Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email

August 30, 2012 Tagged: email refactoring writing Comments (View) Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email I’ve recently started applying some code refactoring techniques to writing emails. Yes, emails. Your goal as the writer 1) Get the reader to read the most important thing 2) Get them to respond quickly or do something quickly We all get too much email and the following is my approach to try and make emails simpler, easier to respond to, and more readable. I adapt the concept of code smells for use in email as “writing smells”. Here’s my process and an example. It’s not perfect but it’s useful for me. Writing Smells Forest for the Trees Break every sentence into a separate paragraph (each on a new line with a blank between). This helps to highlight long sentences. Also, it narrows your refactoring focus to one sentence at a time and improves readability. More Than O...

Full article: http://robots.thoughtbot.com/post/30518925872/using-writi...

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@mestre_bira » 21 Sep '12, 7pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your E-mail: [link]
@wiktorschmidt » 18 Sep '12, 5pm
RT @netgurupl: Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@cabgfx » 11 Sep '12, 8pm
@jasonfried agreed. no cmd+b, no caps, just clear writing. I like this piece on approaching it like a programmer [link]
@veroapp » 09 Sep '12, 2am
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email - an excellent post by Adarsh over at @thoughtbot [link]
@swinders » 03 Sep '12, 11am
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email (via @thoughtbot) [link] - some interesting ideas
@myfear » 02 Sep '12, 7am
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your #Email [link] < nice :)
@wiktorschmidt » 31 Aug '12, 7pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link] via @lubieniebieski
@calwell » 31 Aug '12, 3pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email - [link] (Great advice on how to improve email writing)
@asischao » 31 Aug '12, 10am
RT @davidbarral: Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@beziliska » 31 Aug '12, 8am
asi bych se to mel stydet priznat, ale prislo mi to vcelku uzitecne: [link]
@ehmorris » 31 Aug '12, 12am
RT @gabebw: @adarshp's blog post on how to write emails changed my life: [link]
@gabebw » 30 Aug '12, 11pm
@adarshp's blog post on how to write emails changed my life: [link]
@itsterry » 30 Aug '12, 10pm
Feel free to send this to anyone who sends you long, rambly emails: [link]
@Strabd » 30 Aug '12, 10pm
.@thoughtbot rediscovered editing thru code metaphors. RT @galtenberg: Everyone hates your emails -- so fix them [link]
@galtenberg » 30 Aug '12, 10pm
Everyone hates your emails -- so fix them [link] via @sandfish8
@rgm » 30 Aug '12, 7pm
Going to print and personally staple this to every sender in my inbox: "Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email" [link]
@rposborne » 30 Aug '12, 6pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link] @kgs688
@HNTweets » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email: [link] Comments: [link]
@captain_fwiffo » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
“@thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]” send this to Paul, @ldigrande
@yann_ck » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
“@thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]” yeah, keep it short!
@thoughtbot » 30 Aug '12, 4pm
Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@ischroedi » 30 Aug '12, 2pm
thoughtbot news: Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email: I’ve recently started applyin... [link] [link]
@adarshp » 30 Aug '12, 2pm
RT @kaishin: Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email by @adarshp is a terrific read. [link]
@kaishin » 30 Aug '12, 2pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email by @adarshp is a terrific read. [link]
@theprogrammer » 31 Aug '12, 12am
Using writing smells to refactor your email [link]
@joelkotarski » 30 Aug '12, 11pm
RT @galtenberg: Everyone hates your emails -- so fix them [link] via @sandfish8
@ajbatac » 30 Aug '12, 9pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@sanguisfrigidus » 30 Aug '12, 7pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@fuzzyalej » 30 Aug '12, 7pm
RT @thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@lazylizard3 » 30 Aug '12, 7pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@eduf » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@animesh1977 » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@MoonLightRSS1 » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]
@q8talker » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link] #news
@bvalentine615 » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
RT @thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@sbb » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
RT @kaishin: Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email by @adarshp is a terrific read. [link]
@ideasasylum » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
RT @thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@phudgins » 30 Aug '12, 5pm
RT @thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@harrisj » 30 Aug '12, 4pm
RT @thoughtbot: Learn to refactor your stinky emails using Writing Smells. [link]
@planetonrails » 30 Aug '12, 3pm
Using Writing Smells to Refactor Your Email [link]