“Examine every word you put on paper. You’ll find a surprising number that don’t serve any purpose,” said William Zinsser, author. Below are some tips for writing shorter emails.
Start with a clear and concise subject line that summarizes the main point of the email. This will help the recipient understand what the email is about and decide whether they need to read it immediately or not.
Use bullet points or numbered lists to organize your information and make it easier to scan.
Cut out unnecessary words and be direct. Instead of writing “I was wondering if you might be able to help me with a question I have,” you could write “Can you help me with a question?”
If you have a lot of information to share, consider breaking it up into multiple emails or including links to relevant resources rather than including everything in a single email.
Use formatting options like bold, italics, and underlining to highlight important points.
Use active voice: In active voice, the subject of the sentence is performing the action. This can make your writing more concise and direct. For example, “The project was completed by the team” can be rewritten as “The team completed the project.”
Avoid using filler words and phrases: Words like “very,” “really,” and “quite” don’t add any meaning to your sentences and can make your writing less concise. Phrases like “in terms of” and “as regards to” can also be replaced with more straightforward alternatives like “about” or “regarding.”
Use contractions: Contractions like “don’t,” “can’t,” and “won’t” can help you write shorter, more conversational emails.
Eliminate unnecessary words: Look for words that can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example, “At this current time,” can be shortened to “Now.”
Get to the point: Don’t waste the recipient’s time by rambling or including unnecessary information. Be clear and concise in your communication.
By following these tips, you can write shorter emails that are easier for the recipient to read and understand.
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