Dear _____ ,

Hope the New Year has been a good one for you. I'm afraid this is my resignation in writing. I've never done this before so I don't know how cheery/informal/ or grave I should make it sound. Instead, I'll try and just be sincere. I would have told you by phone but I thought for practical reasons you might still want it in writing too. I hope email will suffice as writing. I'm also in Manchester.

I'm going to move to Manchester for a few months and after that I've been offered a place to stay in walking distance of the public library in Los Angeles where I am going to write my grand opus by day whilst supplementing myself with odd bits of babysitting/DJing/writing. I'm apprehensive and very excited by this. I had to give up the flat this September and in the past it has always been the having to give up my flat, which prevented me from taking such a leap. So, I reasoned, now was the time.

I've had a really great time working in the bookshop and the whole five years have been invaluable experience about the reality of selling books. In fact, I don't think I'd be able to contemplate going to LA in the first place to do as I am without the confidence I've gained from working in the bookshop with such interesting and interested people.

Anyway, I can do until the rest of the month or four weeks from now. No problems if there are any other days in between you need help with. Maybe a couple of days after but as I write this, I'm less sure of this.

Thanks for your help; it's been truly appreciated.

Sincerely

Matthias