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Presenters: Hershaft, Shoss, Smith

Alex Hershaft
Founder and President, Farm Animal Rights Movement

Click here for a printable version of Alex's outline.

• The written word is an effective means to change people’s feelings, beliefs, and hopefully, behavior. How do we get people to read and be affected by our message?

What Is Effective Writing?

One that gets read (tough competition) and promotes effectively its intended purpose
Likely purposes and formats: instructing (fact sheet), informing (article, blog, edletter), alerting (ad), fund raising (appeal)

Getting Read

Attractions: pleasing or intriguing design or graphics, color, teasers, simple sentences
Start with a bang: dramatic personal story, newsy item, startling statistics, fascinating visual
Continue with short, pithy sentences and quotes; use cascade effect: each paragraph/sentence leading to next; keep it short
Close with strong set of conclusions and recommendations
Appeal to feelings and beliefs; but always focus on purpose

Appeal to Feelings

Source likable: similar (suitable photo, gender, profession, ethnicity, geography), good-natured, humble, humorous
Content should appeal to readers’ desires, concerns/fears; use language, images, story

Appeal to Beliefs

Source credible: credentials or reference, no ax, public interest, witness
Content credible: similar (agreement, framing), logical, authoritative (jargon, quotes, references, precedent, personal experience), accurate (truthful, precise – 99.44%)

Framing (Wikipedia, Lakoff, Joy)

Definition: placement of self and presentation in a framework designed to affect perception
People use frames to perceive the world around them; examples: risk aversion, terrorist
Can not change frames, but can identify, select, and suggest new ones (like a pair of glasses)
Gauge audience; use framing to make yourself and your presentation perceived as similar
Examples: diet, activism, compassion

Special Features

Edletters: refer to recent news item, sound spontaneous & similar (not intellectual), under 200 words
Ads: dramatic image, familiar statement with twist, minimal text, contact info; examples

Brenda Shoss
Executive Director, KINSHIP CIRCLE

Click here for Brenda's outline.

Scott Smith
Freelance journalist

Take a writing course—effective activist writing is less talent than a learned skill
Read books on writing nonfiction
Read with open eyes
Join a writers group www.nwu.org  
Go to conferences and buy tapes www.asja.org
Take your time, rewrite, and proofread carefully

Clarity of communication
Psychology of audience
Salesmanship
Being objective
Find someone who isn’t an activist and will give you honest feedback

ARTICLES
Aim for free giveaways, low-paying magazines, alternative newspapers, web sites
Writer’s Market
Just send it in without asking for an assignment
Start with human interest anecdote, startling statistic, news hook
Memorable phrases
Keep it moving
Provide useful information
End on an inspiring note
Keep it as short as possible
Study what has been published and note style characteristics

FACT SHEETS
Brainstorm
Get input from more experienced activists and read other examples
Don’t include trivia, do include human interest elements and startling information
What else will be in the media kit
Ask a journalist a journalist to read it over—does it give all the essential information she needs to write the story?

ADS
Public service space in publications—just send it in
Technical specs for newspapers, glossy magazines
Make the copy short, bold, eye-catching
Celebrity quote/photo
Get under their radar
Design—Guerrilla Advertising by Jay Levinson and Charles Rubin
The Wizard of Ads by Roy Williams
The Little Blue Book of Advertising by Steve Lance and Jeff Woll
reverse bw quarter page
Read about how to write ads
PSAs
Memorable phrase
Contact info