Writing & Editing Emails
Using Claude to draft, polish, and adjust the tone of everyday emails
The most useful skill you’ll learn in this course
If you only use Claude for one thing, email is a great place to start. Almost everyone writes emails every day, and Claude is genuinely good at drafting them, fixing them, and adjusting their tone.
Starting from scratch
You don’t need a polished paragraph to get a good draft. Just describe the situation and what you need, like you’re explaining it to a coworker who’s about to write it for you.
- “Write an email to my team letting them know Friday’s meeting moved to 3pm.”
- “Write a polite email to a vendor asking why our invoice hasn’t been paid yet.”
- “Write a short thank-you email to a client after our call today.”
The more detail you give — names, dates, tone, key points to include — the closer the first draft will land to what you actually want.
Fixing an email you already wrote
Claude is just as useful for editing. Paste in something you’ve already drafted and ask for what you need:
| What you want | What to say |
|---|---|
| Shorter | “Trim this to 3 sentences” |
| Friendlier | “Make this sound warmer and less formal” |
| More formal | “Make this sound more professional, this is going to a client” |
| Less blunt | “Soften this so it doesn’t sound harsh” |
| Grammar/typos | “Fix any typos or grammar issues, don’t change the wording otherwise” |
Tip: Say who the email is going to. “This is going to my manager” or “this is going to an upset customer” changes what a good draft looks like, and Claude will adjust for it.
Handling a tricky message
Emails about a mistake, a delay, or a disagreement are stressful to write. This is where Claude shines — it has no emotional stake in the message, so it can help you find calm, clear wording. Try: “Help me write an email to my manager explaining that a report will be a day late, without sounding like I’m making excuses.”
Always do this one thing
Watch out: Always read the full draft before sending — check names, dates, dollar amounts, and any specific facts. Claude writes smoothly, but a wrong name or number can slip through if you don’t check.
Building a habit
Over time, you’ll find your own shorthand — a go-to phrase you use every time, like “keep it under 100 words” or “sign off with my usual closing.” The more you use it, the faster this becomes.
Try it: Think of one email you’ve been putting off. Describe the situation to Claude in one or two sentences and see the draft it produces. Then ask for one adjustment — tone, length, or detail.