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Hi! You are on this page because you've asked me for a reference letter. Previously, I used to write letters from scratch, following discussions with their students. However, more recently, I have developed a new workflow for writing references, and I have found it to be very useful.
Please can you initiate the recommendation letter and write a few paragraphs or bullet points on what you would like such a letter of recommendation to say. It can include details like:
A typical recommendation letter might take the following form: (i) opener; (ii) describe some past projects; (iii) describe fit in new roles; (iv) close.
This has been really helpful because you may mention key details that I'm unaware of. Once I have this, I will typically re-write it significantly to weave in the suggestions, and then add my own paragraphs.
It is an odd thing – to write your own reference – if you have not done it previously. However, from experience, this has led to much stronger letters of support.