Comments on: Where Will The Writers Come From? http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/ Fundraising and advocacy strategies. Trends, tips ... with an edge Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:58:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Matt Wolcott http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Matt Wolcott Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:04:50 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/#comment-133 Tom, A very alarming report indeed. But, consider the fact that this very same generation whose incapacity to formally write is also the next generation of consumers reading the mail and media and it might be a natural progression (downward of course). Makes me wonder what the landscape for DM and advertising will look like in 20 years....is the short-hand slang used in text messaging going to be the new Caples? Our organization has a tradition of sponsorship where donors are matched up with one of our student volunteers in the field. If the letters that these college kids send back to our donors (un-vetted by SCA I should add) are any indication of things to come, be wary. Matt Wolcott Tom,

A very alarming report indeed. But, consider the fact that this very same generation whose incapacity to formally write is also the next generation of consumers reading the mail and media and it might be a natural progression (downward of course).

Makes me wonder what the landscape for DM and advertising will look like in 20 years….is the short-hand slang used in text messaging going to be the new Caples?

Our organization has a tradition of sponsorship where donors are matched up with one of our student volunteers in the field. If the letters that these college kids send back to our donors (un-vetted by SCA I should add) are any indication of things to come, be wary.

Matt Wolcott

]]> By: Olga Woltman http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Olga Woltman Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:16:49 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/#comment-99 Disturbing indeed! What’s worrisome is that inability to write well could be a symptom of inability to think well. I think it was the Economist’s that said it best – “clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought.”

To follow on your literary inspiration, I am fond of George Orwell’s six rules for writing:

1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out.
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

]]> By: Avi http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Avi Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:58:36 +0000 http://www.theagitator.net/communications/where-will-the-writers-come-from/#comment-86 Thanks for sharing. I wonder if you'd be able to see a correlation with the emergence of newer means of communication if you mapped curriculum changes, in terms of similar stats like the 8% writing an essay in the last year, against time. What other writers besides Hemingway have people found helpful to their copywriting and development of voice in electronic communication? Thanks for sharing. I wonder if you’d be able to see a correlation with the emergence of newer means of communication if you mapped curriculum changes, in terms of similar stats like the 8% writing an essay in the last year, against time.

What other writers besides Hemingway have people found helpful to their copywriting and development of voice in electronic communication?

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