10 Ways You Can Write for Change
I’m always really surprised when I hear someone say that writing about the things that matter to them (including social justice issues) does nothing. I understand that in the grand scheme of this big life — it feels as if one person’s words don’t make much of a difference. But what about a million different voices who care about the same thing? What if something you write about — something you’re passionate about — hits the right person(s) at the right time and you make a difference in someone or someone(s) life? Trust me, I get the “gloom and doom” of writing into what feels like the great dark abyss. Hell, even with a small following of readers, I still feel like sometimes I’m writing about things no one will ever care about. And yet — I don’t stop writing. Why? Because I believe in the power of words. I believe in the power of using my gift of writing to write about the things I care about. The things that hurt me. That heal me. That changes me. I write because I can’t not write. I write because someone somewhere will be changed by what I write. Just as I become changed every time I read something from someone else that marks me.
And if you have any doubts as to how you can begin to write for change… I have you covered. Here are ten ways you can harness the power of your words to write for change.
Personal and Semi-Personal Writing
Journaling: I always recommend writers start with themselves, first. (In fact, I wrote another article about this). Journaling about what matters to you allows you the time, space, and luxury to find out exactly how you feel about something. Asking yourself “why” in regards to the topic will produce a lot of generative material if you’re willing to be honest and vulnerable on the page. Start with: “Why do I care about this issue? What makes it important to me?” Then ask yourself: “Why do I think something needs to change?” From there, you can use the question “why” on just about anything. “Why do you want to be part of the change for this issue?” “Why now?” “Why does this feel urgent to you?” You get the point. Keep asking “why” and you’ll find everything you need to know about how you feel about the issue.
Blog Posts: People say blogging is dead, but I don’t think that’s true. I don’t think it ever “died,” either. I think it just became overshadowed by other forms of media. Blogs have and will continue to be popular with those who find the content and issues worthwhile. As humans, we’re wired for connection. So when we stumble upon a blog post that touches one of our “issue nerves,” we pay attention. We feel connected. And though it may feel like the blog writer is speaking into the void, chances are pretty good someone, somewhere is reading them. Connecting with them.
Social Media Posts: I debated on adding this one to the list, but honestly, I can’t deny the impact of a well-thought-out social media post that goes viral. There’s often a “reason” it goes viral and most of the time, it’s because someone is talking about something they care deeply about and want to change. Some of the BEST material I read during the pandemic came from front-line doctors and nurses who were witnessing the impact of COVID firsthand. Some of them attempted to show how humanity was either falling apart or coming together in solidarity. The thing about well-written social media posts is that they are quick and easy to read, share and get behind which makes them more visible than say, blog posts or articles. While I detest most of what social media stands for, I do believe that at times, it’s a ripe place to begin a conversation around change.
Personal Essays or Thesis: A personal essay or thesis is the perfect place to assert your thoughts, experiences, and convictions about a particular issue. You can go in so many directions with a personal essay or thesis, too. You can stay academic by utilizing statistics and research to defend or assert your point. You could build your “case” for the topic by exploring it from your perspective or experiences, as well as those around you who may be affected by the topic. You could blend both of those. Don’t discount the academic slant because it may be the exact kind of opportunity you’re looking for to talk about a topic that matters to you.
Local Community Writing
Letters or emails to local officials: I know, this one is an oldie. But it’s still as relevant today as it was when it started. I understand the defeatist mindset regarding these kinds of letters. The perspective is that they’re essentially a “waste of paper” and thrown in the trashcan. That may be true. But not always. There have been so many exceptions where mass amounts of letters have brought a politician or local official into question. There have been times when enough people sent in letters that the officials had no choice but to be held accountable. Your words and stories do matter. And it may not seem like it at the time of writing them, but I promise you it’s not a lost cause.
Petitions: One of the most “direct” ways to write for change is crafting a petition for change. The beauty of a well-crafted petition is the momentum you can derive from it. Most petitions have many supporters or “signees” of the petition. This means that you’re not alone in the way you think about the topic. This means that you don’t have to “fight the fight” by yourself. The petition may be a small step toward progress, but it takes many of us standing up and righting (writing) some wrongs.
Local opinion pieces: This is another direct way to write for change that focuses on the local community. This approach to writing for change has as much nuance as petitions or letters to officials, but with the added benefit of having lots and lots of eyes on it. And the great thing about a write-up in the paper is that it’s often cataloged or digitized. Ten years from now, someone could find a local opinion piece and bring it back to light. Someone could use it in a larger piece of work around the topic. There may not be immediate results to those opinion pieces, but one by one, they add up.
State or Nation Wide Writing
Grant writing: This approach to writing for change is different from most of the others on this list. Grant writing is an incredibly complex and overwhelming kind of writing. That’s why there are “grant-writing specialists.” But those who can master the art of asking for a grant are the ones who are making an incredible amount of progress on a particular issue or topic. And the writing required of a grant is often thought of as in opposition to the other approaches on this list because it’s a grant writer’s job to convince someone to give them financial support for whatever they're doing to enact the change. Recent example — a local volunteer for one of the senior residential homes in the area wanted to improve the quality of life within the home. She believed that building writing groups and facilitating them would not only increase the quality of life but also help reduce health issues. She saw that if she were able to successfully change an aspect of their lives, it would make a difference in all areas. She was able to get a grant to pilot the program (which was a huge success by the way). That volunteer then took the findings from that pilot program and earned another grant to bring the program to other senior residential homes in the area.
Large scale articles: These pieces are the “big guns” or more aptly, the headlines that “break” the news cycle and increase awareness of the publishing entity and topic. These are often investigative works or big pieces with huge collaborations. They often have big and complicated consequences and can be a source to enact change. In 1998, when Matthew Shepard was beaten and murdered in Laramie, Wyoming, there hadn’t been a lot of journalist attention on the rampant homophobia. But the Casper Star Tribune didn’t shy away from covering the case and was part of the movement toward hate-crime policy changes. Now, think of the New York Times article by Jodi Kantor and Meghan Twohey that brought down Harvey Weinstein and added fuel to the #metoo movement.
Book writing: Books (nonfiction and fiction) have always been change-makers for the world. But I think the impact they have on us as a global society came to light in 2020. No one can deny how books like How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi or White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo changed thousands of lives. The fact that they were not only being purchased and read — but actively being discussed, engaged with, and talked about creating a narrative around a topic that has been around for as long as we can remember and has been in need of change for just as long. Words matter. Books matter. Stories matter.
Some Resources
Dive into Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown — one of the best resources I’ve ever read on the work of social justice change.
Pick up the book Writing for Social Justice by Maggie Sokolik — her work is great and influenced a lot of the social justice writing practices I’ve developed and learned from over the years.
Join the Transformative Language Arts Network — a merger of the language arts with individual and collective liberation. (Disclaimer — this is a biased resource as I not only am a member of the organization, but I’m on the board of directors and am heavily involved with the course listings. That being said — it’s an organization that I believe not only champions those who want to write for social change but offers a community of individuals who want the same thing as well).
Conclusion
I’ve listed ten resources here, but the truth is that there’s so much more than these ten. And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the immense privilege I have in even writing an article like this. I’m by no means an expert on these subjects. I don’t claim to be an activist or a change-maker. I’m simply a person who wants to become a better human to other humans. I share these ways to write for change no matter what the topic of change is. And I truly do believe that the heart of any change starts when we look in the mirror.
