Email: An Idea Who's Whose Time Has (Way) Past

Surely that should be "Whose time has passed"? But even though I find e-mail indispensable, I wouldn't want to read my fiction that way. Those messages would sit collecting metaphorical dust with all the e-zines I postpone reading until I'm having the kind of day where I clean cat hair out of the keyboard rather than work. (Which is about how often I open FeedDemon and check blogs, come to that.)

I had to chuckle. In the Blogosphere, Twitter, Facebook, marketing, etc. we seek the attention of others to us… then become flooded with a demand for attention to them. Wikipedia describes the attention solution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention)… we give it to some but not others. Makes me wonder where the balance will be.

I would much rather call people than send out e-mails. Sure e-mail is convenient but nothing can replace one on one conversation. It's just that simple.

600 emails a day?!! Right now, I'm counting my blessings for my Inbox ;)

Spoken, er, written like a true extrovert... But I couldn't agree more. :)

IM is a great compromise, but people have poor IM etiquette. If you have something serious to say, call me. If you want to argue with me, call me. If you want to discuss nuanced work, either learn how to express yourself in written English or... call me.

Another issue: too much back-and-forth over email. We need to stop over-thanking one another with little, bouncy emails. It's nice, but don't think I'm a jerk if I don't respond. I like to think I'm doing us both a favor. That type of stuff is better suited for IM.

That site dedicated to the promoting a 5-sentence limit on email has changed my life. After three months on this verbal diet, I've of precious life.