Are the following two expressions different in any way ?
(1) "I am writing to follow up on xxx..."
(2) "I am following up on xxx..."
I seem to come across more (1) than (2) in emails but am not sure why (1) is/seems preferred.
Any help on the subtleties between the two or are they identical in all senses?
(1) I am writing to follow up on...
implies that following up on the topic is the main purpose of the email or letter in which it appears. You might also replace "writing" with "calling" in a formal phone call or voicemail message.
(2) I am following up on...
could be used in the same contexts as the first wording, but could also simply be used to inform someone that the writer is in the process of following up on the topic by other means.
