Writers targetting the teen and young adult audience need to hone their brevity skills. They might also want to explore photography, audio and video, because even amid rising economic insecurity only 11 percent of 18 - 29 year-olds would willingly give up their mobile phone and/or Internet connection if money got tight, according to the latest AnxietyIndex from JWT.

"The Web and mobile devices offer connectivity and a wide array of content and applications at little to no cost, and, as a result, they can easily replace paid products and services," said Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT, one of the world's largest advertising agencies. "Teens and young adults already see their mobiles and the Web as extensions of themselves, but downturn is only increasing that bond and time spent with these platforms."

Most web content is very concise. Sentences and paragraphs are both short. Think fillers and Hemingway. Although the web allows for long content, shorter items attract more attention and suit the average 8 second continuous attention-span. Links can help by providing shortcuts to definitions and citations but they also present a risk of spreading inaccurate or unverified "facts".

Writing for the web and mobile devices can pose a challenge for writers more comfortable with traditional newspaper or magazine articles. Introducing multimedia components, from links to video content, can be difficult for those whose careers have been crafting text. Fortunately, writers don't need to become experts in all types of media. They just need a network of photographers, videographers and even audio experts whose work can support their writing. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done.

Beyond the style issues, writing for online or mobile markets raise copyright and payment questions for writers. Many web sites try to buy all rights to an article, even if all rights are not purchased, the "shelf-life" of anything published online is far longer than that of a newspaper or even a magazine. Not to mention the potential for plagarism and the outright theft of articles republished without the author's permission. Since lengths are shorter, pay is also lower compounding the problems of only being able to sell an article once.

Still, web and mobile content represent a growing market. One that writers, especially those writing for teen and young adult audiences, should at least be aware of. After all, 90 percent of AnxietyIndex respondents indicated they would be very or somewhat bothered by giving up their Internet connection. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) said the same about giving up their cell phone. Compare that to the 61 percent who report they would forgo their DVR/Tivo and video games/equipment if money became tight.No figures were available on how many would give up books, magazines and/or newspapers for budgetary reasons.