Do you find writing a chore? Do you spend hours looking at a blank sheet of paper, wondering how to start? - Then Writing for change can help.
Researchers, campaigners, scientists, fundraisers, project managers, social activists and people who train writers will benefit from the unique combination of three sets of writing skills. The CDROM covers:
Effective writing: core skills
These are the basic skills you need for all kinds of effective writing:
- Deciding on what you want to say and to whom
- Assembling the evidence and organising your ideas into an outline
- Writing the first draft using a simple structure
- Editing the document to make it clear
- Using straightforward sentences and simple words.
Writing for science
Building on the core writing skills, Writing for science covers additional specialised skills such as:
- Choosing the most appropriate journal
- Following the conventions for presenting scientific information
- Responding to the comments of referees
- Correcting proofs.
Writing for advocacy
Advocacy involves persuading people to take the action you want. This section is about:
- Adapting your core writing skills for lobbying or campaigning documents
- Producing articles, leaflets, newsletters, pamphlets, press releases and posters.
Writing for change is full of practical examples and exercises that you can apply to your own working experience. Writing for change contains examples from the field of international development and practical exercises that can be used by people who train writers. A resource centre contains training materials and links to related websites. Site maps and a printed users’ guide make it easy to follow.
Put together by a team of experienced trainers, the CDROM can be used by
- Individuals working on their own
- With a group in a training workshop
- As a handy reference tool.
Writing for change has been developed, designed, and published by Fahamu, in collaboration with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The lead authors were Alan Barker, a specialist in communication skills, and Firoze Manji, Director of Fahamu, and visiting fellow, Kellogg College, University of Oxford. Illustration and design were provided by Judith Charlton.
Writing for change is published in Europe by Fahamu, in North America by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and in the rest of the world by both Fahamu and IDRC. IDRC is a public corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing countries use science and knowledge to find practical, long-term solutions to the social, economic and environmental problems they face. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, IDRC maintains regional offices in Cairo, Dakar, Johannesburg, Montevideo, Nairobi, New Delhi and Singapore.
Writing for Change is now available in French and Spanish.
Writing for Change is also available to read online