After last month's blog I talked with several readers about the use of “tone” in e-mails. Most people have a general understanding of tone, but aren’t sure how to use it effectively in e-mails. “How do I make sure I use the right tone?” someone asked. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who's hit the wrong chord in an e-mail!
How do you accomplish this? Read your e-mail aloud several times. Do you hear yourself? Are your words common to your speaking-vocabulary? Do your words convey the message you really intend to say? Are there words and phrases that could be misinterpreted? Don't let the convenience of e-mail stop you from revising before you hit “send.”
4 comments:
Tone is very important. Of course if you had all caps it would seem like shouting, but if you are in regular lower case, how do you change or present a certain tone? We only have words to reveal our tone so every word is important. One wrong word can send your reader in the wrong direction.
If I write the way I speak, I might give someone I don't know very well the wrong impression. I might come off sounding immature because I use slang alot when I talk. So are you saying I should use slang in e-mails?
Yes, it's important to write the way you speak, but you often need to modify your language to fit the audience, just as you do when speaking. For example, would you speak to your parents the same way you talk to your best friend? It's all about audience. But just because you'll sometimes need to skip your usual slang in an e-mail doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your voice. You can still use much of the same wording, as well as pacing and perspective that are unique to you.
What do you do when your thoughts are scrambled & you can't remember sh...? That's where I'm right now! I'm stressed out! Never in all my years of writing have I had this kind of experience. You're aware of my history, how dedicated I've been, all those years writing, then the last two spent re-writing, revising & on & on. The book is finished now, thanks to you & Julie. From where I sit I can see the book, all 2.3 pounds of it, resting on a shelf above me. Sometimes I read from it & most always I'm satisfied, not like it was in the past when I'd re-read a section & think & know in my heart & mind that there's more work to do. Now I must market my writing. Remaining enthused seems to be what stresses me. Not so funny fun-times these are! Frank
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