Most people can write, and everyone can copy. Putting the two together can be tough. Not that copywriting has anything to do with plagiarism, although you'd be surprised what happens out there.

Writing long copy can be difficult. So the first rule to apply is `If it doesn't pay rent it's out!' This means that long copy should be kept short. A contradiction in terms maybe, but the thing to remember is copywriters write things that people often don't want to read- we're not writing novels here. Keep this in mind, and make it short, simple and interesting. How do you do this? Here are some quick pointers.

1. Take out long words. People use these to make themselves sound more important or intelligent. It rarely works.

2. Keep your sentences under 30 words. You're not writing prose, so don't test people's concentration spans.

3. Mix up sentence length. This makes the writing less monotonous, much in the same way that a good speaker varies voice pitch.

4. Write for non-readers. Keep it simple, clear and concise.

5.

* Use

* Bullet

* Points

6. Use sub headings. They help to break up the text, making it easier and less daunting to read. It also helps a reader in a hurry get the gist.

7. Keep your audience in mind. Write as you would like to read.

8. Write in the second person, `You'. It makes `you' feel loved!

Simplicity is the sign of depth of thought. It's much harder to write information simply and logically, however it will work a lot better for you if you do. Some people think that writing long words and long sentences will make them sound clever. It's a bad habit learnt in school while struggling to reach word count requirements while demonstrating vocabulary. Waffle doesn't work in the real world.

Benjamin Wells is the owner and director of Wellsaid Copywriting. You can get in touch with him at: Wellsaid Copywriting