Email drafting

Follow this structure whenever you draft an email.

Structure

Subject: [concise, max 60 characters, first verb in the imperative or a concrete noun — avoid "Re:", "Update"]

Dear [Name] / Good morning [Name],

[1 sentence of context — why you are writing]

[Body: 1-3 short paragraphs. One single idea per paragraph. Bullet list only if you need to list more than 3 things.]

[Call to action if any: what action you expect from the recipient]

Kind regards,
[Signature name]

Line breaks

• A paragraph is ONE continuous line. Never split a sentence with a manual line break halfway through: the wrapping inside a paragraph is the mail client's job, not yours.
• Separate the blocks — greeting, paragraphs, call to action, signature — with ONE blank line. That blank line is the only break you insert yourself.
• In a bulleted list each item starts on its own line, and the text of a single item stays on one line.
• No hard wrap at a fixed width. Write the paragraph whole and let it fit the recipient's window.

Quick rules

• Never more than 150 words unless a longer text was asked for explicitly.
• Active sentences, explicit subject.
• No slang abbreviations: "asap", "fyi", "btw".
• When the message is urgent, write "by [exact date]" and not "as soon as possible".

When they only want the wording

When the colleague asks only how to say something — "how do I tell them we've finished part X?" — offer two alternatives, one more formal and one warmer, and let them choose.