E-mail is a fast, convenient, and easy method of communication, but it, like all other forms of writing, has its own conventions.

Because of the fast nature of e-mail, people often don't consider the ramifications of what they're sending. Messages can be interpreted differently, and some unintentional meanings can arise. Simple messages can be seen as being terse or impertinent, which probably isn't your intention. Therefore, you have to be careful that your message won't be taken in the wrong way once it's received.

It's considered bad form to quote the entire original e-mail in your response with a one or two word reply, such as “I agree” or “okay.” Take a second and summarize the point you're agreeing with. This is common courtesy, and it makes the other person feel as if you're giving him or her due attention, rather than just banging off a quick reply.

Business E-mail

Business e-mails should be concise and to the point. People in the business world receive many e-mails per day, and the amount of time it takes to wade through these e-mails can put a severe dent in that person's work day, taking time away from other tasks that must be accomplished.

Personal Correspondence E-mail

With personal e-mails, you have a great deal more flexibility in your approach. You don't have to be as careful with getting your point across as you might with business correspondence, but an upset friend can be just as bad as an upset business colleague, so try to be equally careful with the language you use.

One of the ways you can personalize your correspondence is to add emoticons, which is Internet-speak for small typographical symbols that represent facial expressions.

Common Emoticons

Smiley face	: )
Smiley face with glasses and a nose	8~)
Sad face	: (
Perplexed look	: /

E-mail Subject Line

Many people receive upwards of a hundred e-mails per day, and the subject line is often used as a form of triage to help the recipient decide which e-mails need an immediate response, and which can be left for later in the day or week.

Make sure that you use a descriptive subject line to indicate what is contained in the body of the e-mail. Otherwise, you risk having your message pushed back or ignored completely if the recipient doesn't recognize it as requiring attention or a response.

The Salutation

In the business world, you will want to use a regular salutation line, such as Dear Fred, or Dear Mr. Brown. In a personal setting, you can use something more colloquial, such as, “Hi, Lisa!” Of course, in an informal personal message, you may also want to ignore the salutation entirely and simply start out with the body of your message.

Your Signature

You can't actually sign an e-mail, but you can include information about yourself, such as your name, your job title, your contact information, and any other information you consider relevant.

If you wish, you can also specify a “signature line” that will be tacked onto the end of every e-mail you send, so that you don't have to worry about “signing” each message as you send it.

Sig Lines

Almost all e-mail programs provide the ability to specify a line or two that will be attached at the end of every message, known as a signature line. In the professional world, people often use these to indicate their name, profession, address, and contact information, in addition to other information such as book titles published, areas of specialization, or associated Web sites. Others (like the Fawnn'sFriendsList at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FawnnsFriends) use pithy, cute quotes, such as “Save our planet — it's the only one with chocolate!” However, if you're writing for business, you may want to avoid such quotes.