Write an Email to a Friend

In addition to sending text messages or Facebook messages, writing an email to a friend is a great way to stay in touch. This article will provide you with basic advice for composing an email to a friend.

Steps

Sending a Basic Email

  1. Type your friend's email address in the box labeled "To."
  2. Add a subject. Think of a few words or a short sentence that describe the topic you want to cover in your email. If the email is informal, you can just write "Hey" or "What's up?"
  3. Write a greeting in the top left corner of the large box below the subject bar.
    • You can simply write "Hi (friend's name)" for informal emails.
    • You can also write "Dear (friend's name)" if you want to be more formal.
  4. Skip a line and start your message. Starting by focusing on the other person is courteous.
    • For example, ask "How are you?" or "What have you been doing?"
  5. Skip a line and start a new paragraph. Write some information about yourself, keeping it short and succinct.
    • If you have no news to share, then you can start writing about the subject of your email.
  6. Personalize your message with a few emoticons and perhaps changing the fonts and colors within the email.
    • A list of emoticons can be found here.
    • Try the toolbar at the top of your screen or at the top of your email box and experiment with adding in different elements.
  7. Close with some parting words.
    • Some good examples of parting words include "Goodbye", "Have a nice day" and "See you soon."
  8. Sign "Your friend, (your name)."

Reconnect With a Friend

  1. Type in their email address and your subject.
  2. Start by asking how the recipient is.
    • Write a sentence such as, "It's been a long time since we've talked."
    • Discuss what the person was doing the last time you talked. For example, "You were planning an overseas trip the last time we spoke."
    • Ask thoughtful questions. For instance, "Are you still working for company XYZ?"
  3. Tell your friend what you have been doing lately.
    • Try to keep your news limited to 1 paragraph so that you aren't focusing the email on yourself.
  4. Tell your friend that you would like to hear from him or her soon.
    • You can also make a statement such as, "I want to do a better job of staying in touch."
  5. Sign your email "Sincerely, (your name)."

Tips

  • Match the tone and look of your email to your relationship with your friend.
  • Make sure that your email is easy to read. Don't let emoticons and flashy fonts distract from the message that you want to send.
  • Add a post-script (P.S.) if you forget something. Add the P.S. below your signature.
  • You can find a variety of sites to sign up for a free email account. Test out some of the popular free email websites such as Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo! Mail.

Warnings

  • Don't make the email too hard to read by adding too many colors or bright colors.
  • Adding too many emoticons and decorations to an email can be overwhelming.

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Sources and Citations

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