Email Writing

Updated on January 09, 2024

• 8 min read
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Written by Ethan Wilson

How to Write Postscript (PS) Effectively in Emails

Email remains a ubiquitous form of business and personal correspondence in the digital era. Yet crafting messages that make memorable impressions is an art with many moving parts from subject lines, to body text and even to how you say goodbye, depending on context. That is why supplementary email segments like the postscript (PS) also retain relevance. When used deliberately and well they can add richness to your emails, as well as conveying additional information.

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This article will demonstrate proper postscript email formatting as well as use-cases. When should you put information in the main body and when should it come at the very end in the form of a postscript?

We also offer samples for conveying additional details or extra enthusiasm. Read on to level up mundane messages through optional PS flourishes.

How to Properly Utilize Postscript in Email Writing

The purpose of a postscript is to allow writers to append additional thoughts at an email's conclusion without adjustment of the original content. Their thoughtful and strategic incorporation can strengthen professional correspondence or personal notes.

For example, recipients may feel like there were inadvertent topic omissions upon initial reading of an email’s body text. A postscript enables you as the writer to briefly acknowledge such points without altering the flow of the letter.

Alternatively, PS additions may share relevant current updates that require no integration. Or they can permit the writer to convey sidebar personal feelings or information about an unrelated subject in a way that doesn’t distract from the main email’s purpose.

Email Postscript Placement and Format Choices

Postscripts work best when formatted as distinct sections that follow your formal sign-off. Insert a blank line after your name to clearly denote the start of supplementary content.

This clean separation from the email body improves its scannability for busy readers. It also focuses attention on your core message before secondary data. And finally, it signals to the reader that this new information is separate and/or supplemental; kind of a “by the way”.

SAMPLE 1: Email with Postscript at End

In this sample, you can see the format, as described above. In this case, the supplemental detail is a question that relates to the main content but is separate from the main purpose. John here is confirming that he will perform the assigned task. He uses the PS to ask Thomas if he still needs a specific detail of the job completed since it was left unclear.

Dear Thomas,

Thank you again for your time today discussing the Taylor project. Per the meeting's outcome, I will proceed with compiling the analytics report for last fiscal year's web traffic and ad performance by the end of week.

Regards,
John 

P.S. Please advise if you still need the supplemental raw data tables included, as we had discussed about possibly excluding them.

Postscript for Supplementary Details

While postscripts allow space for miscellaneous additions in general, their strategic incorporation can effectively strengthen professional emails. In this way, an email can transmit more information in a way that is effective and easy to understand.

For instance, your recipients may require specifics like meeting times or file formats as next steps. A postscript enables you to clearly confirm these essential logistics without muddying earlier passages.

SAMPLE 2: PS for Additional Meeting Time Options

An excellent use case for postscripts is to organize your time in relation to colleagues. Your primary reason for writing may be something else and you use the vehicle of that communication to organize the details of a meeting.

Here we have Natalie taking the time to thank a colleague for helping further a project and indicating that she is prepared to meet once a time can be agreed. The PS in this case is used to highlight the times that are best for her. While this is specifically used to indicate availability, it could be used for other specifications as well, such as a project’s delivery date.

Hi Stacy,

I really appreciated learning more about the McAllister account history earlier. Adding that context will definitely help as we strategize new marketing outreach angles as a team.

I will await your confirmation regarding meeting up to overview the proposed social media content enhancements. Feel free to connect by phone if it’s easier, to narrow down timing.

Thanks again,
Natalie

P.S. My open windows are: Tuesday 10-2 p.m. EST or Wednesday 12-3 p.m EST.

Using Postscripts to Convey Extra Enthusiasm

Beyond supplementary details, postscripts allow conveying emotion or gratitude left unsaid in the main body of an email. This tones down any potential gushing while retaining your sincere positive spirit.

For example, if you wish to note a recipient's contribution without seeming overly effusive, a postscript enables you to neatly do so separate from the email’s main passages.

When receiving an email from your boss, it's crucial to read between the lines and understand the underlying expectations or concerns they might have.

SAMPLE 3: PS Reiterating Excitement to Collaborate

Dear Ms. Klein,

I really enjoyed discussing the prospect of working on the research study with you last week. Thank you for considering me as a lead candidate from a pool of what I know is immense talent within our community.

If any additional items would be helpful for the final selection process, please advise. I would be happy to share them, or to address any other questions that may arise. I look forward to hearing your decision when reached.

Sincerely yours,
Nora

P.S. I hope the opportunity aligns for us to work together toward forwarding cystic fibrosis treatment this year!

Postscript Length and Stylistic Tips

Postscripts thrive when lean and focused; brevity is king. You need to consider your recipients' time and attention span - in most cases keep additions under 5 lines or 50-75 words maximum.  Anything longer will appear not as a postscript but as an entire email.

Prioritize simple language and be conservative with stylistic embellishments. Your postscripts will showcase creativity best when crisp and skimmable.

• Adhere to professional email structural norms like paragraphs
• Limit to 1-2 supplementary quick points, never more
• Don’t overdo exclamation points or emoji flourishes
• Double check that the purpose of your postscript is clear before sending

Good postscripts make writing richer, not more confusing. They are a powerful tool to summarize small yet meaningful details that recipients appreciate having explicitly stated.

Of course, to know when and how to use them requires some thought. Busy professionals often lack the bandwidth to wordsmith multi-element emails that include postscripts. For that reason, AI email writing assistants like AImRep can optimize the creation of impactful correspondence fast.

Elevate Emails Instantly with AImRep

Do you lack extra minutes to thoughtfully articulate supplementary thoughts to enrich recipient takeaways? Or perhaps you overthink how additions may disrupt nicely composed emails?

AImReply's can generate clear, suitable, professionally written PS statements aligned to your goals in seconds. Moreover, it can handle the whole email communication for you, from swiftly creating new emails based on the given parameters to writing perfectly appropriate responses in seconds. Simply outline key points you aim to reinforce regarding for example meeting follow-ups, shared files, or even your enthusiasm about new partnerships and you get a flawless email written just in moments.

Furthermore, knowing how to write a complaint email effectively can ensure that your concerns are addressed promptly and professionally.

AImReply will instantly tailor warm but still professional postscripts for flawless inclusion. Lead with your strengths by effortlessly showcasing detail-orientation, vision, and positivity through AI-optimized emails daily!

Written by Ethan Wilson

Author, Expert in Email Strategy and Artificial Intelligence