: 12345

Frequently Asked Questions on Quotation Letter Format

How do i write a quotation letter.

A quotation letter should be written in the format of a formal letter. It must include the sender’s and receiver’s addresses. The date and subject should be mentioned. It should begin with a salutation and end with the complimentary closing, signature and sender’s name in block letters. It should provide all the details requested by the buyer.

What is the purpose of a quotation?

A quotation is given or requested in order to be able to evaluate if the cost of the required products/services lies within the budget of the buyer.

How do I write a quotation request mail?

A quotation mail requires the recipient’s mail id and the subject. Take care to mention the list of items for which you would like to know the availability and price. Ensure that you let the recipient know that you are expecting a reply from them within a particular date. Thank the recipient for their time.

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How to Use Quotation Marks

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A rundown of the general rules of when and where to use quotation marks.

Using Quotation Marks

The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry. Since you will most often use them when working with outside sources, successful use of quotation marks is a practical defense against accidental plagiarism and an excellent practice in academic honesty. The following rules of quotation mark use are the standard in the United States, although it may be of interest that usage rules for this punctuation do vary in other countries.

The following covers the basic use of quotation marks. For details and exceptions consult the separate sections of this guide.

Direct Quotations

Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing.

  • Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material.

Mr. Johnson, who was working in his field that morning, said, "The alien spaceship appeared right before my own two eyes."

Although Mr. Johnson has seen odd happenings on the farm, he stated that the spaceship "certainly takes the cake" when it comes to unexplainable activity.

"I didn't see an actual alien being," Mr. Johnson said, "but I sure wish I had."

When quoting text with a spelling or grammar error, you should transcribe the error exactly in your own text. However, also insert the term sic in italics directly after the mistake, and enclose it in brackets. Sic is from the Latin, and translates to "thus," "so," or "just as that." The word tells the reader that your quote is an exact reproduction of what you found, and the error is not your own.

Mr. Johnson says of the experience, "It's made me reconsider the existence of extraterestials [ sic ]."

  • Quotations are most effective if you use them sparingly and keep them relatively short. Too many quotations in a research paper will get you accused of not producing original thought or material (they may also bore a reader who wants to know primarily what YOU have to say on the subject).

Indirect Quotations

Indirect quotations are not exact wordings but rather rephrasings or summaries of another person's words. In this case, it is not necessary to use quotation marks. However, indirect quotations still require proper citations, and you will be committing plagiarism if you fail to do so.

Many writers struggle with when to use direct quotations versus indirect quotations. Use the following tips to guide you in your choice.

Use direct quotations when the source material uses language that is particularly striking or notable. Do not rob such language of its power by altering it.

The above should never stand in for:

Use an indirect quotation (or paraphrase) when you merely need to summarize key incidents or details of the text.

Use direct quotations when the author you are quoting has coined a term unique to her or his research and relevant within your own paper.

When to use direct quotes versus indirect quotes is ultimately a choice you'll learn a feeling for with experience. However, always try to have a sense for why you've chosen your quote. In other words, never put quotes in your paper simply because your teacher says, "You must use quotes."

Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, inserting or altering words in a direct quotation.

  • CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by Nancy Lewis

What punctuation should be used when words are inserted or altered in a direct quotation?

When writers insert or alter words in a direct quotation, square brackets—[ ]—are placed around the change. The brackets, always used in pairs, enclose words intended to clarify meaning, provide a brief explanation, or to help integrate the quote into the writer’s sentence.  A common error writers make is to use parentheses in place of brackets.

How are square brackets used around clarifying or explanatory words?

Let’s look at an example:

Quotation with brackets used correctly around a clarifying word:

“It [driving] imposes a heavy procedural workload on cognition that . . . leaves little processing capacity available for other tasks” (Salvucci and Taatgen 107). [1]

Note : Brackets are placed around the inserted word in this example to let the reader know that ‘driving’ clarifies the meaning of the pronoun ‘it.’

Quotation with parentheses incorrectly used in place of brackets:

“It (driving) imposes a heavy procedural workload on cognition that . . . leaves little processing capacity available for other tasks” (Salvucci and Taatgen 107).

Note : Parentheses are used incorrectly in place of brackets in this example, making the inserted word look like it could be part of the original text.

Let’s look at another example:

Quotation with brackets used correctly around an explanatory insert:

“[D]riving is not as automatic as one might think; in fact, it imposes a heavy procedural workload [visual and motor demands] on cognition that . . . leaves little processing capacity available for other tasks” (Salvucci and Taatgen 107).

Note : Brackets are placed around the inserted words in this example to provide further explanation of the “procedural workload” discussed in the original text.

“[D]riving is not as automatic as one might think; in fact, it imposes a heavy procedural workload (visual and motor demands) on cognition that . . . leaves little processing capacity available for other tasks” (Salvucci and Taatgen 107).

Note : Parentheses are used incorrectly in place of brackets in this example, making the inserted words look like they are part of the original text.

How are square brackets used to help integrate a quote properly?

Original direct quotation beginning with an upper case letter:

“The heavy cognitive workload of driving suggests that any secondary task has the potential to affect driver behavior” (Salvucci and Taatgen 108).

Integrated quotation with brackets used correctly to indicate a change in letter case:

Salvucci and Taatgen propose that “[t]he heavy cognitive workload of driving suggests that any secondary task has the potential to affect driver behavior” (108).

Note : Brackets are placed around the lower-case letter ‘t’ to indicate that the letter case has been changed. The quotation is introduced by a signal phrase, which makes the quote an integral part of the writer’s sentence; as a result of this syntactical change, the upper case ‘T’ in the original is changed to a lower case letter.

Original direct quotation written in the past tense:

“Not coincidentally, drivers have been increasingly engaging in secondary tasks while driving” (Salvucci and Taatgen 68).

Note : The authors’ words appear in the past tense in the original text.

Quotation with brackets used correctly to indicate a change in verb tense:

“Not coincidentally, drivers [are] increasingly engaging in secondary tasks while driving” (Salvucci and Taatgen 68).

Note : Brackets are placed around the word ‘are’ to indicate that the verb has been changed to the present tense, which is the preferred tense for most writing in MLA style. The past tense is preferred for APA style writing. 

A word of caution : Bracketed insertions may not be used to alter or add to the quotation in a way that inaccurately or unfairly represents the original text. Quite simply, do not use bracketed material in a way that twists the author’s meaning.

Bracket Use: Quick Summary

[1] Salvucci, Dario D., and Niels A. Taatgen. Multitasking Minds . Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) . Web. 20 Feb. 2012.

Brevity – Say More with Less

Brevity – Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Diction

Flow – How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

Simplicity

The Elements of Style – The DNA of Powerful Writing

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20 Great Quotations for Letter-Writers

Fountain Pen on a Letter

Letter-writing was once a normal part of life. Today, with dozens of communication technologies to choose from many people have moved away from letter writing. But that may be changing as millennials who did not grow up with letters and “snail mail” are introduced to the joy of the hand-written letter.

Here are a few of our favorite quotations on letter-writing. Do you have a favorite?

I love the rebelliousness of snail mail, and I love anything that can arrive with a postage stamp. There's something about that person's breath and hands on the letter. ~Diane Lane

I consider it a good rule for letter-writing to leave unmentioned what the recipient already knows, and instead tell him something new.  ~Sigmund Freud

Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

There must be millions of people all over the world who never get any love letters... I could be their leader.  ~Charlie Brown

To acknowledge the receipt of letters is always proper, to remove doubts of their miscarriage.  ~George Washington

To write is human, to receive a letter: Devine!  ~Susan Lendroth

A letter is the most basic—yet the most flexible—mode of correspondence, regardless of its subject matter. ~Scribendi

letters are expectations packaged in an envelope quote by Shana Alexander

Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them. ~James Fallows

Letters are something from you. It's a different kind of intention than writing an e-mail. ~Keanu Reeves

The best time to frame an answer to the letters of a friend is the moment you receive them. Then the warmth of friendship and the intelligence received, most forcibly cooperate. ~William Shenstone

My most cherished possessions are my grandma's letters and my vintage Martha Washington cookbook. ~Sandra Lee

a plain old paper letter takes on amazing intimacy quote by elizabeth kostova

I keep all of my letters, postcards, and thank you notes. I'll keep them forever! ~Jane Levy

I'm pretty sure people are going to start writing letters again once the email fad passes. ~Willie Geist

I think I became a writer because I used to write letters to my friends, and I used to love writing them. I loved the idea that you can put marks on a page and send it off, and two days later, someone laughs somewhere else in the world. ~David Nicholls

I grew up writing thank-you notes. Real, honest-to-goodness, pen-and-ink, stamped and posted letters. More than simple habit, it's about what the commitment to expressing your thoughts and feelings in writing says about the character of the writer. About the joy, such notes bring to the reader. ~Taylor Mali

More than kisses letters mingle souls. ~John Donne

Or don't you like to write letters? I do because it's such a swell way to keep from working and yet feel you've done something. ~Ernest Hemingway

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart.  ~Phyllis Theroux

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  • Sample Letters

FREE 30+ Sample Quotation Letter Templates in PDF | MS Word | Google Docs | Pages

sample quotation letter templates

Quotation letters allow individuals, companies, and organizations to inquire about the prices of materials and services offered by certain businesses. The act of sending quotation letters to business  cuts down on time and effort that are usually spent by prospective buyers in inquiring the prices of goods and services one by one.

Quotation Letters

Free 15+ sample lease proposal letter templates in pdf | pages | google docs | ms word, 11 free to whom it may concern letter samples & templates, free 12+ sample inform letter templates in pdf, sample quotation letter format in word.

price quotation letter

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Quotation Letter Sample PDF

free quotation letter

Price Quotation Letter Format in Word

cover letter for a cost quotation template

There are numerous types of quotation letters depending on their purpose. If you are currently planning to write a quotation letter, you need to make sure that you are subscribing to its standard format. To help guide you in your letter-writing , download our Quotation Letter Templates on this page.

Quotation Format Letter

free cover letter for a cost quotation

Quotation Letter

simple price quotation template

Price Offer Letter

price offer quotation letter1

Size: 82 KB

Price Quotation Letter

price quotation request letter

Size: 470 KB

What Are Quotation Letters?

A quotation letter is any letter that is being sent to communicate information or make requests about a sales quotation or a quotation proposal. For clarity, a quotation proposal is a document that contains the estimation of prices of particular products or services that a company is selling. This document is prepared by businesses and given to prospective customers or clients. You may also see appreciation letters

What Are the Different Purposes of Quotation Letters?

Since a quotation letter is any letter that is intended for communicating information regarding a quotation and there are different types of information that may be addressed in the process of creating a quotation, then it is only logical that there be different types of quotation letters. You may also see formal letters .

Quotation letters have many types depending on the purpose of writing it. The following are the most common usage of quotation letters:

  • A quotation letter is written by a prospective customer to request a quotation proposal from a business.
  • Quotation letters are written by a bidding organizer to a couple of businesses or companies to ask them to create a quotation proposal, as well as bring this proposal during a scheduled bidding event or bidding process.
  • A quotation letter is written by a prospective customer/buyer to negotiate some terms, prices, or payment, and delivery methods indicated in a quotation proposal.
  • A quotation letter is also written by a prospective customer/buyer to approve or agree to the contents of a company’s quotation proposal.
  • On the other hand, a quotation letter is also sent to communicate a prospective buyer’s rejection of the terms or prices in a quotation proposal .
  • A quotation proposal is sent by companies or businesses in order to inform prospective buyers regarding the revisions they have made in their quotation proposals.

Sample Letter for Quotation Request PDF

approval request letter1

Quotation Request Letter

quotation request reply letter

Sample Price Proposal and Quotation Letter

business proposal quotation letter

Size: 569 KB

Request Letter for Quotation

business quotation cover letter

Size: 160 KB

Sample Quotation Letter

construction quotation cover letter

Size: 715 KB

Quotation for Approval

request for quotation approval letter

Size: 654 KB

Quotation Format Letter PDF

sample quotation cover letter

Size: 11 KB

What Are the Benefits of Writing Quotation Letters?

There are several advantages of practicing the act of formally sending letters in dealing with the other party in a quotation or bidding process. The following are the most notable benefits of writing quotation letters :

1. A quotation letter allows both parties to be clear.

Letters have a standard format thus the information that it contains would be presented in an easily visible and coherent way. Since a properly written quotation letter is bereft of any ambiguity, it thus means that both the business and the prospective customer can clearly and succinctly enunciate the particular aspects of a quotation that they want to address. You may also see introduction letters .

2. A quotation letter is a formal document that can be admissible in court.

In case there is any confusion as to the terms of a quotation proposal, quotation letters are strong forms of evidence as to the correspondences between the business and its customer. Through the perusal of an authentic quotation letter, the court can examine the aspects of a quotation proposal that both parties have agreed to. You may also see admiration letters .

3. A quotation letter can hold each party liable for any violation of the terms in a quotation proposal.

For example, if the buyer has decided to accept the terms cited in a quotation proposal and has then sent a letter accepting the said proposal together with the payment of the total amount indicated in the proposal. Then afterward, the business failed to deliver the goods on the day it was expected. In this scenario, the buyer has the remedy of going to court and using the quotation letters as evidence of a business agreement format .

To know more about quotation letters, download our templates on this page or you can check out our collection of Quotation Letter Samples. Simply click on the link provided.

Revised Price Quotation Letter Sample

revised quotation letter format

Size: 529 KB

Revised Quotation Format

sales quotation letter format

Size: 87 KB

Quotation Acceptance Letter

quotation offer acceptance letter

Size: 27 KB

Sample Price Quotation Letter

price quotation acceptance letter

Simple Quotation Letter

sponsorship quotation request letter

Size: 370 KB

Formal Quotation Letter

hotel room quotation letter

Size: 205 KB

What Is a Formal Quotation Request Letter?

A formal quotation request letter is a type of quotation letter that is sent by a prospective customer to a business or company. The purpose of this letter is to formally request a business to prepare a quotation proposal and submit it on a particular date.

What Is the Importance of a Quotation Request Letter?

Most prospective customers are always looking out for goods and services that are of the cheapest price. Of course, these customers would also assess the quality of the products or services offered by a business. Not only that, but it is also important for customers that the available payment receipts methods should they decide to do business with a company are feasible, practical, and more convenient.

Indeed, numerous factors can affect a prospective customer’s decision in which business to engage with, that is why most customers would benefit by making inquiries regarding the products or services that they plan to purchase or avail. You may also see event proposal letters .

The matter of selecting the perfect supplier or service provider is a particularly serious one. It is for this reason that prospective customers, especially those who intend to acquire goods or services by bulk, would benefit the most by asking for quotation proposals from various businesses. Take a look at the  leadership recommendation letters  that are mentioned on the internet for more.

Request for Price Quote Email Sample PDF

product price quotation letter

Size: 44 KB

Price Offer Letter Format

product quotation inquiry letter

Size: 22 KB

Quotation Letter Examples

vehicle quotation request letter

Size: 656 KB

Request for Quotation Email Sample

sample vehicle quotation letter

Size: 513 KB

What to Include in a Formal Quotation Request Letter?

A formal quotation request letter has various parts and those are the following:

1. Letterhead.

The letterhead contains the following parts:

  • The heading for the information of the prospective buyer (his/her name, contact information, and address)
  • The heading block for the information of the company or business (its complete company name, business address, contact information)

2. Formal Salutation.

Letter-recipient should be addressed professionally since it is a business document.

3. Body of the Letter.

The following are the necessary aspects that must be covered in this part:

  • The initial statement that clearly expresses the purpose of the letter, which is to request the letter-recipient to prepare and submit a quotation proposal. You may also see complaint letters .
  • The explanation of the reason behind the need for a quotation proposal.
  • The enumeration of the particular products or services that the prospective customer wishes to address in the quotation proposal being requested.
  • The specific date when the quotation proposal should be submitted.

4. Formal Closing.

The letter should be ended in a polite and closing remark. Below it is a space sufficient for the prospective buyer’s signature and complete name. You may also see donation request letters .

To know more about the specific content and format of a formal quotation request letter, feel free to check out our collection of Quotation Letters in Doc. Access these templates by clicking on the link provided.

Quotation Writing Format

vendor quotation letter format

Request for Quotation Letter

vendor quotation request letter

Sample of Quotation

regret letter for wrong quotation

Size: 38 KB

What Is a Quotation Offer Acceptance Letter?

A quotation offer acceptance letter is a type of quotation letter that expresses the prospective customer’s acceptance of the terms indicated in the specific quotation proposal being submitted by a business. This letter portrays the prospective buyer’s willingness to engage in business with the business that prepared the approved quotation proposal sample .

If you are writing this type of quotation letter, here are some guidelines that you need to follow:

  • Make the first sentence of your letter a clear statement of your acceptance of the quotation proposal.
  • After that, indicate the specific items in the quotation proposal that you have accepted.
  • If there are any minor aspects of the quotation proposal that you need to alter, you can also suggest by delineating the specifics of your preference. It can be that you want the price to be changed, or the arrangements regarding the delivery method, as well as the payment terms. You may also see marketing proposal letters .
  • You can also use this opportunity by adding some items that you forgot to ask for in your quotation request letter. For example, if there are additional goods or services that you need and are not included in the quotation proposal, you can ask the business to provide you with another proposal for such items or you may simply request that they revise the previous one, with the assurance that you agree to its prices beforehand. You may also see official letters .

Formal Quotation Letters Template

Formal quotation request letter.

formal quotation request letter

Formal Price Quotation

formal price quotation letter

Size: 157 KB

What is Quotation Used?

Quotations  are widely used in business for several purposes. They serve as formal documents that provide cost estimates and terms for products or services to potential customers or clients. Key uses include:

  • Pricing Information:  Quotations itemize costs, enabling customers to assess the affordability of a purchase.
  • Transparency:  They offer transparency in pricing and terms, fostering trust and clear communication in business transactions.
  • Decision-Making:  Customers use quotations to compare offers from different suppliers, aiding informed decision-making.
  • Formal Offers:  Quotations serve as formal offers, creating a legally binding contract when accepted.
  • Records:  They create a written record of the agreed-upon terms, helping resolve disputes or misunderstandings.

Offer Quotation Letters Template

Price offer quotation letter.

price offer quotation letters

Size: 56 KB

Offer Quotation Cover Letter Template

offer quotation cover letter

Size: 131 KB

What Is a Revised Quotation Letter?

A revised quotation letter serves as the cover letter introduction of a revised quotation proposal. Oftentimes, a prospective customer would negotiate the prices, delivery, and payment methods of a quotation proposal. In response to this, businesses try to cater to the customer’s needs by revising the quotation proposal that they have submitted.

Upon submitting this revised proposal, it is best to attach a revised quotation proposal that would enlighten the prospective customer as to the particular parts that have been revised. Download our Quotation Letters format  now and get started on writing your quotation letter.

How can I Make Quotation?

  • Header Information:  Include your company’s name, address, contact details, date, and a unique quotation number.
  • Recipient Details:  Add the recipient’s name, address, and contact information.
  • Title and Introduction: Provide a title for the sample quotation and a brief introduction expressing appreciation for the opportunity.
  • Itemized List:  Create a detailed list of products or services, including descriptions, quantities, unit prices, and total prices.
  • Pricing Information:  Specify unit prices, calculate subtotals, and add any applicable taxes, fees, or discounts.
  • Terms and Conditions:  Outline payment terms, delivery terms, warranties, and any relevant information.
  • Total Amount:  Calculate and display the total cost, which includes subtotals and additional charges.
  • Validity and Expiration Date:  Specify the quotation’s validity period to encourage timely decisions.
  • Payment Instructions:  Clearly state how payments should be made and provide relevant contact information.
  • Contact Information:  Offer your contact details for inquiries or clarifications.
  • Closing:  Conclude with gratitude and a call to action, inviting the recipient to accept or discuss the quotation.
  • Signature and Date:  Include your name, title, signature, and date.
  • Save and Send:  Save the quotation and send it to the recipient via email, mail, or the appropriate method. Tailor the quotation to the recipient’s needs and ensure accuracy, transparency, and professionalism in the document.

General FAQs

1. what is a quotation letter.

A quotation letter can be defined as a document that has the price of the service or a product. This could vary from a customer/client requesting or accepting a sample quote to the service provider. The quoted amount is sent to the supplier/service provider.

2. What is a Quotation Letter used for?

A quotation letter is written by a prospective customer to request forms  for quotation proposal for/from a business. A quotation letter is written by a prospective buyer or a customer for negotiating terms, prices or payment, delivery methods, the goods, and services, etc. that are indicated in a quotation proposal.

3. What Should be Included in a Quotation Letter?

A quotation letter has a few details that must be included in it without fail. They are:

  • Company’s name, contacts, tax, registration number, etc.
  • Details of the recipient like the name, address, etc.
  • Prices of specific goods selected
  • Payment terms
  • Quotation time and date
  • Conditions of delivery
  • All details required by the buyer.

4. How do you Send a Quote to a Client?

Always send the quote as soon as possible after the client has contacted you requesting it, maybe within 24 hours. The best way to present a quote to a client is to send them an email writing in PDF format . Emails are professional, easy to track and follow up if accepted.

5. What are the Benefits of Writing a Quotation Letter?

There are plenty of benefits when you use a quotation letter. Some of them are:

  • A quotation letter outline allow both partied to be clear on the terms and conditions
  • It is a formal document that is legal
  • It helps hold parties liable for any violation of the terms mentioned in the proposal.

6. What is Quotation in Business?

In the realm of business, a quotation is a formal document provided by a seller to a potential customer. It outlines the pricing and terms of products or services being offered, often itemizing costs, quantities, and any associated fees. Quotations format facilitate transparent and clear communication between sellers and customers, helping both parties understand the financial aspects of a potential transaction. They play a critical role in allowing customers to assess and compare offers from different suppliers, empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions. Additionally, quotations establish the foundation for a mutual understanding of the terms and conditions of a business deal, contributing to a smoother and more accountable exchange.

7. What is a Quotation Price?

A quotation price  is the specific cost or monetary value a seller or service provider offers for a product or service in a quotation document. It itemizes the price for each item or service listed, helping potential customers assess affordability and make informed decisions.

8. What is Direct Quotation?

A direct quotation, in the context of writing or reporting, is the exact replication of someone else’s spoken or written words within quotation marks. It serves to present the original statement or text verbatim, without any alteration. Direct quotations are used to provide evidence, support arguments, or convey information while attributing it to the original source. They are a common practice in journalism, academic writing, and other sample forms of content creation where accuracy and integrity are vital. Direct quotations offer transparency and allow readers to see the precise words of the source, whether it’s an interviewee, a book, an article, or any other form of documented communication.

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What to Write in a Valentine's Day Card to Show Your Love

"Valentine’s Day is all about love, so I’m sending some of mine to you." 💌

what to write in a valentines card

Whether you're filling out a card for your significant other or letting your friends know how much you love them, you're always left wondering what to write in a Valentine's Day card. That's why we're helping you put pen to paper with a plethora of happy Valentine's Day wishes that you can copy or tweak to fit your needs. Write a sentimental note full of romantic Valentine's Day quotes and love messages for your partner, then seal it with a kiss! There's also cute Galentine's Day quotes that you can send to all of your besties and love quotes for your dearest family members. We've even included some funny Valentine's Day quotes that are sure to make anyone smile.

So, if you're at a loss for words, just read on to get some inspiration for what to write in a Valentine's Day card! Whoever is on the receiving end will feel so loved and appreciated when they open your heartfelt, handwritten message. And that's what February 14 is all about!

Cute Valentine’s Day Messages

what to write in a valentines card

  • Valentine’s Day is all about love, so I’m sending some of mine to you.
  • Cupid called. He said stop being cuter than him.
  • Have the happiest heart day ever!
  • The best things in life are better with you. Happy V-Day!
  • You are so loved; I hope you feel that today and every day!
  • To the best mom/dad/brother/sister, thank you for filling my world with love.
  • Happy Galentine's Day to my bff. Wishing you a love-filled day.
  • You never fail to give me butterflies. I love you, baby!
  • I can't believe I got you as a Valentine again this year. XOXO.
  • May this Valentine’s Day bring all the love your heart can hold!
  • I love you more than any candy heart could ever say.
  • I couldn't ask for a better Valentine's Day gift than you!
  • Every love story is beautiful, but ours is definitely my favorite.
  • Thanks for being my forever Valentine! I love you so much!
  • Happy Valentine's Day from your not-so-secret admirer.
  • As long as I have family, my heart will always be full. Happy Valentine's Day!
  • I'll take any excuse to say "I love you" to the people who matter most. For me, that's you! Love you lots!
  • Cupid hit the nail, and I couldn't be happier! Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart.
  • Wishing you a beautiful day filled with all the love and happiness you deserve.

Romantic Valentine’s Day Messages

what to write in a valentines card

  • Happy Valentine’s Day to the most special person in my life. I love you more than words can express.
  • Valentine's Day is just one day of the year, but you should know that I love you every day and every moment. Take my love today and always!
  • Thank you for being you and thank you for being mine.
  • To my favorite person this Valentine's Day, I couldn't ask for someone who loves and supports me more than you do.
  • I'm still falling for you every single day. Happy Valentine's Day!
  • Here's to another Valentine's Day spent with the love of my life—and to many more. I can't wait for forever with you.
  • You're the reason I am who I am today. Thank you for everything you do. I love you so much!
  • Again and again, I would choose you. Happy Valentine’s Day.
  • Happy Valentine's Day to my darling wife/husband. You are the most amazing person and I am truly fortunate to be your partner in life.
  • I could celebrate you every day of the year. Happy Valentine's Day, my love.
  • Happy Valentine’s Day—you’re my happily-ever-after.
  • Thank you for all the good you’ve brought to my life! Let's celebrate us.
  • Another Valentine's Day growing older with you is always my greatest pleasure. I can't wait for so many more.
  • I love waking up with you, my soulmate, each and every morning! You make every day feel like Valentine's Day.
  • My favorite place in the world is next to you. I'm yours forever, baby!
  • I hope you know how special you are to me. You're my rock and I don't know what I'd do without you. Happy Valentine's Day!
  • We've shared so many happy Valentine's Days, and there are still many more to come! Wishing a very Happy Valentine's Day to the best husband/wife in the world.

Funny Valentine’s Day Messages

what to write in a valentines card

  • Sorry this card is late, I was trying to catch the February 15th chocolate sales!
  • Here’s to a Valentine’s Day filled with good wine, good food, and especially good friends like you!
  • You’re sweeter than any heart-shaped box of chocolates.
  • If this card could talk, it would say, "Get me out of this envelope!" And then it would say, "Happy Valentine's Day. I love you!"
  • Who needs a valentine when I have a best friend like you?
  • All the heart eye emojis for you today and always!
  • I’m so thankful to have found someone as weird as me. Love you!
  • Thanks for putting up with me all this time, and I'm sorry to say it might be quite a while longer. Happy Valentine's Day!
  • I love you more than [insert favorite food here].
  • You are so lucky to have me—and vice versa, I guess!
  • Thanks for being my emergency contact!
  • We’ve been friends for so long that we’re basically married! Love you, bestie.

Kid-Friendly Valentine’s Day Messages

what to write in a valentines card

  • Wishing the best Valentine’s Day to a very special kid!
  • Sending big hugs and smooches your way.
  • Happy Valentine’s Day to a sweet [daughter/son]. I love you so much.
  • You’re my most favorite love bug in the whole wide world!
  • Happy "Eat-a-Ton-of-Chocolate Day" to you!
  • You make me laugh and smile every day, little one. I love you.
  • Roses are red. Violets are blue. You’re my Valentine’s Day sweetie, and I’ll always love you!
  • Remember, you're sweet enough even before you gobble up all of this candy.
  • You are my sunshine. Happy Valentine's Day, kiddo!
  • You are always on my mind and in my heart, dearest son/daughter! Here's to you.

Valentine’s Day Quotes

what to write in a valentines card

  • "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." —Charles M. Schulz
  • "In case you ever foolishly forget: I am never not thinking about you." —Virginia Woolf
  • "Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." —Franklin P. Jones
  • "We loved with a love that was more than love." —Edgar Allan Poe
  • "For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home." —Stephanie Perkins
  • "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." —Emily Bronte
  • "The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return." —Nat King Cole
  • "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." —Audrey Hepburn
  • "If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever." —Alfred Tennyson
  • "Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze." —Elinor Glyn
  • "In all the world, there is no love for you like mine." —Maya Angelou
  • "My heart is and always will be yours." —Jane Austen

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Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.

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Inside Aleksei Navalny’s Final Months, in His Own Words

Trump. Indian food. Matthew Perry. And books, books, books. Excerpts from letters obtained by The Times show Mr. Navalny’s active mind, even amid brutal prison conditions.

  • Share full article

Bouquets of flowers surround a portrait of Aleksei A. Navalny at a memorial in Germany.

By Anton Troianovski

Reporting from Berlin

Confined to cold, concrete cells and often alone with his books, Aleksei A. Navalny sought solace in letters. To one acquaintance, he wrote in July that no one could understand Russian prison life “without having been here,” adding in his deadpan humor: “But there’s no need to be here.”

“If they’re told to feed you caviar tomorrow, they’ll feed you caviar,” Mr. Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, wrote to the same acquaintance, Ilia Krasilshchik, in August. “If they’re told to strangle you in your cell, they’ll strangle you.”

Many details about his last months — as well as the circumstances of his death, which the Russian authorities announced on Friday — remain unknown; even the whereabouts of his body are unclear.

Mr. Navalny’s aides have said little as they process the loss. But his final months of life are detailed in previous statements from him and his aides, his appearances in court, interviews with people close to him and excerpts from private letters that several friends, including Mr. Krasilshchik, shared with The New York Times.

The letters reveal the depth of the ambition, resolve and curiosity of a leader who galvanized the opposition to President Vladimir V. Putin and who, supporters hope, will live on as a unifying symbol of their resistance. They also show how Mr. Navalny — with a healthy ego and incessant confidence that what he was doing was right — struggled to stay connected to the outside world.

Even as brutal prison conditions took their toll on his body — he was often denied medical and dental treatment — there was no hint that Mr. Navalny had lost his clarity of mind, his writings show.

He boasted of reading 44 books in English in a year and was methodically preparing for the future: refining his agenda, studying political memoirs, arguing with journalists, dispensing career advice to friends and opining on viral social media posts that his team sent him.

In his public messages, Mr. Navalny, who was 47 when he died, called his jailing since January 2021 his “space voyage.” By last fall, he was more alone than ever, forced to spend much of his time in solitary confinement and left without three of his lawyers, who were arrested for participation in an “extremist group.”

Still, he kept up with current events. To a friend, the Russian photographer Evgeny Feldman, Mr. Navalny confided that the electoral agenda of former U.S. President Donald J. Trump looked “really scary.”

“Trump will become president” should President Biden’s health suffer, Mr. Navalny wrote from his high-security prison cell. “Doesn’t this obvious thing concern the Democrats?”

A Public Life

Mr. Navalny was able to send hundreds of handwritten letters, thanks to the curious digitalization of the Russian prison system, a relic of a brief burst of liberal reform in the middle of Mr. Putin’s 24-year rule. Through a website , people could write to him for 40 cents a page and receive scans of his responses, typically a week or two after he sent them, and after they passed through a censor.

Mr. Navalny also communicated with the outside world through his lawyers, who held up documents against the window separating them after they were barred from passing papers. At one point, Mr. Navalny reported in 2022, prison officials covered the window in foil.

Then there were his frequent court hearings on new criminal cases brought by the state to extend his imprisonment, or on complaints that Mr. Navalny filed about his treatment. Mr. Navalny told Mr. Krasilshchik, a media entrepreneur now in exile in Berlin, that he enjoyed those hearings, despite the rubber-stamp nature of Russia’s judicial system.

“They distract you and help the time pass faster,” he wrote. “In addition, they provide excitement and a sense of struggle and pursuit.”

The court appearances also provided him an opportunity to show his contempt for the system. This past July, at the conclusion of a trial that resulted in another 19-year sentence, Mr. Navalny told the judge and officers in the courtroom they were “crazy.”

“You have one, God-given life, and this is what you choose to spend it on?” he said, according to text of the speech published by his team.

In one of his last hearings, by video link in January, Mr. Navalny argued for the right to longer meal breaks to consume the “two mugs of boiling water and two pieces of disgusting bread” to which he was entitled.

The appeal was rejected; indeed, throughout his imprisonment, Mr. Navalny seemed to savor food vicariously through others, according to interviews. He told Mr. Krasilshchik that he preferred doner kebabs to falafel in Berlin and took an interest in the Indian food that Mr. Feldman tried in New York.

The court also dismissed his complaint about his prison’s solitary “punishment” cells, in which Mr. Navalny spent some 300 days .

The cells were usually cold, damp and poorly ventilated 7-feet-by-10-feet concrete spaces. But Mr. Navalny was protesting something different: Inmates ordered to spend time in those cells were allowed only one book.

“I want to have 10 books in my cell,” he told the court.

Books Sustained Him

Books appeared to be at the center of Mr. Navalny’s prison life, all the way until his death.

In a letter last April to Mr. Krasilshchik, Mr. Navalny explained that he preferred to be reading 10 books simultaneously and “switch between them.” He said he came to love memoirs: “For some reason I always despised them. But they’re actually amazing.”

He was frequently soliciting reading recommendations, but also dispensed them. Describing prison life to Mr. Krasilshchik in a July letter, he recommended nine books on the subject, including a 1,012-page, three-volume set by the Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko.

Mr. Navalny added in that letter that he had reread “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” the searing Alexander Solzhenitsyn novel about Stalin’s gulag. Having survived a hunger strike and gone months “in the state of ‘I want to eat,’” Mr. Navalny said he only now started to grasp the depravity of the Soviet-era labor camps.

“You start to realize the degree of horror,” he wrote.

Around the same time, Mr. Navalny was also reading about modern Russia. Mikhail Fishman, a liberal Russian journalist and television host now working in exile from Amsterdam, heard from a Navalny aide that the opposition leader had read his new book about the assassinated opposition figure Boris Y. Nemtsov.

Mr. Fishman said he was told that Mr. Navalny liked the book, but that he viewed it as too favorable to Boris N. Yeltsin, the former Russian president.

Mr. Fishman wrote to Mr. Navalny to push back, arguing, among other things, that Mr. Yeltsin hated the K.G.B., the feared Soviet secret police that quashed dissent. Mr. Navalny responded that he was “particularly outraged” by that claim.

“Prison, investigation and trial are the same now as in the books” of Soviet dissidents, Mr. Navalny wrote, insisting that Mr. Putin’s predecessor had failed to change the Soviet system. “This is what I cannot forgive Yeltsin for.”

But Mr. Navalny also thanked Mr. Fishman for offering some details about his life in Amsterdam.

“Everyone usually thinks that I really need pathetic and heartbreaking words,” he wrote in an excerpt that Mr. Fishman shared with The Times. “But I really miss the daily grind — news about life, food, salaries, gossip.”

Kerry Kennedy, a human-rights activist and the daughter of the Democratic politician Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968, also exchanged letters with Mr. Navalny. He told her that he had cried “two or three times” while reading a book about her father recommended by a friend, according to a copy of a letter , handwritten in English, that Ms. Kennedy posted on Instagram after Mr. Navalny died.

Mr. Navalny thanked Ms. Kennedy for sending him a poster with a quote from her father’s speech about how a “ripple of hope,” multiplied a million times, “can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

“I hope one day I’ll be able to hang it on the wall of my office,” Mr. Navalny wrote.

Staying Connected

The friend who recommended the Kennedy book was Mr. Feldman, the Russian photographer who covered Mr. Navalny’s attempt to run for president in 2018. Mr. Feldman, now in exile in Latvia, said he sent at least 37 letters to Mr. Navalny since his 2021 arrest and received replies to almost all of them.

“I really like your letters,” Mr. Navalny wrote in the last message that Mr. Feldman received, dated Dec. 3, excerpts from which he shared with The Times. “They’ve got everything I like to discuss: food, politics, elections, scandalous topics and ethnicity issues.”

The latter, Mr. Feldman said, was a reference to their exchanges on antisemitism and the Gaza war. Mr. Navalny also described his newfound appreciation for the actor Matthew Perry, who died in October; though he had never watched “Friends,” Mr. Navalny was moved by an obituary he read in The Economist.

The December letter ended with Mr. Navalny’s thoughts on a preoccupation he shared with Mr. Feldman — American politics. After warning of a potential Trump presidency, Mr. Navalny concluded with a query: “Please name one current politician you admire.”

Three days after Mr. Navalny sent that letter, he disappeared .

During a frantic, 20-day search, Mr. Navalny’s exiled allies said they sent more than 600 requests to prisons and other government agencies.

On Dec. 25, Mr. Navalny’s spokeswoman declared he had been found in a remote Arctic prison known as Polar Wolf.

“I’m your new Santa Claus,” Mr. Navalny posted on social media the next day, after his lawyer visited him. “I don’t say ‘Ho-ho-ho,’ but I say ‘Oh-oh-oh’ when I look out the window, where there is night, then evening and then night again.”

In the Arctic

Mr. Navalny said in the post that he was taken on a circuitous route through the Ural Mountains to his new prison, which was classified as a harsher “special regime” facility.

Even on that journey, Mr. Navalny was reading books. He wrote to the journalist Sergei Parkhomenko that by the time he arrived at Polar Wolf he had read all that he was able to bring with him, and was forced to choose from the classics in his new prison library: Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky or Chekhov.

“Who could’ve told me that Chekhov is the most depressing Russian writer?” Mr. Navalny wrote in a letter that Mr. Parkhomenko shared on Facebook.

Mr. Parkhomenko said he received the letter on Feb. 13. Unlike Mr. Navalny’s previous letters, it was handwritten on simple, squared notebook paper and forwarded to him as a photograph by Yulia Navalnaya, Mr. Navalny’s wife. Polar Wolf didn’t allow the electronic letter-writing service offered by his previous prison.

It had become clear that the Kremlin was intent on silencing Mr. Navalny. The lawyers who had represented him for most of his time behind bars were in jail, while letters and visitors would take longer to reach him in his new prison.

Mr. Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, flew to the Arctic after the announcement of his death and, on Saturday, received an official notice that he had died at 2:17 p.m. the prior day.

Mr. Navalny’s legacy will live on, friends and allies say, in part through his writings in prison. Mr. Feldman, the photographer, said that Mr. Navalny’s legal team told him that the opposition leader had responded to at least some of the letters Mr. Feldman sent in recent weeks.

“Honestly, I think about this with horror,” Mr. Feldman said. “If the censors let them through, I’ll be getting letters from him for the next several months.”

Mr. Krasilshchik, the media entrepreneur, said he was left to ruminate on the last letter he received, in September. Mr. Navalny concluded it by positing that if South Korea and Taiwan were able to make the transition from dictatorship to democracy, then perhaps Russia could, too.

“Hope. I’ve got no problem with it,” Mr. Navalny wrote.

He signed off: “Keep writing! A.”

Neil MacFarquhar, Oleg Matsnev and Milana Mazaeva contributed reporting.

Anton Troianovski is the Moscow bureau chief for The Times. He writes about Russia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. More about Anton Troianovski

The Most Swoon-worthy Love Letters of All Time

From Barack Obama to Virginia Woolf, these sweet-talkers might just inspire you to write a love letter of your own.

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True, it’s not often that we sit down, pull out the fountain pen, spritz some perfume on a scroll, and start dashing off curlicued missives to our dearly beloved , but we are still finding ways to put our hearts on the page. Some may take a more conventional approach (see: John Legend ’s tear-jerking letter to his wife of over a decade, Chrissy Teigen , on the way their relationship has changed with the years), while others have added their own modern spin to the classic form (see: Lizzo, natch). Read on—and write your own.

1. Best letters of feverish young love

barack obama in college, love letters to alex mcnear

Before he was an American president, a bestselling author , a Time magazine Person of the Year, and (perhaps most impressively) the husband of Michelle , Barack Obama was a gawky young college student—and he was smitten . In the series of letters he wrote to his then-girlfriend Alexandra McNear between 1982 to 1984, we see a side of the former president that didn’t make it into Dreams from My Father or onto the campaign podiums: a side that is self-conscious (referring to himself as “a blathering chump”) and, at some points, downright corny (“My concern for you is as wide as the air, my confidence in you as deep as the sea, my love rich and plentiful”). It’s nice to know that even the greatest minds can go mushy under the weight of young love!

A line you should steal: I trust the strength of our relationship enough that I can show myself with curlers in my hair, my will sapped, my confidence shaken, a bit peevish perhaps, a bit dull.

2. Best letter of enduring love

black love letters by cole brown natalie johnson excerpt for her

“I don’t love you like I used to” doesn’t seem like the best way to start out a love letter to your wife of more than 10 years. Indeed, the sentence certainly made Chrissy Teigen raise an eyebrow when she read it on the track list for his album Legend . But in the intimate missive that kicks off the heart-stopping 2023 anthology Black Love Letters , John Legend makes it clear that it’s a good thing for love to change. To the then-pregnant Teigen, he writes, “I needed to tell you how proud I am of how we’ve grown together, how we’ve challenged and taught each other, how our love has evolved into something we never could have imagined when we first met. I don’t love you like I used to.” Too often, we idealize the early days of love with all the palm-sweating and butterflies and anxiety and high drama. Here Legend makes the perfect case for the slow burn: a love that includes household chores, Real Housewives, earth-shattering loss , mutual respect, and—thankfully— a whole lot of change. May we all be so lucky!

A line you should steal: If ever I am strong for you, it’s because I’ve witnessed the strength you already have inside yourself…. Like life, your spirit is persistent.

3. Best letters of brotherly love

van gogh brotherly love, self portrait

You don’t have to be an art historian to know that Vincent van Gogh, painter of The Starry Night, had some serious demons—but he also had a brother, Theo, who loved him: fiercely, unconditionally, and unpityingly. That love is captured, achingly, in the brothers’ near-constant written correspondence; of the 820 letters by Vincent collected in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum , 651 are addressed to Theo.

Today recognized as one of the most brilliant painters of all time, Vincent van Gogh spent his life in poverty and obscurity; he famously severed his own ear, spent years of his life in mental institutions, and died—likely by suicide—at the age of 37. In the eyes of Theo van Gogh, however, Vincent was always a genius. More than that, he was an older brother, and Theo looked up to Vincent, throughout his struggles, with the unabashed pride and admiration familiar to all younger siblings. On the day that his only child was born, Theo writes to tell his brother that he named him Vincent with the “wish that he may be as determined and as courageous as you.”

The world would never know and love Vincent van Gogh if Vincent van Gogh did not know and love Theo, who encouraged his brother to become a painter, tirelessly promoted his work, and offered financial and emotional support to the artist throughout his life. Though Vincent expresses guilt, many times, for his reliance on his younger brother, Theo won’t hear of it: “You’ve given it back to me several times over, both by your work and by a brotherly affection which is worth more than all the money I’ll ever possess.”

A line you should steal: May our love for one another only increase as we get older. I’m so happy that we have so much in common.

4. Best letters of writerly love

love letter inspiration, virginia woolf lesbian lover

If you are looking for a cute, low-stakes way to let your special someone know you are thinking of them, consider taking a page out of the novelist Vita Sackville-West ’s book. “I am reduced to a thing that wants Virginia,” Sackville-West wrote to Virginia Woolf in 1926 while vacationing in Milan, the first separation the lovers had endured since their all-consuming affair began. Five years before Sackville-West penned that panting missive, lawmakers voted to criminalize sexual acts "of gross indecency” between women (male homosexuality was already criminalized in Britain), but it never became law out of fear that it might advertise the possibility of same-sex exploration to delicate ladies—as we certainly could never have dreamed of the idea on our own! This failure of the male imagination left Sackville-West and Woolf—both of whom were married to men throughout their affair—in a convenient gray area as lesbian lovers, a position they exploited luxuriantly. Both writers and poets, many of their exchanges are gorgeously lyrical and pulse-quickeningly touching (from Woolf: “Yes yes yes I do like you. I am afraid to write the stronger word”), but a few are downright steamy. Take, for example, Sackville-West’s cheeky line “I regret that you have been in bed, though not with me.” If that’s not the 1930s equivalent of a sext, we don’t know what is.

A line you should steal : You have no idea how stand-offish I can be with people I don’t love. I have brought it to a fine art. But you have broken down my defences. And I don’t really resent it....

5. Best self-love letter

love letter ideas self love affirmations

We all know we need to prioritize “ self-love ,” but what exactly does that look like? If we’re not careful, it can end up looking like a chore—something approaching a New Year’s resolution to eat more kale. Lizzo’s 2019 ballad “ Soulmate ” reminds us that self-love is not about optimization or hollow affirmations but about romance, with all its indulgence, care, and (yes!) great sex. Self-love means “flowers every Sunday,” wining and dining yourself, and knowing, when you look in the mirror, just how lucky you are to be able to say, “Damn, she’s the one.”

A line you should steal: I’m my own soulmate/I know how to love me/I know that I’m always gonna hold me down.

Charley Burlock is the Associate Books Editor at Oprah Daily where she writes, edits, and assigns stories on all things literary. She holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from NYU, where she also taught undergraduate creative writing. Her work has been featured in the Atlanti c , the Los Angeles Review , Agni , the Apple News Today podcast, and elsewhere. She is currently working on a book about collective grief (but she promises she's really fun at parties). 

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Make Her Day Extra Special With These Mother's Day Messages to Your Wife

Mom and dad hugging their daughter after receiving mother's day card

  • Christin specializes in writing gift guides and shoppable articles for The Knot.
  • Christin is a freelance writer, also covering lifestyle, health, and parenting.
  • She has written for such publications as The Bump, Parents, VeryWell, Parade and LittleThings.

Your wife works hard for your family every single day, often putting her needs behind those of everyone else. So this year as Mother's Day approaches, be sure to let her know how much you love and appreciate her by crafting a sweet Mother's Day message to your wife.

The perfect addition to the Mother's Day gift for your wife that you choose for her, a message will touch her heart and give her the motivation she needs to get through those tough days taking care of little ones or balancing work and home life. Whether you keep it short and sweet, or choose to write a long letter with some love quotes for her , your wife will love that you took a moment to acknowledge the enormous load that mothers carry each and every day.

In this article:

What to Write in a Mother's Day Card to Your Wife

Sweet mother's day messages to your wife, short mother's day messages to your wife, cute mother's day quotes for your wife, example mother's day poem to your wife, example mother's day letter to your wife.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to crafting some nice words for your wife on Mother's Day. You can include a sweet message that comes from your heart, or you can choose from some famous Mother's Day quotes from people like Victor Hugo, Rudyard Kipling or even Gandhi himself! It's all about making your wife feel loved and appreciated on her special day.

When it comes to getting your thoughts out on paper, you may be wondering, how do I say happy mother's day to my wife? Wonder no more! Below, we've included 10 sweet Mother's Day messages for your wife that will shoot straight to her heart.

  • Happy Mother's Day to my other half, and the mother of our children. We hope you know how much we love you, today and every day.
  • Watching you become a mother to our kids has been the greatest honor of my entire life. Happy Mother's Day.
  • Happy Mother's Day to the most amazing wife and mom! We love you so much!
  • I'm so grateful for everything you do for me and our kids. We hope you feel special on this Mother's Day.
  • On Mother's Day, we wanted you to know how lucky we are to have you in our lives. Happy Mother's Day!
  • Wishing a happy Mother's Day to my beloved wife. You bring light to my life and do such a great job with our children. I hope one day they'll be as amazing as you.
  • I've never met a more amazing mother and I love you with all my heart. Happy Mother's Day.
  • To my beloved wife: I don't know what I did to deserve you and our amazing kids, but I wanted to say thank you for all you do for us, every day.
  • From friends, to lovers, to spouses, and now parents. And you're still that beautiful girl I love so very much. Happy Mother's Day.
  • Happy Mother's Day to the woman who does it all! I feel blessed to call you my wife, and our children are so blessed to have you as their mom.

Hoping to keep it short and sweet? These brief mother's day notes to a wife can be used to sign off on her Mother's Day card, or as a short inscription on a gift. Either way, they'll steal her heart with minimal effort.

  • Thank you for making our house a home and our life so bright! Happy Mother's Day!
  • Thank you for being my best friend, life partner and co-parent. I love you.
  • Happy Mother's Day. We are so grateful for all the sacrifices you make for our family.
  • Happy Mother's Day to the one whose love knows no bounds and whose dedication knows no limits.
  • Thank you for always going above and beyond for our family!
  • You're the greatest mom our family could ever ask for.
  • Happy Mother's Day to the world's best wife and mother!
  • I don't know where we would be without you. Happy Mother's Day.
  • Happy Mother's Day to the one who holds our hearts.
  • You're a rock. And, oh yeah - you rock! Happy Mother's Day!
  • A mother is one who does the work of many, for free. We are grateful for all you do.

When it comes to crafting the perfect Mother's Day messages for your wife, you might just find that someone else's words work best for you. That's right, there are tons of Mother's Day quotes for your wife from historical figures, TV shows, plays and much more. Include one of these on her card, or opt for more generic relationship quotes if that feels right to you. Find some of our favorite quotes for mothers right here.

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  • "Successful mothers are not the ones that have never struggled. They are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles." —Sharon Jaynes
  • "The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother." —St Therese of Lisieux
  • "It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it." —Dorothy, The Golden Girls
  • "A mother is the one who fills your heart in the first place." —Amy Tan
  • "A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." —Princess Diana
  • "A mother's love endures through all." —Washington Irving
  • "God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers." —Rudyard Kipling
  • "A mother's love is more beautiful than any fresh flower." —Debasish Mridha
  • "It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful?" —Gandhi
  • "To a child's ear, 'mother' is magic in any language." —Arlene Benedict

This year, go above and beyond and come up with your very own Mother's Day poem for your wife! No need to panic - a poem can be very short and simple. Here, you'll find two original poems to give you inspiration. The first one is a simple, four-line poem called a coupled rhyme where the first two and second two lines rhyme for a simple, pleasing rhythm.

The second is a haiku, which is a poem with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five in the third. This simple type of poem is quite easy to come up with, and it's sure to put a smile on your wife's face.

It's Mothers Day and I want you to know

I thank you for the love you show

From morning to the setting sun

You are our number one

As a mom you are

The best there ever could be

We love you so much

This year on Mother's Day, take your sentiments to the next level when you craft a handwritten note to your wife. This is a great way to express yourself, especially if you're better at written communication than verbal, as many people are. A note allows you to make revisions until it says exactly what you want to say to your wife. And remember - it doesn't matter how short or long your note is; it's what you say that will matter most to your wife. Feeling a bit of writer's block? Here's a short and sweet Mother's Day letter to a wife to get you started.

To my beloved on Mother's Day,

[Name], I hope you know how amazing you are.

We have walked hand-in-hand through so many of life's experiences, but this one is my favorite by far. Growing our family together and watching you become a mother has made me fall even more in love with you, something I didn't think was possible.

The way you provide for our family, often putting yourself last to meet our needs day and night, fills my heart with pride and respect for you. So this year on Mother's Day, I wanted to make sure you knew exactly how I feel, and how much we love you.

Love Always,

mother in law mother's day messages

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    178 likes Like "How wonderful it is to be able to write someone a letter! To feel like conveying your thoughts to a person, to sit at your desk and pick up a pen, to put your thoughts into words like this is truly marvelous." ― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood tags: letter-writing , letters 97 likes Like "Harry's letter to his daughter:

  3. A detailed guide to quoting

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    Feb 22, 2023 How to write a quotation email with 6 samples and template Writing quotation request emails is a fundamental part of professional life, so it pays to get it right. Read our tips and use the 6 email samples we provide. Lawrie Jones Writer Quotations are a fixed price for a product or service, enabling you to budget and plan accurately.

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    3. Enter the Quote Number. Accounting software automatically generates a quote number for you, adding increments of one to each new quote. However, you should be able to edit the quote number if you like. If you're using a template in Word or such, you can start with "1" and go from there.

  8. How to Write a Formal Quote

    To create a formal quote in PandaDoc, simply: Choose the " New Document " button in the upper right-hand corner of your PandaDoc dashboard. Either start a quote from a blank document or choose a quote template from the list to get started. Take advantage of the robust document editor to make a bespoke quote. Add text blocks and signature ...

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    Letter Writing Quotes A letter is never ill-timed; it never interrupts. Instead it waits for us to find the opportune minute, the quiet moment to savor the message. There is an element of timelessness about letter writing. Lois Wyse Writing, Quiet Moments, Waiting 15 Copy quote Letter writing is the only device combining solitude with good company.

  12. If I Had More Time, I Would Have Written a Shorter Letter

    Benjamin Franklin? Henry David Thoreau? Cicero? Woodrow Wilson? Dear Quote Investigator: I was planning to end a letter with the following remark: If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.

  13. How To Write a Letter Requesting for a Company Quotation

    Here are some steps you can follow when writing your own letter or email requesting a company quotation: 1. Address the sales representative by name The first step when writing a quotation request letter is to do some research on the company with which you're trying to do business to determine the sales representative 's name.

  14. Quotation Letter

    1. Cover Letter for a Cost Quotation Template. This is a cover letter for a lost quotation. You will be called upon to write this type of letter to request for a quotation which had been sent to you but has been lost or misplaced. This template is intended to make it easy for you to complete your quotation letter.

  15. 50 Quotes About Writing Letters For All Writers

    Writing Letters Quotes "Men who write love letters don't live in this century." ― Rita Rudner "Letters are expectation packaged in an envelope." ― Shana Alexander "The talent of writing agreeable letters is peculiarly female." ― Henry Tilney "Why writing letters for you, when they have to fall in the bonfire." ― Priyanshi

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    The Business Quotation Letter's Format is the Following: Your name, address, city, zip code, phone number and email address should be included in the contact information. Following the contact info is the date. After these comes the contact information about the person or company you are writing to, the formula of salutation, the body of the ...

  17. How to Quote

    To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author's last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use "p."; if it spans a page range, use "pp." An APA in-text citation can be parenthetical or narrative.

  18. Quotation Letter Format and Samples

    How to Write a Quotation Letter? A quotation letter or a quotation mail is an official letter sent out to a manufacturer, a distributor or an organisation who deliver the required products or services. A request for a quotation is an enquiry about the prices and availability of the products or services.

  19. Using Quotation Marks

    Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing. Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material. Capitalize the first letter of a direct quote when the quoted material is a complete sentence.

  20. How To Choose a Quote for Your Cover Letter (With Example)

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  22. 20 Great Quotations for Letter-Writers

    ~William Shenstone My most cherished possessions are my grandma's letters and my vintage Martha Washington cookbook. ~Sandra Lee I keep all of my letters, postcards, and thank you notes. I'll keep them forever! ~Jane Levy I'm pretty sure people are going to start writing letters again once the email fad passes. ~Willie Geist

  23. FREE 30+ Sample Quotation Letter Templates in PDF

    A quotation letter is written by a prospective customer to request forms for quotation proposal for/from a business. A quotation letter is written by a prospective buyer or a customer for negotiating terms, prices or payment, delivery methods, the goods, and services, etc. that are indicated in a quotation proposal. 3.

  24. What to Write in a Valentine's Day Card to Show Your Love

    I can't wait for so many more. I love waking up with you, my soulmate, each and every morning! You make every day feel like Valentine's Day. My favorite place in the world is next to you. I'm yours forever, baby! I hope you know how special you are to me. You're my rock and I don't know what I'd do without you.

  25. Inside Aleksei Navalny's Final Months, in His Own Words

    Mr. Feldman, now in exile in Latvia, said he sent at least 37 letters to Mr. Navalny since his 2021 arrest and received replies to almost all of them. "I really like your letters," Mr. Navalny ...

  26. 5 Best Love Letter Ideas—for Him, for Her, for Family, and Yourself

    Read on—and write your own. 1. Best letters of feverish young love. Steve Liss // Getty Images. Before he was an American president, a bestselling author, a Time magazine Person of the Year, and (perhaps most impressively) the husband of Michelle, Barack Obama was a gawky young college student—and he was smitten.

  27. Julia Whelan on Instagram: "This man "discovered" me when I was 14. He

    723 likes, 54 comments - justjuliawhelan on February 17, 2024: "This man "discovered" me when I was 14. He plucked me out of the working-actor mines and brou..."

  28. 30+ Mother's Day Card Messages to Your Wife

    The perfect addition to the Mother's Day gift for your wife that you choose for her, a message will touch her heart and give her the motivation she needs to get through those tough days taking care of little ones or balancing work and home life. Whether you keep it short and sweet, or choose to write a long letter with some love quotes for her, your wife will love that you took a moment to ...