Whelan offers a few ideas to keep in mind that might help you avoid these dangers, such as asking yourself if email is the best way to deliver a particular message, treating email as company stationary, giving personal messages a low priority, being aware of the laws that surround email usage, and setting and using company guidelines.

Writing more effective messages
In chapter two, Whelan talks about methods for writing more effective messages. His suggestions include giving your email message a useful and relevant subject line, structuring your message in a way that's easy to follow, including a greeting, a closing, and a signature when appropriate, and writing in plain language.

Writing the right way
Chapter three expands on that latter point by providing suggestions on how to write effectively, in plain English, and how to punctuate properly. He also details some of the myths of the English language.

As evidence of the value of this ebook, I learned something in this chapter I didn't know before. In school, it was always drilled into our heads that you absolutely cannot end a sentence with a preposition, on penalty of a severe knuckle smacking. According to Whelan, however, words we know as prepositions are not necessarily always prepositions. "It depends on their role in the sentence," Whelan writes. For example, "Many verbs seem to include prepositions (which are then technically 'verbal particles'), so it's natural that sometimes they'll occur at the end of a sentence." This comes as a great relief, as I can now simply implore irritating individuals to "Bugger off," as opposed to using the far more cumbersome, "Off which you should bugger!"

Attaching files
Moving on, chapter four covers the subject of attaching files to messages. Here he explains why "attachments can often be the 'sting in the tail' of messages." Some of the issues he discusses include deciding on the format of attachments, limiting the size of attachments, naming attachments, securing attachments, and preventing the spread of viruses.

Using email accessories
Finally, chapter five talks about using common email accessories, such as spell check, a signature or business card, priorities, acknowledgement of receipt, security features, and the address book. According to Whelan, overuse or poor use of these accessories can waste everyone's time. "Good business messages," on the other hand, "use these accessories sensibly."

Conclusion
Naturally, the points I was able to highlight in this review barely scratch the surface of the valuable information Whelan shares in, "The Things That Really Matter About Writing Business Emails." It is yet another important addition to your growing Palm ebook library. Be sure to check it out at http://www.pocketmanager.com/product.jsp?product_id=-88165906.

Steve Niles is Senior Editor for ZATZ Publishing. He is also an independent filmmaker and freelance writer. For more information, visit http://www.sn-films.com.