Writing to Congress - by hand

The article ''Constituents Unleash Mail on Congress, Taxing Staffs,'' July 10, is truly discouraging to those of us who write letters of persuasion to our representatives in government.

For years we have written to them mostly by hand. We rarely use the prewritten, preadressed postcards mentioned in the article. We average a letter a month, and the replies are often evasive, generalized, and bland. Yet the reponses always assure us that representatives hear from us.

We wish that more people wrote individuals letters to representatives about their concerns. We wish, too, that a large percentage of people registered and voted.

Hope and Frank Scrogin Corvallis, Ore.

Your letters are welcome. For publication they must be signed and include your address and telephone number. Only a selection can be published and none acknowledged. Letters should be addressed to ''Readers Write'' and may be sent by mail to One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115, by fax to 617-450-2317, or by Internet E-mail (200 words maximum) to OPED@RACHEL.CSPS.COM.