4 ms·

How to Write Email with Military Precision

35 points by iankit17 6y ago

memexy 6y ago
Summary of how to write with military precision > 1. Subjects with keywords > 2. Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) > 3. Be economical Good article. The examples given are pretty good and demonstrate the points well.
- iankit17 6y ago
  Thanks for making it in summary. I have been following this from last few months and works really well.
  - memexy 6y ago
    Good to know it's been useful. What's the best way to get started? Do you consciously try to remind yourself of these points?
    - mandeepj 6y ago
      > Do you consciously try to remind yourself of these points? reply try to make it a habit
    - iankit17 6y ago
      In starting I used, but with time things has changed. These points are awesome to start with later on you will add your own flavour to this process.
blakesterz 6y ago
My writing (especially in emails) is just TERRIBLE lately. Twice last week I used "You're" instead of "Your" and noticed after I hit send. I don't know what's happening to me, other than writing to fast, but I just can not write like I once could now.
- combatentropy 6y ago
  > writing to fast Writing too fast strikes again!
  - anoncake 6y ago
    No, they wrote to avoid eating. Then their writing suffered because they're hungry.
- mandeepj 6y ago
  Some input - 1. Grammarly can check that 2. Occasionally, I don't send emails as soon as I finish writing them. I come back, give it a read again, and most of the time, end up making it more polite along with few corrections.
- ta17711771 6y ago
  Get more rest, and/or check out other possible sources of cognitive impairment. Mold, chronic illness, blue lights on while you sleep, etc. Wishing you the best.
combatentropy 6y ago
For years I've been following Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) but I call it the Inverted Pyramid, because I learned it from journalism. Whatever you call it, I wish all followed it. A lot of people at work, especially leaders, do the opposite: background first. I wonder if they think we'll reject the idea unless they warm us up to it.
odysseus 6y ago
The bottom line up front, I agree with. But I'm not sure why I would use giant ACTION KEYWORDS like "DECISION" or "COORD" in any of my subject lines, ever. Why would you want to lend a cold, impersonal, robotic tone to your email? I find it more effective to just write a concise subject in the form of a question. Include the question mark. No caps. If it hasn't been responded to, perhaps resend with "(second attempt)" at the beginning of the subject.
culopatin 6y ago
Off topic but why does a site like this one that seems to have pretty smart people driving them limits what characters I can use for password? Sounds crazy.

35 points by iankit17 6y ago

Summary of how to write with military precision > 1. Subjects with keywords > 2. Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) > 3. Be economical Good article. The examples given are pretty good and demonstrate the points well.

iankit17 6y ago
Thanks for making it in summary. I have been following this from last few months and works really well.
- memexy 6y ago
  Good to know it's been useful. What's the best way to get started? Do you consciously try to remind yourself of these points?
  - mandeepj 6y ago
    > Do you consciously try to remind yourself of these points? reply try to make it a habit
  - iankit17 6y ago
    In starting I used, but with time things has changed. These points are awesome to start with later on you will add your own flavour to this process.

blakesterz 6y ago

My writing (especially in emails) is just TERRIBLE lately. Twice last week I used "You're" instead of "Your" and noticed after I hit send. I don't know what's happening to me, other than writing to fast, but I just can not write like I once could now.

combatentropy 6y ago
> writing to fast Writing too fast strikes again!
- anoncake 6y ago
  No, they wrote to avoid eating. Then their writing suffered because they're hungry.
mandeepj 6y ago
Some input - 1. Grammarly can check that 2. Occasionally, I don't send emails as soon as I finish writing them. I come back, give it a read again, and most of the time, end up making it more polite along with few corrections.
ta17711771 6y ago
Get more rest, and/or check out other possible sources of cognitive impairment. Mold, chronic illness, blue lights on while you sleep, etc. Wishing you the best.

combatentropy 6y ago

For years I've been following Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) but I call it the Inverted Pyramid, because I learned it from journalism. Whatever you call it, I wish all followed it. A lot of people at work, especially leaders, do the opposite: background first. I wonder if they think we'll reject the idea unless they warm us up to it.

odysseus 6y ago

The bottom line up front, I agree with. But I'm not sure why I would use giant ACTION KEYWORDS like "DECISION" or "COORD" in any of my subject lines, ever. Why would you want to lend a cold, impersonal, robotic tone to your email? I find it more effective to just write a concise subject in the form of a question. Include the question mark. No caps. If it hasn't been responded to, perhaps resend with "(second attempt)" at the beginning of the subject.

culopatin 6y ago

Off topic but why does a site like this one that seems to have pretty smart people driving them limits what characters I can use for password? Sounds crazy.