Delays in the time from submission to publication have become a widespread and almost traditional source of frustration among authors, readers and editors of medical journals. This frustration particularly applies to the correspondence columns where, by the time a letter (and any response by the authors) has been published, many months have usually elapsed and the original article may be partly forgotten. E-developments offer an opportunity to change this. It is planned that all future correspondence for the EMJ should be submitted in the form of e-letters, which can be considered and posted on the internet site (www.emjonline.com) within a matter of a few days. The authors …