Why You Should Stop Donating -- And Volunteering -- Now

A journalist friend of mine recently posted a great video by Good Intentions that brilliantly highlights why we should all stop donating our used clothes to international charities.


I love this video mainly because it does what I try to do every day: turn complex issues into compelling messages that stick and spread like wildfire.

But I also loved this video because it speaks to me as a writer and journalist. It's becoming increasingly difficult for people who are skilled and talented at their craft to make a living wage off their years of hardwork. Not that anyone goes into writing with the expectation of being a billionaire, but the plethora of "citizen journalists" and Craiglist writers willing to write for $15/hour is forcing those of us with years in the trade to justify rates that would allow us to eat, keep a roof over our heads and pay for vital necessities like healthcare and retirement plans.

It's only with the advent of social entrepreneurship that people have begun to believe that, perhaps, we can have an economy that rewards people for doing good--isn't that the best way to get more people to do good, afterall? But writers and journalists seem to be excluded from this social enterprise movement, even though we provide a vital function, especially my non-fiction breathren.

As a writer, it's important to me and my conscience that I write about things that matter in a way that respects readers. But this is getting harder and harder every day. Nonprofits and social enterprises don't seem to hesitate to ask if I'll work for free like the rest of their volunteers, seemingly unaware of how this practice makes do-gooding the exclusive privilege of celebrities and the super-rich.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could ALL--artists and businessmen--make a living wage doing good?

Six Habits of SOCIAL Entrepreneurs

A great presentation compiled by Charles Tsai of SocialCreatives.org that succinctly sums up what social entrepreneurship is and does.

Six Habits of SOCIAL Entrepreneurs

View more presentations from Charles Tsai.

B&W Webinar Highlights

On September 30, 2010, Brevity & Wit conducted its first Webinar with the San Francisco chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs (YWSE). It was an intimate and info-packed event, with lots of great tips on crafting media plans, using your technology toolkit strategically, creating effective messaging, and how to handle the press when tragedy strikes.

For those of you who missed it, do not despair. The tech gurus and YWSE were awesome enough to record the event, and you can now view it here: http://bit.ly/bMvJh7

If you're interested in having Brevity & Wit make a similar presentation (with a Q&A at the end) to your trade association or organization, please don't hesitate to contact Minal at minal@brevityandwit.com.

Harnessing the power of media -- commercial style

The first chapter of Zadie Smith's most recent book "Changing My Mind" is an eloquent essay on Zora Neale Hurston's masterpiece Their Eyes Were Watching God. (The line that opens chapter three is probably one of the most memorable in literature -- "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." But I digress.)

Smith discusses how she was hesitant to read it when her mother presented her with a copy at fourteen:
"You'll like it," her mother said.
"Why? Because she's black?"
"No, because it's really good writing."

And it is, by Smith's account (and my own). But then Smith says something more profound:
"At fourteen, I couldn't find words (or words I liked) for the marvelous feeling of recognition that came with these characters who had my hair, my eyes, my skin, even the ancestors of the rhythm of my speech. These forms of identification are so natural to white readers -- (Of course Rabbit Angstrom is like me! Of course Madame Bovary is like me!) -- that they believe themselves above personal identification, or at least believe that they are identifying only at the highest, existential levels (His soul is like my soul. He is human; I am human). White readers often believe they are colorblind."

But in reality, as Smith points out, they are just more characters written in their image, allowing them to harbor the illusion that their "like" or "dislike" of a novel is based on more esoteric factors, such as writing style, theme, or plot. They also have the benefit of white privilege, where every ethnic story is made relate-able to them (i.e., the rampant use of the word vermilion in South Asian fiction, a word I did not even know until I read it in a "New Yorker-approved" South Asian American book).

Smith then goes on to explain how Hurston creates such a complex, layered character in Janie Crawford in Their Eyes that it leaves her speechless. The book "allows me to say things I wouldn't normally," Smith writes. "Things like 'She is my sister and I love her.'"

Which is exactly what my heart sang when Archie Panjabi won the Emmy for her role in The Good Wife.

It's probably not fair to draw any parallels between a television drama, no matter how good, and canonical American literature. I admit this is somewhat pretentious on my part. But Archie Panjabi speaks so eloquently backstage after her win about the true value of being able to play a character that is proud of her heritage without being defined by it.

When people say "you can do anything you put your mind to" or believe, or whatever New Age slogan is en vogue at the time, I often want to role my eyes. As Archie Panjabi and Parminder Nagra (both of whom were in Bend It Like Beckham) know, the brown girl doesn't get cast in Pirates of the Caribbean or Pride and Prejudice, like their co-star Keira Knightly did, no matter how good an actress you are.

So it's refreshing to see a South Asian get to play a character that's as complex and layered as Elizabeth Bennett, albeit on the small screen. By doing so, the writers and producers of The Good Wife are showing us how media (even commercial television dramas) can give people more space to be themselves in the world. And it leaves me without words to express the marvelous feeling of recognition that bubbles up inside me when a woman with my hair and eyes and skin plays it tough and guarded, but with wit and grace. All I can say is "She is my sister and I love her."

VINTAGE POSTS: Technology Toolkit

An oldy but goody, here's my post on Wild Apricot on The Essential Technology Toolkit for Start-Up Nonprofits (Part One with a link to Part Two)

Appropriate Cuteness

Now, I have no need to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics, but when I came upon their Twitter "Follow Us" link, I was seriously tempted to. Effective media strategies are usually slick and sexy, but here's one that's cute and subtle, appropriate only because it's the AAP. Bravo.

Chatting with the West Coast

Great news! Brevity & Wit will soon be holding it's first Webinar!

I'm partnering with Young Women's Social Entrepreneurs to bring you a one-hour Webinar dedicated to branding and media messaging for the 21st century. With the ever-changing media landscape and all the new social media platforms, it's more important than ever to know how you can best harness your media options to get you the results you want.

The Webinar is tentatively scheduled for September 30th, 12:30PST/3:30EST. If there's anything in particular you want me to address, or if you have ideas for future Webinars, leave a comment or e-mail me at minal@brevityandwit.com.

And stay tuned for more B&W updates!