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The Soul of Wit

Written by: Guy Kawasaki

Article Overview: According to a series of psychological studies discussed on Psychology Today, research participants are able to successfully communicate sarcasm and humor in a mere 56 percent of emails—and most of the senders had no idea their attemps were so ineffective.

The Soul of Wit

According to a series of psychological studies discussed on Psychology Today, research participants are able to successfully communicate sarcasm and humor in a mere 56 percent of emails—and most of the senders had no idea their attemps were so ineffective.

How do you avoid this? The article gives some tips:

* Read your emails aloud and listen for parts that could be confusing.

* For important emails, walk away from the computer and come back with a fresh perspective.

* Eudora apparently has a "Mood Watch" function, which highlights volatile phrases—one, two or three red chili peppers, depending on the burn.

This is a great reminder, especially when writing pitches or cover letters. Wit can be a great tool—as long as most readers get it. Clearly, subtlety is not the soul of wit.

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Article Tags: cover letters, eudora, humor, perspective, pitches, psychological studies, psychology today, red chili peppers, reminder, research participants, sarcasm, subtlety, wit



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