Several years ago, I started writing emails very formally. I took on a certain affectation where'd I'd use $64k words and some really elaborate verbiage to say

Several years ago, I started writing emails very formally. I took on a certain affectation where'd I'd use $64k words and some really elaborate verbiage to say the simplest things. And I'd have an elaborate formal opening, including a religious greeting, and I'd sign off with a formal closing plus a signature file to boot. And I can only imagine people just rolling their eyes when they were on the receiving end of this stuff. And in fact I went back to college while I was in this phase, and so I composed a lot of emails to professors and students and staff in this formal tone. I would even use it for DMs that were supposed to be quick, easily-read messages. And eventually one of my classmates did call me out on it. He said my message was so formal he didn't even know how to respond. And I pondered what he said and I had to admit that I'd gone way over the top. So I dropped the affectations completely and I just went back to that quick and easy, plain-English tone with most people. I do put a bit more decoration on correspondence with a few friends, because I consider them more of pen pals than anything, and I want my infrequent messages to make an impact. But if I'm doing business with someone, or I am just sending a quick note, I dispense with all the pleasantries and I get right to the point. Because that's how email is used by everyone else these days, and there's no reason to stick out like a sore thumb (and waste people's time reading it all.)