Drafting and editing the body of your email to make sure it says everything that needs to be said, but also does so concisely, can take a good amount of time to do well.
Consider these tips for how to organize your email to keep things short but comprehensive:
- Think of your paragraphs as each serving a specific function. Don't be afraid to have a paragraph that is a single sentence if that single sentence fulfills the needed function. A typical email should probably have paragraphs that serve the following functions:
- A paragraph that establishes the context of the message (i.e. tell them who you are [if they don't already know] and let them know the purpose for which you are writing to them.) This might include reminding someone of a request they made, for instance, or a task you were assigned.
- One or more paragraphs that transmit all the relevant details of your message.
- A paragraph that identifies the call to action (the type of response you hope to receive from the reader).
- Don't be afraid to use things like bulleted or numbered lists to help readers more easily parse your requests or message. For instance, if you need your reader to answer three questions, clearly identify them in a numbered list. The reader will then be less likely to overlook a part of your request.
- In some cases, differently colored text, bolding, background colors, or other forms of graphical highlighting can be used to draw attention to important information.
- Longer emails might benefit from a quick statement at the top that summarizes the email's content or organization for the reader. (Note: For shorter emails, this is mainly accomplished with a good subject line.) One could even add subheadings to a longer email to help readers quickly identify the text's organization.
- Rather than trying to write and send an email quickly, you might be better served by taking some time to draft your email, taking a break, and then looking back at your email later with a fresh perspective. This can also help you identify things that are missing from the email draft.
