Secrets of writing for the Internet

By Nicholas Keith

You see, we are all copywriters now... that's what the Internet has done for us. Almost every day we are sending emails, on business and to our friends. And that is *copywriting* at its simplest and best.

Before writing, you should prepare yourself for action like an athlete. It is much harder to perform if you start cold. So warm up.

Watch how athletes make mental and physical preparation for a race. They have their own set routines in their warm-up exercises. You will also see them using individual rituals to focus their mind on the job ahead. It is the same with writing.

Now, on your marks...

1) Have a plan of action.
What are your aims and objectives? Define what you want to achieve, and make a plan of the points you wish to make. These two steps will help you think and write more clearly.

2) Target your audience.
Think of your reader: who is that reader? where will he or she be when they read your copy? what do they want to know? what do they do? how can they most easily understand your copy? If you put yourself in the position of the reader, it will be easier to communicate with them and fulfill your aims.

   ...GET SET...

3) Put yourself in the right frame of mind.
Write at a time of day which suits your bodyclock. Some people work better in the morning while others are at their most creative late at night.

Few people work well when there are disturbances from the telephone, the radio, the TV, or from people (workmates or children). So try to cut yourself off. Take your phone off the hook, and shut yourself in a quiet room where you cannot be disturbed.

Some writers like background music to stimulate the creative soul. That is a matter of personal choice. It is quite different from having to deal with unexpected noise and interruption.

4) Prepare yourself physically.
Take exercise for 30 minutes. Go for a walk, a jog, a swim, a cycle ride or take some aerobic exercise. Do whatever suits you as long as it stimulates you, by making you sweat a little.

But don't tire yourself out. It is much harder to write when you are tired, or full of food, or hungover! That is the advice of marketing guru Ted Nicholas, and you will find it helpful.

5) Make yourself comfortable.
Here are three simple points, which are worth remembering.

• Set up the computer so that the screen is in a comfortable position, not too high or low.
• Have the light in the right place. That applies to natural light and electric light.
• Use a chair which supports you properly, especially your back.

      ...GO

The starter's gun has fired and you are off the copywriting blocks. Here are some basic tips:

6) Keep it simple.
Remember the acronym KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid). Think how you would tell a story to a friend, relative or work colleague. Make your writing as straightforward as possible.

7) Get to the point.
Put first things first. Your opening sentence should be clear and easy to understand.

8) Keep sentences short.
Emails and any messages delivered on screen are easier to read and digest if sentences are short. And make only one point per sentence.

In a standard sales letter or direct mail copy, the rule is to have a maximum of 19 words a sentence. For the internet, use even fewer words per sentence.

The same is true of paragraphs. Use only two or three (short sentences) in a paragraph.

9) Use strong and active words.
Colour can be useful but strings of flowery adjectives can bemuse the reader.

10) Keep the design simple.
As Gazette Editor Kai Merriott wrote in a recent article, use space between paragraphs to make the copy easy on the eye. It is also a good idea to limit the number of characters per line to around 65 or 75.

Now you are off and running.