How to respond to an unbelievably long email
📨 Today’s tip: If you don’t know how to reply to a really long email, just ask a question.
Responding to an email — even after a long delay — isn’t just a courtesy. It’s a way to define your relationship with the other person, Kara Cutruzzula explains. But what if you just don’t have the time or mental energy to reciprocate a really long message? Doesn’t the other person deserve the same level of thought and elaboration?
“No!” writes Cutruzzula. “Sticking to these expectations usually prevents us from replying at all, which is far worse than sending something breezy.” Email exchanges can be actual conversations. In person, we breeze over stories, offer highlights, and talk like real people.
Cutruzzula’s advice: “Ask a follow-up question, which takes up little energy but keeps you fully engaged.” Like with any conversation, sometimes the focus should be on the other person.
📚 More from Forge on crafting a great response:
The Follow-Up is the Most Important Email You’ll Ever Write
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Why Reply-All Emails Are Always the Wrong Move
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How to Get on the Radar of People You Admire
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