3. Call extra attention if you're asking a question, and make it easy to respond to.
Example:
>>>> Q: About the latest quote from the vendor, do you think we should
A) Negotiate and close it as-is. (We'll need to open another one immediately.)
OR
B) Batch it with the new customer requirements that just came in.
4. Keep each email to 1 purpose. Many emails > 1 email.
5. If you feel the urge to write a lengthy email, don't. Have a meeting instead.
6. Pretend you're writing an X (formerly known as a tweet) or an HN title. Keep removing words until the message cannot be made simpler. Adjectives, adverbs, and articles are the enemies of clarity.
7. If the message is succinct, put it all in the subject line followed by "<EOM>".
8. Don't have non-factual discussions over email. Have a meeting instead.
9. Email is subject to discovery. Never send anything that can be used against the company or you.
If I have one I can't help but write, I'll add in a 1 line "TLDR" or "Executive Summary" at the top, then have details below. I do spend some effort to be funny or at least amusing in the long writing. Not sure how successful that effort is.
Even better is when someone writes a "help please" email that is long and has the answer to their problem in the original email (in a log message or something) and then it gets escalated and ends up with 50 emails "adding thus and so department/person" and then I get it, and read the first message, and can answer the problem.
My 10 laws of email:
0. 5 sentence rule.
1. Use excessive paragraph breaks.
2. Bold+italic important details.
3. Call extra attention if you're asking a question, and make it easy to respond to.
Example:
4. Keep each email to 1 purpose. Many emails > 1 email.5. If you feel the urge to write a lengthy email, don't. Have a meeting instead.
6. Pretend you're writing an X (formerly known as a tweet) or an HN title. Keep removing words until the message cannot be made simpler. Adjectives, adverbs, and articles are the enemies of clarity.
7. If the message is succinct, put it all in the subject line followed by "<EOM>".
8. Don't have non-factual discussions over email. Have a meeting instead.
9. Email is subject to discovery. Never send anything that can be used against the company or you.