As much as it sounds like a no-brainer, writing an e-mail is actually more complicated than what it seems.

It doesn't have to be, but e-mail etiquette has never really been set into place, so that more of us than there should be receive missives like this:

"im going to be there tomorrow sometime cuz i will be in the area but i dont know when so dont bother to wait for me."

Well, at least there was a period at the end.

If you are communicating by e-mail, especially on a professional basis, keep these elements of common sense in mind:

1) Consider this an electronic letter, complete with salutation (Dear Person:) and sign off (Sincerely, Me).

2) Use paragraphs to separate your thoughts, just as if you were writing a letter.

3) Follow conventional rules of capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure. Don't forget to capitalize your "I's," and consider drafting your e-mail from your computer keyboard, not your phone.

4) If this is a professional letter, keep the tone formal.

5) Take the time to check out your e-mail program for a customized Signature option. In Microsoft Outlook, you'll find the Signature button on the toolbar that shows up when you generate a new e-mail.

6) Incorporate your website address into your signature.

7) Consider writing all of your e-mails in this fashion, even non-professional ones. That way your default is the correct one.

Do these tips sound mind numbingly, profoundly and prosaically basic? Conventional letter and note card writing may be becoming obsolete, but the conventions of doing so can be translated into the cyber world. Let's let the grown ups lead on this one.