Today is Elmore Leonard’s birthday, and while Leonard wrote fiction (and a lot of it), he once said something every copywriter or blogger should stick on their monitor.

When asked why his books were so widely read, he simply said “I leave out the parts that people skip.”

This doesn’t mean every marketing effort must measure out at less than two paragraphs.But it does mean you’ll never bore anyone into saying “yes.”

Make your next piece of copy a tribute to Elmore Leonard. Focus relentlessly on your point. Pare away every bit of fat, leaving only lean, active words.

And - most importantly - know when to stop.

[tags]elmore leonard[/tags]