5 APRIL 2008, Page 63

Q. How can I tactfully tell a friend who emails

me too often that I simply don’t have the time for an epistolary relationship? I know her enthusiasm is partly on account of her enjoyment of her own writing style, but I cannot just ignore these emails for a couple of days since they are a far cry from impersonal blogs and always include questions which need to be urgently answered.

Name and address withheld A. Tell her your life coach, a friend whose advice you value, has ordered you to reply to emails only once every two days so she should not worry if she does not get instant responses. This will dampen her ardour and help her to moderate her output.