Text guides

Everyday writing

Find the words for a specific reader, whether you are asking for help or explaining a change.

10 practical tasks. Each guide includes a sample request and a way to check the answer.

Write an apology with a concrete next stepAn apology that ends on feelings leaves the other person to work out the resolution. A concrete next step shows you have thought past the moment and gives them something to respond to.
Ask for an introduction without putting someone on the spotA good introduction request gives your contact enough to decide whether the connection makes sense. It also makes declining easy enough that they will say so if the answer is no.
Organize a complaint into facts and a requestA complaint letter works when it keeps what happened separate from how you feel about it. A clear timeline, any reference numbers, and one specific request give the reader something to act on.
Decline an invitation without a long excuseA short, warm decline is harder to write than it sounds. It should say no clearly, keep the relationship intact, and avoid an excuse that could come back to you later.
Explain a change of plan clearlyWhen a plan changes, the other person has to work out what it means for them. A clear message says what changed, how it affects them, and what you propose instead, so they don't have to guess.
Rewrite an announcement in plain languageMany announcements explain the decision before telling people what changes for them. A plain-language rewrite reverses that order: who is affected, what is different, what to do, and who to ask.
Write a follow-up that says what you needA follow-up works when it reminds the other person of the original ask and gives a concrete deadline. Without both, it reads as pressure with no information attached.
Shorten an email without dropping the requestLong emails often bury the request under background the reader doesn't need. Shortening one means deciding what the recipient has to know, what they have to do, and by when, then cutting the rest.
Write a thank-you note with a real detailGeneric thank-you notes blur together. The ones people remember name a particular action, what followed from it, or a moment that stuck with you.
Ask someone for a recommendationA well-framed request makes it easier for someone to write a strong recommendation and easier to decline if they can't. Context up front saves them a round of questions and shows you respect their time.

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