How to Write Polite Online Messages

Nowadays people write and send millions of electronic messages daily. From email to text messages, people exchange information faster than ever. Unfortunately, quantity often overshadows quality when it comes to online messages. The art of letter writing has fallen by the wayside, and hurried people often end up offending co-workers and even friends in email without even realizing it. Learn to write polite online messages and avoid offending others.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Think about how people used to spend time writing elegant letters to each other. Research online or at your local library and read old letters preserved from historical records. Review past letters of your own or of family members.

2. Look online or in books to see how professional business letters are written. Find and study formatting guidelines for business email messages.

3. Analyze and compare the way different types of hand-written letters and messages are laid out, and contemplate how each of these might have affected readers (the audience). Ask yourself what kind of real message and tone each letter or message delivers and see if you can read between the lines.

4. Know that electronic messages or email sent via the Internet or satellite still affect people about the same as hand-written letters do. However, typed words don't have the personal touch of handwriting and a pen.

5. Remember a time when you might've gotten an email or text message from someone, and you first thought it sounded rude when you read it. Stop and think about messages you've sent online to others that may have accidentally offended someone.

6. Realize that because of the nature of electronic mail or messages, in general, words tend to automatically seem cold. See that many people subconsciously don't feel they're talking to other people—but to a computer that doesn't have feelings. People often perceive curt, hurried or business-like wording as snappy or angry. Readers don't have body language to go by.

7. Start to write polite online messages by first slowing down a little. Stop for a second before typing anything and think about what you really want to communicate. Put yourself in your reader's shoes. Use a nice format and choose your words carefully.

8. Reread your own words before sending them. Think about whether or not they could come across as rude. Ask yourself if the words chosen send the right message—does the text show your frustration or anger between the lines. Avoid thrashing others with your text. Revise to send.

9. Make sure you fully grasp a sender's point before writing back. Avoid writing off-the-cuff responses. Write polite online messages by showing you understand what it is exactly you're replying to—people are offended when they think others haven't bothered to read their entire email. Show respect and courtesy for everyone you reply to.