You’re here because you want to make a difference in the world.
That’s why you come to work every day. That’s why you do what you do. That’s why you embrace the unique challenges of working within the non-profit sector or in corporate philanthropy. That’s why you work hard, fight hard, and adamantly refuse to give up. That’s why you come home every day with a smile in your heart. You care about others; you care about humanity. You want to make a difference; you want to do work that truly matters. You want your efforts to have real and tangible impacts. You want your working life to have value and meaning beyond a simple paycheque. You want to make the world a better place, one person or community at a time. I do too.
And, for the record, you’re awesome! Just sayin’ because, well, it has to be said. And, sadly, it isn’t said nearly often enough.
And . . . I’m assuming . . . you’re here because you recognize the value and importance of quality writing.
You know that quality copy is king or queen. You know that well-written content can increase donations, inspire volunteers, encourage engagement, amplify your message, mobilize your local business community, and build buy-in for your cause. You know that your work has value because you see the positive impact on the people and communities you serve every day. However, in terms of marketing, you know that your mission, your purpose, the need in your community for the services you provide, and the stories of the people you serve are everything. You know that skillfully telling those stories, explaining what you do and how you do it, raising awareness of the problems you’re seeking to solve, and hitting the right emotional touchpoints are vital to ensuring your organization’s success.
And you’re wondering if a freelance writer could maybe help.
What can I do for you?
I do content writing for non-profit organizations, corporate philanthropy (a.k.a., global citizenship or corporate social responsibility), and other cause-based marketing initiatives. If your project is public-facing, heartfelt, and with a goal of improving lives and communities, then I’m intrigued!
Some specific examples of the types of pieces that I like to write include (but are not limited to):
- Website, brochure, or similar content
- Blog posts or other online articles
- Client/Customer success stories (a.k.a., case studies)
- Email/E-blast/Newsletter content
- Social media posts (written content only)
- Donation request letters (or emails)
- Volunteer recruitment letters (or emails)
- Press releases
- White papers
- Annual report content
Sorry . . . I don’t do editing, grant writing, document layout, videos, or graphic design.
Why should you hire me to do it?
Reason #1: I’m a kick-ass writer, with the credentials to back that claim up
Here’s the thing with writing: many people believe they can do it well, but very few people actually can. It’s an art, not a science. Yes, it requires knowledge of grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, but that’s just a basic starting point. Quality writing is like painting with words. It’s a highly specialized skill that starts with a level of natural talent, is typically bolstered by education, and is then honed by years of practice.
Me? I have that natural talent. I also have a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in English and a Master of Arts (degree) in English, both of which trained me not only in the mechanics of writing but also, crucially, in how to sculpt words to convey meaning in a contextually appropriate and emotionally appropriate way. (And did I mention that my Bachelor’s GPA was the second highest of everyone in my graduating class who graduated with an Honours degree? ‘Tis true!)
Professionally, I have about five years of work experience in creating long-form and short-form written content for a variety of audiences. This experience has included writing marketing materials, customer communications, internal communications, business writing, and informational writing. Depending on the needs of the moment, the tone has ranged from formal and businesslike to informal and casual while the content itself has ranged from complex and technical to simplified and accessible. Regardless, the majority has been for the non-profit sector, which brings me to . . .
Reason #2: I have over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector
I’ve worked in, volunteered in, and sat on Boards of Directors for various non-profit organizations for the majority of my career. And as anyone who works in the non-profit sector or in corporate philanthropy knows, you’re speaking to a singular and unique audience that expects your public-facing content to have a specific vibe, tenor, and tone that is distinctly different from regular for-profit marketing.
I understand how and why writing for a non-profit, for corporate philanthropy initiatives, or for other forms of cause marketing is simply not the same as writing for for-profit industries. I understand the mindset and expectations of your audience and the point of view that your public-facing written materials need to originate from. I understand that writing from a place of positivity and hope is vital, even while your reader’s heartstrings are being pulled. I understand that, unlike for-profit marketing, your primary goal is typically not to sell a product or a service. I understand that, even if a product or service is involved, your primary goal is usually to get your audience to care about an issue and to buy in to your solution to that issue. You want–you need–them to care.
And I understand that accomplishing that goal requires more than merely touting the benefits to the consumer about a particular product or service. Getting your audience to care requires poignant storytelling, empathizing with the reader, connecting your organization’s key issue with a broader social context, and hitting precise emotional notes in exactly the right way.
Reason #3: I have digital and content marketing experience too
Along with being an awesome writer, I also have approximately four years of marketing and external communications experience, focused on digital and content marketing and primarily performed in non-profit, community betterment, or philanthropic settings. I have also worked for non-profits in public-facing stakeholder relations roles.
Representing an organization, business, or other entity in a marketing, communications, or other public-facing capacity is a responsibility that I take very seriously. Doing so successfully requires a very delicate balance between empathizing with the audience, while simultaneously positively representing the organization or business. If done successfully, the audience is left with a favourable impression of the organization or business and is (hopefully) inspired to take action. If done poorly, the result is bad publicity and an unnecessary public backlash–an unfortunate result that, I am proud to say, none of my marketing initiatives have received.
Reason #4: I’m a genuinely caring and reliable person to work with
I follow through on my commitments and I’m a genuinely nice person. And I sincerely care about your non-profit or philanthropic initiatives and the good work that you’re doing in this world! I don’t like jerks, nor do I have any desire to be one myself.
Where am I based?
I’m originally from Manitoba, with a brief stint in Ottawa, and now based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, happily perched steps from the Atlantic Ocean and steps from the most easterly point on the continent.
Last question: why shouldn’t you just hire ChatGPT?
Well, hopefully, if you’ve landed on this website and if you’ve read this far, then you already know the answer to that question.
To state the obvious, ChatGPT (and other AI apps like it) is a robot. And, for a robot, it’s actually pretty impressive. (Gotta give credit where credit’s due, after all!) It can read and understand complex sentences and respond in a relatively humanlike manner, which, again, for a robot, is actually pretty remarkable. The problem: at the end of the day, it’s still just a robot. And I can write better than ChatGPT when I’m half-asleep!
While ChatGPT is fun to play with, it will never be able to write as well as a skilled human content writer. Why not? Simply put, because what ChatGPT does is essentially pattern recognition. Huge amounts of text have been fed into it, enabling it to recognize and “learn” the patterns of human speech and respond accordingly. That’s kinda cool, but it also effectively turns language into a mathematical equation.
The crucial element that is therefore missing from everything that ChatGPT (and its friends) has written or ever will write is emotion. Quality writing is about more than simply stringing words together into grammatically correct sentences to convey basic messages. It’s about understanding the emotional needs of the moment and the emotional needs of the audience to strike precisely the right chord at precisely the right time to inspire readers into action. That requires a level of intuition, emotional intelligence, social skills, and sociocultural awareness that pattern recognition can never teach.
What now?
Well, if I’ve successfully piqued your interest, then the next step is for you to request a discovery call so that we can get acquainted! You can also check out my portfolio to read samples of my work! And if you want to learn more about how I typically do business, then you can also read my policies here.