Final answer:
To compose an email about a difficult family member's visit, choose a clear subject line like "Subject: Family Drama at Home", write a casual salutation, and share your story concisely. Suggest a call or meeting if the email becomes lengthy, indicating that it may be better to discuss the details in person.
Step-by-step explanation:
When composing an email to a friend about a challenging family member's visit, it is important to select a subject line that is clear and reflects the contents of the email. An effective subject could be "Subject: Family Drama at Home", which immediately informs the recipient about the nature of the email without being overly formal.
Begin with an appropriate salutation, for example, "Hey [Friend's Name]," which sets a casual and friendly tone. In the body of your email, be concise but specific about your experiences with your difficult family member. Perhaps you could share a particularly trying moment or a funny anecdote that happened during their stay. However, if you find that you're typing more than a few paragraphs to express your feelings or the story is getting complicated, it might be better to suggest a call or a meet-up to go over the details in person, acknowledging that some matters are better discussed face-to-face or over the phone than in an extensive email.
It's not only a matter of etiquette; it also considers the recipient's time and engagement level. The recipient being a friend, you can maintain a personal and empathetic tone while explaining your situation. You can also express how you're looking forward to catching up more about this in person or on a call.