Computer technology has become an indispensable tool in writing. Those of us who have spent any time in schools can attest to the prevalence of word processing, concept mapping, Web editing, and electronic presentation software, all deployed, to a large extent, in the collective effort to enhance student writing. The degree to which such tools improve student writing is best answered by the teachers and students who use them. In my efforts to help students advance written communication skills, however, the most valuable tool in aiding students to better formulate ideas, revise and refine conceptualizations, and communicate thoughts was one that is often absent from the classroom--e-mail.