We stand with you — and want to help

Please accept this gift and use it for positive change [The Writer’ s Life]( June 7, 2020 Hi {NAME}, We're sending you this special issue of The Writer's Life today in an attempt to add our individual and collective voices to the conversation that's going on in our homes, within the AWAI offices, in our cities, and in our country about racism and social injustice. AWAI is based on helping people use their voices and talents to create a better world for themselves, their families, and their communities. Persuasive writing is a superpower that can change hearts and minds. It can educate … inspire … engage … and be a catalyst for change. And, also very important … it can raise much-needed funds to help groups and organizations get their important messages out. Today, we are giving away for free to all who would like it, our program Copywriting for a Cause. [(Click here to gain access.)]( While originally written to help writers make great money by helping companies support causes they believe in … You can use the training to amplify your own voice, as well as the voices of any clients you serve. Mindy McHorse, one of the experts behind the program, shares more about how you can use your writing to support the causes you want in the essay below. Our hearts go out to all who are suffering … We stand with you today, and every day. We embrace the fight for justice and equality. And we will continue to show our support in the days, months, and years ahead. Rebecca Matter President, AWAI How to Harness the Shocking Amount of Power You Have as a Persuasive Writer By Mindy McHorse Feeling powerless is one of the worst experiences of being human. Yet communication is one of our most powerful human abilities. It follows then, that as a writer, you literally have power at your fingertips. Yes, there's the power to chart your own course, elevate your income, and work on projects you enjoy. But you also have the power to give a voice to those who aren't being heard … Help feed the hungry … Save our oceans from mountains of plastic pollution … Put a roof over the head of homeless children … Create safe havens for animals … And enact desperately needed social change … How? By writing about it … but not in the way you might think. While essays and editorials and social media posts and even soapbox speeches can help bring about change … They often fall on the ears of people whose hearts are in the right place but who, because of their position or situation or bank account standing, aren't likely to make a massive difference on their own. But if you can unite — through your writing — the deep pockets of those who want change, along with the resources of those who know how to bring about change … Then right there, you have real power. It starts with capitalizing on choice. If you're reading this, you likely live in a place where you have free choice. You get to decide what kind of soap you buy at the store … Where you shop for clothing … Which computer brand you do your work on. Deciding where you spend your dollars usually starts with preference … like favoring a lightweight laptop over a larger desktop. From there you move to research. Which brands rate highest for performance? Durability? Long-term satisfaction? In most cases, you're left with two or three contenders. How do you decide from there? Sometimes it comes down to price, or convenience of a store. But at that point in the buying decision, especially these days, increasing numbers of shoppers are swayed by one major thing: a brand's connection to a cause. There are loads of names for this trend: global citizenship, corporate philanthropy, community relations, marketing with meaning, etc. All of it ties back to the same concept: Companies that want to survive and thrive need to tie themselves to a cause and support some form of social responsibility. But it's got to be more than just an image stunt. To win the hearts and minds of buyers, companies show they stand behind a cause by partnering with a nonprofit that works for that cause. And this is where the magic happens … Nonprofits know what work needs to be done. They often have the skills and the connections and the teams in place to make real change happen. But they're constantly strapped for cash, too often solely reliant on the donations of like-minded supporters. Companies on the other hand, don't necessarily know how to enact the changes they want to stand behind … but they often have the deep pockets to support the work that needs to be done. This creates an exciting union — the kind that can raise millions for cancer research, block rain forests from destruction, and pressure lawmakers to pass inclusive bills … Imagine being part of that! Because these unions between nonprofits and corporations — called cause campaigns — need to share their messages in a timely, engaging, persuasive way. That's where you come in, fellow writer. Take purpose-driven ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's. Their super premium ice cream may be packed with euphoric chunks and swirls, but they also stand up strong for social and environmental issues. For example, in 2016, Ben & Jerry's partnered with the nonprofit Avaaz to advocate for climate change legislation. They brought attention to it with a new brand of ice cream called "Save Our Swirled" — their version of an "SOS" for the planet. Their goal was to raise awareness about the upcoming UN climate talks in Paris, and to mobilize people to petition lawmakers for action. Or, consider automaker Subaru and its long-standing Share-the-Love event. Over the last 11 years, Subaru has donated more than $140 million to national charities. They do it by letting anyone who buys a Subaru pick from a selection of charities, which then receives a $250 donation from Subaru. Now, think about these cause partnerships … Both required web content to explain their missions … Plus a social media campaign … Plus emails to communicate with buyers … Plus email updates to let those buyers know how their purchases and actions are being put to use … Plus blog posts to update buyers on the company's progress toward the cause it's targeting … Which means they need writers. Skilled, trained, persuasive writers who understand the nuances of converting prospects to buyers and donors, and keeping them connected to the mission. This is where Cause Copywriting comes in — a skill that every writer everywhere benefits from. - It's an approach to writing that can strengthen any client's social standing. - It's a bridge for you to step out of your current niche to write something fresh and new. - It's a way to use your writing skills to stand up for what you believe in. And right now, it's one of the best paths you can take if you want to be part of the journey to equality in our current social environment. I'm very proud that AWAI is making Copywriting for a Cause free to members right now. Because if you want to build a lifestyle you control, where you feel free and relaxed to spend your time as you see fit … Then it helps to know that even as a writer who works independently from home, who isn't tied down by corporate dress codes and vacation policies, who answers to no one but themselves … You can still contribute, on a massive level, to the greater good of our world. Just as you get to decide whom you write for and which projects you take on, you can decide which cause to support and which partnerships you want to highlight. Writing for causes you support is yet another way — and certainly one of the best ways — to harness the power you already have at your fingertips. Find out how to add cause-based copywriting to your list of services: [Click here to download the program for free.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2020 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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