Bring up your email service on the computer.

Click the necessary option to compose a new email. Depending on your service, you might click “Compose” or “New.”

Enter your friend’s email in the “To” field. As you begin to enter the email address, your mail service might suggest addresses using autocomplete.

Fill in the “Subject” field with the topic of your email. The subject conveys the main point of your email. It’s better to be more specific so your friend immediately knows what the email is about. For example, “Following Up on Friday’s Get-Together,” is better than “Follow Up.”

Write a greeting to begin the email. An email greeting doesn't have to be as formal as a letter. You can use “Dear” and the person’s name, but you can also use “Hi,” “Hello” or even “Hey” as other options. It is important to use your friend’s name in the original email as well as the first reply, but isn’t necessary after that, according to The Emily Post Institute’s website.

Compose the introduction of your email. The introduction should include basics such as inquiring about your friend’s health, thanking him for a previous email and your reason for writing.

Write the body of the email. You might think about, write down and organize what you want to say ahead of time so you don’t forget anything and it isn’t confusing for your friend to read. Separate each different thought or topic into a new paragraph to keep your email organized.

Close your email with your name and by expressing what you expect from your friend in response. You might ask for a phone call or an email reply with answers to your questions or more details or just a simple “I look forward to hearing from you.”

Proofread your email to check for proper spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Click “Send” when you’re ready to send your email.