Who this is for
You know what you need to say, but the words are keeping you from sending it. If you are replying to a letter you do not understand, do The Paper in Your Hand first. If the email window is the hard part, save the draft in Notes and get a person to help.
Stop check — do this before opening the chat
Do not use the chat for this message if it is about:
- court, custody, eviction, immigration, or a letter from a lawyer
- firing or disciplining someone
- anyone’s health
- what the law says or what you are “entitled to”
- money you cannot get back: a wire, deposit, or “pay this to release”
- grief or big family news — those land better in your own words
Write the message plan
About 5 min · on paper, not in the chat
- Write To: and use a role, not a real name.
- Write The one thing I need them to do:
- Write By when: only if there is a real date.
- Under that, write your rough words exactly as you would say them out loud. Messy is good.
To: my landlord
One thing: fix the kitchen faucet drip
By when: this week if possible
Rough words: kitchen faucet been dripping for 2 weeks, its getting worse, can someone come look this week, im home after 4
Your words will look different. That’s normal. Check that you have the same parts: who, one thing, and your rough words.
Try this
Say your rough words out loud once. Write them the same way you said them. Do not make them “sound official.”
You should have: one small message plan on paper. Nothing has gone into the chat yet.
↓ Download the MS-01 worksheet (PDF)
Need a print copy from your browser? Open the print-ready worksheet.
Success check
- This message passed the stop check
- I wrote who it is for and used a role, not a real name
- I wrote the one thing I need them to do
- My rough words are on paper
Stop line
If one item on the stop list fits, close the chat. Write the message yourself or talk to a person. For legal matters, use stop card 3.
Brake line: Nothing is typed yet. Paper cannot leak.
Stop before typing it. A human can help you sort the message without putting private details in a chat.