A postscript, universally abbreviated as P.S., is a brief addition appended after a letter or email has reached its signature sign-off. Far from being an afterthought, it is one of the most powerful psychological tools in writing. When readers scan correspondence, their eyes skip directly to the end, making the postscript prime real estate for emphasis, emotion, or action.
Understanding why postscripts work requires looking at both their historical roots and cognitive science. Before typewriters and word processors made editing seamless, adding a thought after signing a handwritten letter meant squeezing words into margins or writing upside down at the bottom of the page. Today, digital tools let us place text anywhere instantly, yet the postscript survives because readers treat it differently than the body text. It signals a shift from formal structure to a direct, candid whisper from the writer.
The History and Evolution of the Postscript
The term originates from the Latin post scriptum, meaning "written after." In centuries past, when correspondence was handwritten on precious parchment with ink and quill, planning an entire letter before writing was essential to avoid ink blots, smudges, and wasted materials.
If a sender forgot a crucial piece of news or wanted to add a personal touch after sealing the wax, they added a postscript. Over time, the convention evolved from a functional necessity of physical letter-writing into a deliberate rhetorical device used by authors, statesmen, and marketers.
Famous historical figures relied heavily on the technique. Winston Churchill and civil rights leaders often used postscripts to convey urgency or emotional weight that didn't fit the formal tone of the main body text. In literature, authors like Kurt Vonnegut and Arthur Conan Doyle utilized postscripts to frame narratives, break the fourth wall, or deliver final, lingering impressions to their readers.
Why Postscripts Capture Attention
Human reading behavior is remarkably consistent, especially when scanning digital content or physical mail. Most readers follow an F-shaped reading pattern: they read the headline or opening, scan the body paragraphs quickly, and then look straight at the end of the text before deciding whether to read closely.
Because of this scanning habit, the postscript acts as a secondary headline at the bottom of your message. Readers who skim your main points will almost always pause at a postscript.
- The Eye-Catching Abbreviation: The capital letters P.S. create visual friction in a block of text, drawing the eye instantly.
- The Conversational Shift: Body paragraphs often carry the weight of structure, argument, and polish. A postscript breaks that formality, sounding like a casual aside whispered just as someone walks out the door.
- Memorability: Psychological studies on serial position effects show that people remember the first and last things they encounter in a sequence best. The postscript sits squarely at the absolute end of your written piece, cementing itself in the reader's memory.
Strategic Uses in Modern Copywriting and Business
In modern email marketing and business correspondence, copywriters treat the postscript as the most valuable piece of real estate on the page. According to marketing lore and email testing data, readers often read the subject line, skim the first line, jump straight to the P.S., and then decide whether to read the rest.
If you want to drive action, communicate urgency, or reiterate your core value proposition, the postscript is where it belongs.
Driving Direct Action
When sending a sales email, a newsletter, or a proposal, your main body text builds the logical case. The postscript delivers the call to action. For instance, reminding readers of an impending deadline right at the bottom creates a sense of immediacy without cluttering the main narrative.
Underscoring the Core Benefit
If your message contains multiple details, specs, or background facts, the reader can easily lose track of what matters most. Use the postscript to distill the entire message down into one single, undeniable takeaway.
Adding Personality
Professional writing often risks sounding sterile, robotic, or overly corporate. Dropping a quick, self-aware joke, a personal update, or a warm human touch in the postscript instantly humanizes the sender. It builds rapport in a way that formal paragraphs cannot achieve.
Common Mistakes When Using Postscripts
While powerful, postscripts lose their impact when misused. Treating them as a dumping ground for forgotten information defeats their psychological purpose.
- Burying Vital Instructions: If your primary call to action or crucial logistic detail—such as a meeting time or link—lives only in the postscript, readers who skip to the bottom might miss context. The postscript should complement, not replace, the core message.
- Writing Essays: A postscript should be concise. If your P.S. spans three long paragraphs, it ceases to be a postscript and becomes an appendix. Keep it to one or two punchy sentences.
- Overusing Them: If every single email or letter you write features multiple postscripts (P.S. followed by P.P.S. and P.P.P.S.), the device loses its novelty and looks disorganized. Reserve them for moments when you genuinely want to emphasize a specific point.
Extending the Device: P.P.S. and Beyond
When writers need to add yet another layer after a postscript, they use P.P.S., which stands for post post scriptum ("written after the writing").
Historically and colloquially, adding a P.P.S. can inject humor or showcase playful disorganization, but in professional settings, stacking multiple postscripts usually signals poor planning. If you find yourself writing a P.P.P.S., it is almost always better to revise your main body text to incorporate those thoughts naturally.
For further reading on clear, effective professional communication, check out the PlainLanguage.gov guidelines on structuring written messages for maximum readability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use periods in the abbreviation (P.S. vs PS)?
Both styles are acceptable, but traditional English punctuation prefers periods after each letter (P.S.). Modern digital writing often drops the periods for speed (PS), though keeping them maintains a classic, polished look.
Can I use a postscript in a formal business report?
Formal reports, academic papers, and legal documents generally avoid postscripts because they demand rigid structure. However, in cover letters, business emails, and memos, a well-placed postscript is entirely appropriate and often welcome.
How long should an effective postscript be?
An ideal postscript is one to two sentences long—usually under thirty words. It should deliver a single punchy thought, reminder, or call to action that hits immediately.
Why do people read the postscript before the body text?
Human scanning habits gravitate toward visual anchors. The distinct capitalization of P.S. combined with its isolated position at the very bottom of the page breaks the visual monotony of paragraphs, naturally pulling the eye.
