“I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.” So said Oscar Wilde, reflecting what most charity writers know only too well: writing can be very hard work and something dashed off reads exactly like it has [...]
How to create an audience profile
Key questions to ask to get your charity writing on target Who is the most important person in all charity communications? Perhaps you think it’s you – after all, you’re the one doing the writing and communicating? Or maybe it’s your manager, or chief executive. If you don’t do a good job, they’ll be breathing [...]
Getting people to read what you write
The brutal truth is that most people aren’t that desperate to read what you write. When your appeal letter drops through someone’s letter box, it’s easily tossed aside. On your website, you have just seven seconds to grab someone or they’ll move on. When a potential funder receives your annual review, they’ll just skim read [...]
Are you getting the writing basics right?
Five useful reminders for producing clear, compelling copy You can have the best impact statistics. Brilliant case studies. A fantastic structure for your publication. But without applying the very basics of good writing, your charity communications won’t shine. Poor writing turns readers off, and weakens even the best content’s impact. Worse still, you might not [...]
Keeping your publications on time and budget
Do your publications regularly go over deadline, over budget or off brief? Do you often feel overwhelmed by (unhelpful) feedback flying at you from all corners of your organisation? If you are regularly finding publications a stress, the problem could be the process rather than the publication that is your problem. The process of setting [...]
