I am publishing  a new article, “Five Tips for Sharing Stories that Stick,”  in two parts this month in the Grants and Foundations Review on the CharityChannel website (www.charitychannel.com).

The editor says:

“Dalya Massachi has hit on something that, once she points it out, seems so obvious that it’s a wonder we have to be reminded of it: we all love a good story!

In Part 1 of her article Five Tips for Sharing Stories that Stick, Dalya advises grantwriters: use stories. Then she dives in to show us how.”

Part 1 was previously published. Here is the beginning of Part 2, and you can click below to see the rest.

“Once in East Africa, on the shores of an ancient lake, I sat alone and suddenly it struck me what community is. It is gathering around a fire and listening to someone tell us a story.” – Bill Moyers

Use Plenty of Interesting Quotes

Break out your tape recorder (imaginary or real) and listen to the voices of your characters. They want to be heard and taken seriously, and your readers want to hear what they have to say. Using people’s actual words will infuse your piece with a real-world genuineness. We all like to overhear conversations, and using plenty of quotes can simulate that. Quotation marks are also pretty darned eye-catching!

Using quotes will add texture to your writing by introducing a variety of personal styles, tones, rhythms, etc. That variety will help keep your readers interested and engaged. You do not want to have only one sound dominate your virtual “airwaves,” lest your readers tune out.

Include both short and long quotes that illustrate how people felt or what they experienced before, while, and after working with you. Be sure to ask your interviewees: “How did you benefit from the experience? How did it make you feel? What changes did you see happen? And why is that important to you?” Try your best to extract the quality of their experiences.

Read the rest of the article HERE.