As communicators for social justice issues, we can’t afford to be boring. In the world of the 24/7 news cycle, where we’re fighting for eyeballs and getting outplayed by the conservative media machine, it’s not just a waste of time to put out boring communications that no one reads — it’s the difference between success and failure at a moment when we can’t afford to lose. 

Seems obvious, but as communicators we sometimes write press releases, email appeals, impact reports, tweets, etc., that even we stop reading halfway through. It’s not because we’re bad writers or we don’t care deeply about the issues we work on or the communities we fight for. It’s not because we’re not strategic or smart or dedicated to making an impact. It’s because we’re trying to get a thousand messages out at once and can’t bring the level of creativity and heart we need to each one. It’s because it’s easy to lose sight of WHY we’re communicating in the first place when we’re trying to get something done so we can move on to the next big thing on our plate.

We’ve all been there. I certainly have. But our jobs are to make people care, to persuade our audiences to act, to make our allies believe that a different world is possible. We use words and stories to move people — whether that’s to see their neighbors’ humanity even if the neighbors don’t look like them or to cast their vote even if they know our democracy isn’t perfect or to donate to feed starving children even as the current administration guts USAID funding. Whatever our goals are, the most important thing we must do every time we communicate is capture our audiences’ attention and ensnare them so they want to read more. 

So, what makes your communications not boring? I have a few ideas. 

  • It has a clear purpose. It’s much easier to write compelling content when you know what you need to accomplish. If you’re not sure what your goals are or whom you need to reach, figure it out (Spitfire’s got a tool for that) before you ever touch pen to paper — or fingers to keyboard. Otherwise, your messaging will be muddy and vague (snooze), or you’ll try to write for everyone and instead miss the mark for most people. 
  • It has a strong point of view (POV). The landscape is crowded. We’re all fighting for our audience’s attention. The communications that break through have a strong POV that your audiences haven’t heard yet. That doesn’t mean coming up with a POV on everything. You’ll waste precious time and resources that way — and we know that’s exactly what the opposition wants us to do. Writing anything with a strong point of view requires knowing what your take is and when and how to use it to the best effect. March for Our Lives’ communications are a great example. Since 2018, the organization has mobilized millions of young people to demand a future free of gun violence. It has reenergized “the once stagnant debate on gun violence” by leveraging a previously ignored POV — the voices of young people who experience gun violence in their schools, communities and homes every day. 
  • It has a unique voice. Our brains are wired to find connection — to look for ourselves in others. The best communications sound like a real person — even if that “person” is an organization — someone who has likes and dislikes, a history, maybe even *gasp* a sense of humor. A great example of an organization with a strong voice is Abortion Access Front. Read anything it has published and you’ll notice it right away. I’m not saying the only way to write communications that aren’t boring is to have an executive director who is a famous comedian … although it doesn’t hurt. What works for one organization won’t work for another. You need to identify your organization’s unique voice and lean in. Consider this question: If your organization was a person at a party, who would they be? Be specific. What would they do and say? How would they dress? What would they order to drink? This is a great branding exercise that will help you find your organization’s unique voice. 
  • It’s direct and concise. Get to the point, and do it succinctly. There are moments when you need to provide more context to be effective. Long form is not dead (I read 600-page fantasy books on the regular). But the best writers go back and read their drafts and cut out every single unnecessary word. Long, convoluted sentences lose people. Also, use accessible language that makes your communications easy for your audience to understand. Nothing loses my attention faster than acronym soup. 
  • It’s creative. Doing the same thing the same way over and over again is … you guessed it … BORING! Change it up. Try a video op-ed rather than a written one. Work with designers to bring your reports to life. Get inspired by an exercise from the Center for Creative Activism. Whatever you do, don’t let your communications get stagnant. You’ll lose your audience and your power to effect change. 

A note of caution. Even I have to admit there are worse things than being boring. Sensationalizing stories about our communities or catastrophizing to get people to care about our issues can do more harm than good. We’re not writers for Bravo TV (although maybe some of us wish we were). Good public interest communications change hearts and minds by recognizing people’s shared humanity, countering stereotypes, saying what we mean and naming the challenges while also offering solutions. 

Remember: We do this work because we desperately want to forge a better world. We know our communities’ future depends on our success. We simply cannot afford to write communications that get ignored. 

Need help writing communications that capture and keep your audience’s attention? Spitfire would love to help!