Are you writing for the right audience?

When you write you?ll know basically who your audience is likely to be. And when you consider all the different ways of communicating with people you want to make sure you get the tone and style right.

There?s a vast difference between novels and newspapers for instance. One is usually savoured and the other glanced through. There might be articles of interest but you wouldn?t expect them to take up the whole paper and leave the news out entirely.

Nor would you expect to settle down with a good book, only to find it was nothing more than snippets of passing interest. They each have a particular role to play. And we expect them to follow the rules of what they should be giving us.

The same goes for copy, especially online. It?s expected to give the relevant information without fuss or bother, exaggeration or sensationalism. In other words doing what it should.

A lot of it comes down to your style of writing. In fiction you can go to town with descriptions, back story and personalities. With copy it needs to be short and snappy. Confusing the two won?t be good for your business or reputation.
Online readers are notoriously impatient. They skim rather than read. They don?t care about events or other people unless it?s relevant to them. They only want fact not fiction.

Short stories are just that. A story with a beginning, middle and end, but with a limited amount of space to do it in. Much of the detail you can use in a novel has to be condensed. Every word has to count, but still hold a reader?s interest and leave them satisfied at the end.

Copy is similar in that every word has to be carefully thought out to fit the limitations of space. And the reader?s patience. But that shouldn?t mean it?s just a dry telling of facts. It can still be entertaining and interesting. As long as you keep in mind who you?re writing it for.

Whatever you?re writing the important thing to remember is to leave readers satisfied. That means not confusing the issue and wandering off into other genres. Each has a particular readership and a certain function to perform. It?s up to you to stick to your side of the bargain.