"You hate them," I say, "because you are not your own target market. If readers are also serious prospects they'll be motivated to keep reading.



"And second," I add, "it's not about length. It's about holding the reader's attention." So...how do we hold the reader's interest?

(1) Write conversationally. Your copy should sound like your reader's best friend talking informally over coffee.

Let's face it: web surfers get bored like everybody else. They're sitting all alone with their computers and they want to feel somebody cares enough to talk to them. Reading pages and pages of copy should feel like getting a letter from a good friend.

Short copy (and short-short ezines) comes across more like a message left on an answering machine - not a meaningful connection.

Ever had a phone conversation with a friend or even a business relationship when you just enjoyed talking? You were in no hurry to hang up. You were entertained. You felt affirmed. When readers feel this way, they'll stay tuned - all the way to the bottom of the page.

(2) Maintain suspense. Whether your writing website copy or murder mysteries (my favorite leisure reading), keep the reader on the edge of her chair. Each sentence should motivate the reader to move to the next sentence...and the next paragraph...and the next page, chapter and even book.

(3) Ask, "Who's reading?" rather than "How long?"

What's your favorite personal interest? Dogs? Cats? Hiking? Basketball? Soccer? Music? Art? Real estate?

And if you've targeted right, your readers will feel the same way. I bet you rarely complain about long articles on your favorite subject. Marketing researchers know: When we read any message, we tend to talk back! Sometimes we speak aloud (and even throw a magazine across a room - doesn't work with a computer).

But most often we engage in what psychologists call "counter-arguments." For example, you read, "This technique will transform your cat into an obedient pet who comes when called." You think, "No way!" or, "You must be kidding."

We also affirm what we read. "That's a great idea! I can save money in the long run." And (especially if we're contemplating a big-ticket item) we're seeking more and more reasons to justify our buying decision. So...you're probably ahead of me: Longer copy, more opportunities to say, "Yes - it's for me!"

(5) Crawl out on the edge. What television shows become mega-hits? I should know. I'm somewhat anti-television. No cable in my home because, "There are better ways to spend my time."

But what do I rent at the video store? You got it: the big HBO and Showtime series that go outside the networking programming box. They're more like indie films than television - and they attract audiences of millions. And just try to rent a DVD of past seasons: you get on a waiting list. (

Writing works the same way. Whenever I write a particularly edgy article, lots of readers decide to leave my list. But almost always I make a few sales from that very same article.