Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better, Revised Edition

by David Shipley, Will Schwalbe

Send —the classic guide to email for office and home and an instant success upon its original publication—has become indispensable for readers navigating the impersonal, and often overwhelming, world of electronic communication.  Filled with real-life email success (and horror) stories and a wealth of entertaining examples, Send reveals the hidden minefields and pitfalls of email. It provides clear rules for handling all of today’s thorniest email issues, from salutations and subject lines to bcc’s and emoticons. It explains when you absolutely shouldn’t send an email and what to do when you’ve sent (in anger or in error) a potentially career-ending electronic bombshell. And it offers invaluable strategies to help you both better manage the ever-increasing number of emails you receive and improve the ones you send.

In this revised edition, David Shipley and Will Schwalbe have added fresh tales from the digital realm and a new afterword—“How to Keep Email from Taking Over Your Life,” which includes sage advice on handheld etiquette. Send is now more essential than ever, a wise and witty book that every businessperson and professional should read and read again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Technology, Writing, Communication, Leadership, Self Help

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2007

About the author

Will Schwalbe left his job as senior vice president and editor in chief of a book publishing company to do a New Media startup. He also speaks frequently about email and information overload. Previously, he was a journalist, writing articles for such publications as The New York Times, the South China Morning Post, Insight for Asian Investors, Ms. Magazine, and Business Traveller Asia.
His website is www.thinkbeforeyousend.com."

Reviews

[Mike Van Campen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a very helpful little book. Many of the reviews I have seen slam it for being too obvious. Yes, there is some very simple advice but advice that I--and some folks who communicate with me--need to be reminded of anyway. In addition, there is some really valuable advice on lesser discussed e-mail etiquette issues (e.g. BCC, forwarding, subject line, etc.) Plus, it is mildly amusing. I just wish someone could tell me how to keep my in-box clean.

[Shashi Martynova · Rating 3 out of 5]

и после 15 лет беспробудного емейлинга нашла для себя полезного. рекомендую кому угодно в качестве конспекта емель-этикета.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot here that's obvious and meant for an audience who are not in their 20s and haven't worked long in white collar jobs where email is used on a constant basis. That said, it did offer some helpful tips that I used shortly after reading the book. The best example was how the word 'please' can easily be misconstrued and convey a frosty tone of impatience. What this book has going for it is its small size (it would seem pointless to be carrying a giant hardcover around about a system that makes paper obsolete), its conciseness, and its colorful page layout that blends in the style of a power point presentation with less bullet points and more cornflower blue text boxes.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I wish my boss would read this book.

The most comforting part for me (and my overflowing inbox) was when the authors said "while email has speeded up the world, our correspondence patterns remain the same. Physicist Alberto-Laszlo Barabasi came to this conclusion when he compared the time it took Darwin and Einstein to reply to letters with the time it takes email users to reply to their messages. The famous letter writers and the emailers he studied answered an equal percentage of letters or emails quickly, an equal percentage of letters or emails slowly, and an equal percentage not at all."

I feel that I generally have a pretty decent level of common-sense and an ability to express myself well through the written word even through this difficult medium. As most of the people I correspond with through business are speakers of English as a second language, I find accuracy to be even more important. So although I didn't get a lot out of this other than a sort of "pat on the back" feeling, I think it could be a very helpful reference for some.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:

I’m in the process of preparing a workshop on using email with some folks at a local library. We have our provider picked out and I’ve mapped out all the steps to get them from point A to point B in that program, but I started thinking about what came after those technical steps were finished. Some research within my consortium pointed me to this book, written by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe. Although it’s a little dated now, many of the key points are definitely useful today. Concepts like:

-Should you be sending this by email, or would a phone call be more appropriate?
-Tone, language, and grammar usage
-Timing

These are not new concepts by any means, but in a world where we are often bombarded with emails, texts, and tweets, this book can help readers navigate some of the grayer areas. It’s a very quick read and has some great (real) examples to help drive many of the points home.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book goes into exhaustive detail all the does and don’ts about email, its proper usage and its place in the modern world. It didn’t cause the destruction of the handwritten letter (that was done by the telephone) and it can be a power tool when properly utilized. The two authors go into this along with instructions about sending email correctly (who hasn’t sent an email to the wrong person or hasn’t quite mastered the “blind” email sending?) and when not to use it. A handy home guide, this version features an attractive silvery cover that screams ultramodern chic.

[Jostalady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been recommended to me by many people that I respect. This is the abridged version and has hit on very useful information that will greatly improve the email culture I am immersed in, including my own approach to email. I am disappointed in myself for getting this version. I have a feeling there is a section in the unabridged version on how to organize and become efficient with incoming email, so now I am going to to have to get my hands the unabridged...eventually.

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'd think a book on email would be shorter, but this is a thorough look at emailing even though it is a bit aged. A good resource and something I could see being used in staff meetings or to address email policies that are rarely discussed.

[Stephanie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the common mistakes we make with the world of email. Excellent read for those in the business world and even those that email (so... everyone) to learn how to do this properly.

[CTEP]

How Book Relates to Service



I teach an email class at Rondo and would like to enhance the curriculum with additional material and research from experts in this field. This book also has excellent updated information taking into account mobile devices and how they have impacted email reading and composing.

Email is pretty much unavoidable in today’s workplace - might as well master it early! I personally field 50-100 emails a week (which is low comparatively) from work, school and personal contacts which can be stressful and unmanageable at times. Sadly, very few ever receive any standardized instruction on email techniques and strategies even though it is such an important means of communication in today's workplace environment. Most email skills are learned from experience and writing lots of bad emails. Tips from this book can increase email efficiency and etiquette, helping me and my students avoid unnecessary emails.

A few points in this book about tone, use of exclamation points and spelling/grammar will be particularly helpful for the community I serve, for much of whom English is a second language.

Facts/Information Learned from Book

Office workers spend 25 percent of their day on email (p. 9)

If you receive or send 100 emails a day (average for white collar worker is 140 per day), that comes to 30,000 a year (p. 12)

The first versions of email were created by the government in the 1960s. Specifically, the Defense Department’s project entitled DARPA connected UCLA to Stanford in 1969 (p. 22). It did not take off until America Online was able to deliver their service for computer novices in the 1980s.

Keep paragraphs short! Every time you change a subject, create a new line. This is especially important with many people checking email on handheld devices (p. 132).

Use “please” and “thank you” carefully so as not to come off as insulting. “Would you please remember to cc me whenever you email volunteers?”

“Exclamation points can instantly infuse electronic communication with human warmth...Thanks!!..the exclamation point is a lazy but effective way to combat email’s essential lack of tone” (p. 137).

How Book can be Applied to Service

Material from book can be used to create more in-depth handouts regarding the following subjects:

“To:, Cc, Bcc and Subject” lines in every email (Chapter 2).

“Eleven Most Common Email Attachments” (p. 91)

Two main thoughts on organizing and dealing with email (p. 231): clean and messy desk approaches.

TImes you shouldn’t email (p. 243): when you are right, wrong, angry, stalling, drunk, when it is 4 a.m., when you are gossiping, when you see Re:’s building up, when you are bored, when the exchange is over...

Blurring differences between email, texting and IMing (p. 45)

Good email closings (p. 108): “best...best wishes...regards...sincerely...cordially”

[MICHAEL DOANE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Send is a smart, practical, and surprisingly entertaining guide to one of the most powerful and dangerous tools of modern professional life. David Shipley and Will Schwalbe approach email not as a neutral convenience, but as a medium loaded with consequence, misunderstanding, and long term impact. With clarity and humor, they unpack when email is the right choice, when it absolutely is not, and how a single poorly considered message can reverberate far beyond the inbox.

What makes Send especially effective is its balance of authority and accessibility. Drawing from real world experience, the authors offer concrete strategies for writing with intention, avoiding costly mistakes, and navigating sensitive situations with care. The audiobook format works exceptionally well here, reinforcing the conversational tone while delivering lessons that feel immediately applicable. Thoughtful, cautionary, and genuinely useful, Send remains an essential survival guide for anyone communicating in a digital first world.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, simple and readable introduction to the communication medium of e-mail (and IM, a bit) which wasn't without merit, but which in truth felt dated (written 2007) and for a different audience (older, more American) than myself.

I expected this to be a little more of an amusing trip through some of the pitfalls than it turned out to be. Perhaps because I use e-mails so much in a professional context, and in a pretty well-defined manner, it wasn't very relevant to me. Much of this fell more in the area of advising people to use good and correct language, and exercise a little caution and common sense - all pretty self-evident and not worth writing a 250+ page book about. There was hence relatively little to interest me, though I can appreciate it being a useful read to folk a little less comfortable with the medium.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the 2009 edition, which had some out-of-date tech details but the overall concepts presented stood the test of time. Thinking back on my use of email, I don't think anyone ever taught me how to use email, which this book does cover explicitly. Whom to cc, whom to bcc, and what to think about when deciding to email. Next up is Cal Newport's strategy for living without email stress.

[Mhairi Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think everyone should take the time to read a book like this. Most is self-explanatory but reading it, and putting yourself in the receiver's shoes, gives you a better awareness of what you are sending. I will definitely think a bit harder before I hit send next time!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book on email etiquette

[Chuck Kollars · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably was once quite good. But now [2018] obsolete. Neither the content (which greeting to use? - huh?) nor the style (not outline-esque enough) are current.

[Benjamin Trice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not truly what I wanted or expected but it had its moments of good suggestions.

[Geoffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Words of wisdom.

[Dusty Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humorous and helpful

[Buckakles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative albeit basic and obvious advice. This would be useful information in a freshman writing course but it wasn't any new information.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems like a gimmick book to me--like the two authors thought they could get it published, so they wrote it. I got it as a gift and didn't read it at first (I e-mail all the time and don't really have any questions or issues), but my sister-in-law said she doesn't like e-mailing and really liked this book, so I read it. It held my interest for its short length, mostly because the authors are present in voice and examples, and I was interested in them (head of NYT Op-Ed page, and head of a publishing division or house (?)). Still not quite sure why they wrote the book--I hope it was fun for them.

Most of the info was nothing new. I was surprised, though, that they were willing to interpret e-mails and read into them different things that the author may have been meaning. I would have expected them to say never do that--just take every e-mail at face level and don't read into them. I was really reading to see what they said about changing the subject line if the topic has changed when you're in an e-mail chain. I think they said do change it as necessary. I have to ask Marla what her stance is--I think she hates it when people change the subject line. I'm torn. I guess the solution is to start a new subject in a new e-mail, but that seems dumb sometimes.

[mahatmanto · Rating 3 out of 5]

ini dapet dari obralan di gramed amplas yogya.
tertarik beli semula hanya karena disain sampulnya didisain bagus dan judulnya unik. lalu, setelah buka-buka, tertarik lebih jauh untuk beli.

pada dasarnya, ini adalah perkara etika membuat email. suatu sarana komunikasi yang menggantikan percakapan langsung via telepon [email bukan menggantikan surat! demikian ditekankan oleh kedua pengarangnya].
email memiliki kelebihan dibandingkan dengan percakapan langsung, dengan surat maupun dengan IM. kapan kita memakai salah satu dari itu.
selesai ditulis dalam suasana kultural amrik di tahun 2007, maka sopan santun yang dicontohkan di dalamnya pun memancarkan suasana pergaulan di sana. yang buat saya terkesan gaul, santai dan lucu.
karena saya sendiri sudah lama bergaul dengan email, membaca buku ini ya... asyik ajah.
belum selesai semua terbaca sih... yang artinya, saya masih menunggu hal baru di halaman-halamannya.

[Christi]

Summary: In Send : the Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home, authors David Shipley and Will Schwalbe explore email, what it is, and how best to use it. They explain the anatomy of the Email providing an overview of misused and ignored features such as Cc and Bcc options, signature block, and flags. They also explain the appropriateness of email, what to include in the email, and legal situations for business professionals.

Review: Send : the Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home is an informative professional resource. The detailed information provided in this book is something every email user should be aware of both for personal and professional use. It is a helpful addition to any office professional development reference collection or personal reference. The current trend of personal and business correspondence through email, instant messaging, and texting is easily explained and etiquette is provided for both the beginner and regular email user.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Send is full of amusing examples of things can unintentionally change the meaning of your email, like:

- Using a formal salutation vs. a friendly one.
- Whether you mirror the tone of the email you are replying to (replying to a lengthy, heartfelt email with a single word answer can easily be misread).
- Sarcasm, the meaning of which is often lost.

Another sound bit of advice is to always question the necessity of the email, and whether it's the best medium for your message. The book provides alternative ways to send your message and when they might work better than email.

Some of the advice in this book seems a little odd, like the authors' conclusion that "As Always" is the safest way to close an email, and that a first name only salutation is always rude. On the whole, the book was entertaining and made me a little more conscious (perhaps paranoid) about what I put into email.

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a hard grader, so three starts means "I liked it." I used it and got something from it. It does not means the book was mediocre. It was not groundbreaking either, but very useful and practical.

What types of emails are there?
Is it true that email is a distraction while you work?
What's the difference between email that asks us to do something and the one that doesn't?
How and when use forward, cc, bcc?
What can you do if you're sorely behind in your email? (last resort)
What can other people possibly do with your email?
Why can it be important to update the subject lines?
Yes-yes and no-nos of email in work environment.

(and the part that interested me most)

What are some ways to make the often-impersonal email communication personal and positive?

Good book, good use of my time.

[Luca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished it like a week ago and I must say it's such an interesting experience. It is a very easy read and somehow mixed feelings. I was doubting about reading this book, I thought I am e-mailing for like ages and I know all there is to it. It's just e-mail, right ? Well, yes and no. There are certainly quite a few things which you would recognize but that means recognizing while reading it that you should really do what's in there. There are very good bits and pieces of info that I wrote in my own words for me to really use with care and make a difference. I would definitely recommend the book, just get over the hurdle that you think you know. Let me tell you, you don't know how to e-mail!

[Eileen Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was an ok read but some of the info was outdated. One of the authors was the author of another book I liked-the end of your life bookclub-that is really the reason why I downloaded this book. Learned a few interesting tips and some background about email. The acronym in the title! SEND:

S stands for Simple.

E stands for Effective.

N stands for Necessary.

D stands for Done.”

Excerpt From: David Shipley & Will Schwalbe. “Send (Revised Edition).” Knopf, 2008-09-02. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/M...

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've ever been a boss or worked for a boss, you should read this book! All of the advice is mostly common sense but it still bears repeating. If you don't have time to read the book, at least try to remember their mnemonic for sending good emails: SEND
S is for simple
E is for effective
N is for necessary
D is for done (like what do you want accomplished with this email and how are you going to follow up to make sure it gets done)

Lastly, two pieces of advice from the authors: 1. Think before you send and 2. Send email you would like to receive.

[Ollie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a lighthearted reminder to use emotional intelligence when sending emails, so as not to be an ass.

Most of the advice is common sense that applies to general social interactions. I was hoping for more tips on managing inbox overflow, how long is too long (as opposed to just mirroring others), and better sign-offs than "Best" (authors' suggestion: "As ever").

A quick and pleasant enough read that summarizes other work I've read on email etiquette, but I'm not walking away with many new concrete takeaways.

I *do* wish this were required reading for bosses, though.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library because of relevance to my job - I sometimes write some corporate communications.

The first half of this book was a bit of a letdown - I know that some people use communication tools stupidly, but I was still disappointed to find that the advice was so obvious. The last few chapters were a little more subtle, though, and it was interesting to see how other people break down and solve some of the common email questions.