Unrelated announcement: Plagued by dry turkey? See tips in my article: Moist Mouthwatering Turkey & Simple Stuffing.
When someone writes “thanks” in response to my email, do I write “my pleasure” and require them to open yet another correspondence? Or do I allow the thread to end with their thanks and risk seeming rude? I try to take into account my hierarchal position relative to my correspondent.
For instance, let’s say I’m exchanging emails with a literary agent, the father of my daughter’s dear friend, who has kindly agreed to read some of my essays and meet me for lunch to discuss publishing possibilities.
We go back and forth and I say I’ve reserved a table at LaLaLa and he writes, “See you there, thanks.” Do I write back to say “You’re welcome?” That may be annoying to him. Yet, do I need to let him know I received his affirmation of the plan? No one wants to open unnecessary emails.
Apparently I am not the only one who worries about how to end an email thread. My friend Annie emailed Jeff, asking him to send her a financial document.
Jeff writes back “Sure.”
Annie replies, “Thanks.”
Jeff writes back, “Sure.”
Annie wonders whether she should again write “Thanks” or “Huh?”
As if that’s not hard enough, let’s look at the obstacles of ending a chat with one my 20-something daughters. On video Skype, I can’t hang up first. On a voice call, ok, but there I am looking at one of my peach pies and I can’t just blank her out. She has to be the one to disconnect.
Saying good-bye on online chats without video simply has no limit. Below is a Skype instant message conversation with one of my kids. No need to read it all, just scroll down to get the idea.
ME:
13:32:17
sure–love you
13:32:20
hopefully i’ll get a keyboard soon, anticipating that
13:32:29
LOVE YOUUUUUU
ME:
13:32:32
that’s so exciteing!!!!
ME:
13:32:38
love youuuuuu!!!!
ME:
13:32:42
XO!!!!
13:32:46
love you
ME:
13:32:52
gnite
13:32:55
promise talk to you tomorrow
13:32:56
night
13:32:57
love oyu
ME:
13:33:03
love uyo
13:33:08
i’ll tel you all about my fab new years eve
13:33:11
<3
ME:
13:33:15
YES!!!!
13:33:16
byeee
ME:
13:33:19
byeee
13:33:56
\(^o^)/
13:33:57
hahahah
13:34:00
byeeee
ME:
13:34:06
BYEEE
13:34:15
(that was happy hug face)
ME:
13:34:24
awww
13:34:27
with arms up
13:34:28
ahhahah
It’s me again, Dear Blog Reader. I must have been in an awful hurry because I thought I was always the last one to say byee.
Byeee
[...] How do You End an Email Thread? [...]
“Happy hug face”??? Looks more like “I can’t bear to listen to another word” face.
Gotta go, now. Need to call my dad.
Good idea to have a signal that, ok, I’m not going to respond unless I have substance to add. Not sure at which point in the thread to say Over and Out. Thanks for the suggestion!
How about “Over and Out”
Rude v. Annoying, yup I choose rude, but depends on the hierarchy too. I like how you take my worries to the next level
hilarious – I now have more fear that I will be looked upon as annoying with YET ANOTHER email than rude for not ending with a final “thank you”. but this has evolved as my own inbox is continually spilling over.