Dear Fundraising Friend:
Expressing good causes with belief and passion and genuine humanity is hard.
Most nonprofits can’t do it. If yours can, be excited.
Most nonprofits can’t do it for one of three reasons:
- No talent. They’re hacks. Hacks cannot create compelling words and images. They can muck about, look fancy and professional. But ask them to inject human spirit and they lose it.
- Stupidity. They’re idiots. Excuse me, when I said idiot, I meant “not creative enough”. Anytime they try to write like a human being (as opposed to a whipping-boy-for-cash) someone higher up in the food chain kills what’s done and sends it back to some cube for a re-write.
- Fear. Better known as practicality. It’s a competitive world out there. Let’s minimise risk and conflict. Get rid of those emotion stirring words and replace them with dry, blithering, meaningless corporate speak.
Sorry to whinge. But it’s another thing I’m passionate about. I feel if I’m knowingly writing meaningless gobbledygook, it’s my fault.
I chose to work for that cause. I did what they wanted. I took their money. It’s not their problem. It’s mine.
All creatives are responsible for what they craft. Your cry of “My boss won’t let me,” just doesn’t cut it with me, mate.
Excelsior!