Sherri May & Co.

If you’ve ever received an email that needs a decoder ring attached just so you can decipher all the spelling and grammatical errors, you’re not alone. At times, we’ll get so swamped with work that we’ll conjure a quick response and click “send” before giving our slapdash email a second thought. Unfortunately, poorly structured emails often require more explanation, which ends up taking more of our valuable time.

Here’s a simple guide to (quickly) editing your writing:
Read and reread– This seems basic, but it’s a crucial step that many of us overlook. Proof your email at least twice before sending. Reading the email out loud might be distracting for your coworkers (and might give you the unwelcomed nickname of Crazy Caitlin), so I get around this by silently mouthing the words as I read them.

Rereading your work is also the best way to spot missing words in your text, or as I like to call it– Caveman Copy. For example, “Let me know if sign invoice today.” Ugh.

Grammar police– Grammar is defined as the structure of our language. Checking your grammar means taking a critical eye to your work and asking yourself the simple question: Does this make sense? Try to remove yourself from the equation and read the email with fresh eyes. If it’s a little ambiguous, go back to the drawing board.

Avoid rookie mistakes– Not all of us majored in English, Journalism or Linguistics, but there are a few copy rules that are important for any profession. Here are a few common errors that might be sneaking into your writing:

1. Unless you’re tapping away on a typewriter from the 19th century, avoid double spaces. While some still feel this is up for debate, this typographic rule is cited in the Chicago Manual of Style. Ilene Strizver, a typographer and owner of the consulting firm, The Type Studio, said “Forget about tolerating differences of opinion: typographically speaking, typing two spaces before the start of a new sentence is absolutely, unequivocally wrong.”

2. “A lot” is two words, not one. One of my favorite bloggers and creator of Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh, summed up her hilarious views on “the alot” here.

3. “It’s” is never possessive. Ever. “It’s” is the compound version of “it has” or “it is,” so when you say “the giraffe is known for it’s long neck,” I’ll read it as “the giraffe is known for it is long neck,” and I’ll also be silently judging you.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to transform your email about lunch options into Shakespearean prose, but it’s important that your emails are clear, concise, and free of the dreaded Caveman Copy.