Writing

In business writing, less is more

There’s a big difference between how much you’d like to say (a lot), and what your reader is likely to remember (much less)

Imagine that you have to write a short description of Amazon for a person who’s been stuck on a desert island for the…

Step 5 - Don’t play email ping-pong

If an email turns out to be more complex than originally thought, with multiple back-and-forth replies, stop the discussion. Pick up the phone instead, or type a one-line reply saying that it’ll be more effective to discuss it offline.

Step 4 - Explain attachments

When you send an email with an attachment, include a summary explaining what it is about. This provides…

Step 3 - Keep it short and simple

Emails are, for the most part, fairly straightforward. They range from the mundane (scheduling…

Step 2 - Say it in the subject line

It seems like an obvious thing to say, but the more useful information you provide in the subject…

Step 1 - Is this email really necessary?

We are all aware of people who sit a few desks away from you who send you an email, when…

Five steps to better emails

Email — it’s the bane of our working lives. They’re long. They’re impossible to understand!

What the press can teach us about business writing