| TIPS ON WRITING
How to Hire
A Writer
By Joseph Barbato
One day, you may simply be able to call the Central Fundraising
Writer Bureau.
“Central, we need a writer for our case statement,”
you will tell them. “What have you got?”
And Central will say, “We’ve got a young woman who
wrote a lyrical statement for Harvard, a guy who’s done
unusually poetic stuff for hospitals, and someone who’s
kind of a cross between Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy—great
for those tough-guy business school pieces.”
And you will say, “Okay, send over the poetic guy—but
keep Elmore on hold in case the dean decides to stop pussy footing
around with these donors.”
Unfortunately, hiring a writer in the real world is hard work.
Nobody grows up yearning to write fundraising copy. So word that
you have a writing job available will draw interest from many
quarters. Over the years, I’ve heard from an unusual variety
of candidates—from the author of a smash-hit Broadway musical,
to a young woman who thought the endangered-animal tattoo on her
ankle gave her a leg up on a job with an environmental group.
The sad fact is that you really don’t know what you are
going to get when you hire a writer until he is on staff and writing
for you. Writers are strange ducks. Many don’t “fit
in.” They can be introverted, individualistic, and moody.
You probably wouldn’t send one out to close the deal with
a major prospect, but you would most certainly allow him to craft
the wonderful, crazy-in-love paean to your organization that you
leave behind.
Most writers are back-room boys (and girls). Here are tips to
keep in mind the next time you hire:
Look for someone who can actually write.
Keep your eye on the bouncing ball—writing. You are not
hiring a fundraiser,
an office manager, or an events planner. When you hire for those
positions, you probably have a sharp eye out for how the candidate
dresses and handles himself, and whether he will fit into your
organization’s culture. These are valid concerns, but don’t
forget you want someone who will spend most of the day in a cubicle
writing.
Your main concern should be: Can the job candidate write? Can
he tell stories? Can he recognize telling quotes? Can he bring
your organization to life on the page? Can he wield words persuasively?
Writing samples should tell much of this. If the words sing, the
quotes are bright, and the sentences suggest command of the language—you
may have found a writer.
And the candidate, by the way, may have worked previously as
a technical writer, a journalist, or in marketing or public relations.
Can he write well? That’s what matters.
Look for a reader.
Writers read. They read the best magazines and books. They do
it not just for
entertainment but to learn from masters of their trade. They admire
outstanding writing. Ask your job candidate what she has read
lately, and what she liked about it. See if she cares about the
way words are used. If she doesn’t, you don’t want
her writing in your shop.
Does every writer have to subscribe to The New Yorker? No. But
the candidate who does is probably interested in excellent writing
about the world around us. That’s a good sign.
Look for a quick study.
You need someone who can absorb specialized information quickly
and translate
it into plain English. In hospitals, universities, and other complex
institutions, your writer may have to grapple with diverse issues
on a moment’s notice. Is there evidence he can do that?
Does he seem curious about life? Has he written on many topics?
A bright writer is in the game to learn anyway. Nothing should
please him more than encountering a new subject, diving in, and
coming up with a story. If his reaction to topics he will write
about is just so-so, his writing may be so-so too.
Look for someone who cares.
A strong writer can write about almost anything, but he will
write best when he
cares about the subject. He need not have a life-long commitment
to the environment to work for a green group. But he should enjoy
nature and the outdoors. He might even have worked as a writer
with another environmental group.
Make sure your candidate cares about your mission—he will
be living with it every day. He does not have to have experience
in writing about your issues, if he is any good. He does have
to find your work simpatico, however. Then he will bring his heart
as well as his mind to writing for you.
Ask job references the right “writer”
questions.
Sure, you want to know if the job candidate fit in. If you learn
he must engage in
deviant behavior to write, you probably would be advised not to
hire him no matter how good he is.
But also find out: How much hand holding did the candidate need
when given a writing assignment? Did he turn in copy on time?
Did he require heavy editing? Was he resourceful and persistent
in seeking information? Was he imaginative in approaching topics?
Specific questions discourage vague, polite answers about a
former employee who was a dud. And if the employee was a crackerjack,
you will hear that in full force.
Look for personal recommendations.
There’s no Central Fundraising Writer Bureau, but you
can call an editorial
person whose opinion you respect when you are hunting for a writer.
Nothing beats a personal recommendation.
Talk to colleagues who hire writers at other nonprofits. Don’t
hesitate to call a colleague down the street, or a communications
director you met or heard speak at a conference. Most will be
glad to recommend a good writer they have worked with successfully
in the past. If they do, count yourself fortunate. They have already
vetted the writer on the job for you, and you have only to track
him down.
This article originally appeared in Contributions
Magazine.
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