When you are asked to write a letter of recommendation, be honest in your assessment. Put yourself in the reader's position and consider what you would want to know if you were reading the letter. If you have concerns about specific areas, be up front with the requester when you are asked to write the recommendation. There should be no surprises. A good way to create a letter of recommendation is to use pre-designed templates available in letter-writing products. Additionally, you should review writing samples to better understand the structure before you begin to write. Follow these steps to be fair to everyone involved: