Email Composer

Overview

This skill produces emails that are clear, correctly toned, well structured, and end with an unambiguous call to action (CTA). It works for new outreach, replies, follow-ups, requests, declines, apologies, status updates, introductions, and escalations.

Keywords: write email, draft email, compose, reply, follow up, cold outreach, subject line, tone, professional, polite, firm, apology, request, decline, introduction, escalation.

The core principle: every email should let the reader answer three questions in under 10 seconds — What is this about? What do you need from me? By when?

Workflow

Follow these steps in order. Ask only the questions you cannot reasonably infer from context; never block on a long questionnaire.

1. Identify the five inputs. Audience, relationship, purpose, desired outcome (the CTA), and constraints (deadline, length, channel, formality). If two or more are missing and cannot be inferred, ask one concise clarifying message grouping all gaps.
2. Pick the email type. Map the purpose to a pattern (request, follow-up, decline, apology, update, intro, cold outreach, escalation). See references/email-patterns.md.
3. Choose the tone. Calibrate formality and warmth to the relationship and culture. Use the dial in references/tone-guide.md.
4. Draft the subject line. Specific, ≤ 60 characters, scannable. Front-load the keyword. See subject-line rules in references/email-patterns.md.
5. Write the body using the structure below.
6. Make the CTA explicit. One primary ask, an owner, and a deadline. Never end with a vague "let me know."
7. Self-review against references/checklist.md. Optionally run scripts/email_lint.py to catch length, hedging, passive voice, and missing CTA.
8. Offer variants when tone is uncertain (e.g., "here's a warmer and a firmer version").

Body Structure (default)

Keep most emails to 5 short blocks. Aim for under 150 words unless the content demands more.

1. Greeting — match formality ("Hi Sam," / "Dear Dr. Lee," / "Hello team,").
2. Context / hook (1 sentence) — why you're writing, link to prior thread if any.
3. Core message (1–3 sentences) — the substance, most important first (BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front).
4. Call to action — the specific ask, the owner, and the deadline.
5. Sign-off — courteous close + name (+ signature block if relevant).

Decision Framework: tone in one pass

• Higher formality when: first contact, senior/external recipient, sensitive topic, legal/HR/finance, conservative culture.
• Lower formality when: established peer relationship, internal team, fast-moving thread, startup culture.
• Warmer when: asking a favor, delivering bad news, rebuilding a relationship.
• Firmer (still polite) when: a deadline slipped, repeated non-response, escalation, scope disputes.

Worked Example (condensed)

Request: chase a contract signature, recipient is a busy external partner, deadline Friday.

Subject: Signature needed: MSA by Fri Jun 12

Hi Priya,

Following up on the MSA I sent Monday — legal on both sides has approved the final draft.

Could you e-sign via the DocuSign link by Friday, June 12 so we can start onboarding next week? It takes about two minutes.

Happy to hop on a quick call if anything needs another look.

Best, Jannik

See examples/sample-emails.md for nine fully worked before/after examples across all patterns.

Best Practices

• BLUF. State the ask or conclusion in the first two sentences. Busy readers skim.
• One email, one primary ask. Multiple asks dilute response rate; split or use a numbered list with a clear primary.
• Specific subject lines. "Quick question" tells the reader nothing; "Approval needed: Q3 budget by Thu" does.
• Deadlines beat urgency words. "by Thursday 5pm" outperforms "ASAP".
• Make replying easy. Offer concrete options ("Tue 2pm or Wed 10am?") instead of open questions.
• Read it aloud. If it sounds stiff or passive-aggressive, it reads that way too.
• Match the channel. If it needs more than ~200 words or three back-and-forths, suggest a call or doc.

Common Pitfalls

• Vague CTA — "let me know your thoughts" with no owner or date. Always name the action and deadline.
• Burying the ask — the request hides in paragraph four. Move it up.
• Tone mismatch — overly casual to a senior stakeholder, or stiff with a close colleague.
• Wall of text — no paragraph breaks. Use white space, bullets, and bold for the one key line.
• Apology overload — "sorry to bother you" weakens you. State the need plainly and respectfully.
• Passive hedging — "it would be great if maybe we could possibly..." Cut qualifiers.
• No clear next step — the reader closes the email unsure what to do.

Supporting Files

• references/email-patterns.md — type-by-type templates (request, follow-up, decline, apology, update, intro, cold outreach, escalation) and subject-line rules.
• references/tone-guide.md — the formality/warmth dial, phrase swaps, opener/closer banks, cross-cultural notes.
• references/checklist.md — pre-send self-review checklist.
• templates/email-template.md — fill-in skeleton.
• examples/sample-emails.md — nine before/after worked examples.
• scripts/email_lint.py — heuristic linter for length, hedging, passive voice, weak subject lines, and missing CTA.