Writing is a way of coming to terms with the world and with oneself. The whole spirit of writing is to overcome narrowness and fear by giving order, measure, and significance to the flux of experience constantly dinning into our lives. – RV Cassill
I wish I could go to the UN Climate Summit in Paris, but I have to watch from the sidelines here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A full 196 signatories (195 states and the European Union) are set to negotiate a treaty to limit global warming and deal with climate change’s effects worldwide (as of 2020). This meeting is supposed to be the big one: the one that will turn the tide toward a real global agreement. Emissions targets, climate change adaptations, financial pledges, etc. will all figure into the document.
Throngs of activists from all around the world are also chiming in.
Will it all be effective? It had better be. But that remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, some great press coverage is coming out of The Guardian (UK) and Democracy Now!, to name a few sources. I am also part of the Paris Rapid Response team at 350.org (an easy way to plug into the action).
And since our focus is on writing and the power of language, I have to share this article from The Guardian on the competing metaphors used by heads of state in their speeches to open the conference. The phrases included: Continue reading
Every year at this time I do a special reflection on the abundance of things in my life I am grateful for.
The list is long, and spans from the physical (health, food) to the social (family, friends, colleagues), to the mental, emotional, spiritual, and entrepreneurial. The people I get to work with every day — talented changemakers in a wide variety of fields, professions, and specialties — round out the list.
I also have been thinking about the refugee crisis our world is facing at this moment in history. The bottom line seems to be that we are all part of a human family; if we can’t accept refugees and migrants fleeing from hardship, what have we become?
I come from immigrant stock myself (my father is a Persian Jew and my mother’s parents come from Jewish communities in Eastern Europe). I am eternally grateful that we are safe, supported, and able to pursue our dreams in this country. (Unfortunately, that cannot be said for all of my country men and women but it is true for many.) Continue reading
Thinking about attending the 2015 Puget Sound Grantwriters’ Association Conference in Seattle this October 22?
The theme is “Impact” and the lineup offers something for everyone in the grantwriting community. My session is no exception, and the title is: “So what? Who cares? Zero In on Your Impact and Tell Funders About it!”
Here’s the description:
All grantwriters know the answer to the question, “What does your organization do?” That is, you are clear on its activities, services, and programs. But can you really identify your organization’s impact? If you’ve been asked to put together a Logic Model or an Evaluation Plan, you may have been stumped a bit on this question. In this session we will dig deep to find out what lurks beneath your services and programs. Come prepared to discuss your organization’s work; leave with the knowledge of what lies at the heart of your “impact” – and how to communicate it to grantmakers.
What you will learn:
Learn more about the entire conference and register (if you haven’t already) right HERE. I look forward to meeting folks in the Seattle area!
Have you heard of The Philantrepreneur Journal? Published by The Philantrepreneur Foundation, this quarterly digital publication contains informative articles on timely topics, features industry leaders, and offers great resources.
I have a full-length article In the Fall 2015 edition, titled “Watch Your Language: Develop Messages that Speak to Today’s Readers.” Check it out on pages 26-28!
(To get you started, I reprinted the first several paragraphs below.)
Are you and your organization prepared for the big changes underway, as our world becomes more collaborative, open, and blended?
Or do you find yourself stuck in the conventional model of philanthropy: asking wealthy institutions or individuals for ‘donations’ and ‘gifts’ in closed, one-way transactions with little interaction?
Today’s social entrepreneurs are not interested in handouts, and neither are their supporters. Both groups are looking to contribute to an evolving world of partnerships, social enterprises, and even crowdfunding. They recognize that they are all components of a healthy system that turns resources into community outcomes and impacts. They each contribute unique value that makes the organization much more than the sum of its parts.
You can join this “changing landscape” by making a few simple mindset shifts, reflected in the words you use. (Hint: You’ll find some of these keywords in italics below.)
I’m talking about a new way of thinking about and expressing our collective place in the world. That is, a new kind of positioning, outreach, marketing.
But before we get there, let’s clarify that “marketing” is not a nasty word or a sleazy necessary evil (read: snake oil salesmanship). Rather, it’s about entering into an exchange where everyone wins. When you express such an exchange in writing, I becomes all about sharing information and passion about your work with interested readers so that they, your clients, and your larger community can all benefit. Through this exchange, you will have become true partners in the endeavor.
Your job is to show that your organization is a trustworthy, inspirational partner. And you need to demonstrate how your reader’s investment (of money and/or time) will get real results that they can be proud of.
To do that, your copywriting must position your work as cutting-edge. It must start to engage new and varied audiences. And it must help your organization become a respected thought leader in your field.
I call it the ABCs of Copywriting for the Social Sector:
