The other day a client expressed frustration that people she works with send her emails with lines that stretch across her computer screen. "I can't believe they don't use wider margins," she said.
Wider margins?
I don't use any margins in the emails I send. If people read my message on wide screens, the lines will be long (wide). If they read on their phones, the lines will wrap to be short (narrow).
If someone reading a message from me would like the lines to be narrower, the individual can resize his or her screen, I believe. With no margins, the lines can shrink or expand as the reader desires.
For me, the one exception is my monthly e-newsletter, which I send out in both HTML and plain text versions, based on reader preference. The plain text version requires that a line length be set, and I use a 60-character line. In Outlook, readers can remove the line breaks with one click to extend the text across their screen.
I have read many experts who have written about the length of emails, but not the width. Can you help by sharing your expertise and preferences?
In your organization, do writers pay attention to the width of their emails? If so, what do they do? Please shed light on this subject.
Lynn
Syntax Training