Why am I so terrible at email?
Ever heard the phrase "run into an asshole and they're the asshole, run into assholes all day and you're the asshole?" It's been rattling around my brain of late, after several miserable weeks caused by my apparent failure to be a good emailer. (Or maybe I'm just an asshole, but since I'm not going to tackle that existential crisis head-on, let's focus on the emails.) I've been stuck in a rut when it comes to getting responses to my emails, either for comment on breaking news or interview requests. Normally, my phone is in one hand trying to speak to someone in person, while the other is frantically typing out said emails. Several times recently, I'd fire off 30 or 40 delicately crafted missives and get absolutely zero response. Email is my bete noire , forcing me to spend far too much time each day agonizing and piling through the thousands of digital missives I get on a daily basis. As an emotionally-repressed Brit, I can spend up to ha...