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Thank you
It’s hard to grasp. What began as a brainstorm to write one article about why good writing matters took on a life of its own as Short Takes, in first quarterly, then bi-monthly, and finally monthly issues over almost nine years. By now, I have written about any aspect of writing for donors that I could think of.

Your comments
I’ve learned so much from you. One reader said the articles have helped her write notes to her clinical team about a patient’s challenges at home. Another wrote that for her, walking fosters “ideas that would otherwise be overshadowed by a very long to-do list”. One person said the thought of writing her dissertation was so overwhelming that in order to get started she pretended she was an expert and knew what she was talking about. A designer wrote that doodling, which was a very fun article to write, “speaks to the soul”.

Regarding one of my favorite topics, a nonprofit leader said simply, “Brevity makes the word palette sharp.” And finally, a computer science professor strongly recommended “changing that horrid background color” on my website. (He was right and I did.)

One morning, WBUR reporter Martha Bebinger told a heartbreaking story about a teen’s mental health challenges. It inspired me to write an article for young people about the value of writing, and I was humbled to hear from Martha that she shared it with the girl she profiled.

A tribute
Short Takes has been a rewarding partnership. Since the beginning, my son Tommy Good has made time in his increasingly busy life to read every single article. With quick turnaround, smart edits, new ideas, and the tact that made it possible for me to almost always accept his changes, Tommy has delivered quality every month. I’m sad to say goodbye to our Short Takes partnership, but will be forever grateful for his guidance that has greatly improved the finished product.

What’s next?
My writing life is full steam ahead on two tracks. I will continue to work with clients to articulate the big ideas that drive your work for use in proposals, cases for support, strategic plans, and thought documents designed to engage leadership, donors, the business community, and others in your work.

I’m also expanding my personal essay writing to tell stories from my life and their enduring influences, an exciting venture that challenges me to explore a whole new dimension of writing.

In closing
Tommy and I have enjoyed one last Short Takes collaboration in order to share what we have each learned from this unfolding experiment.

I couldn’t be more humbled by what Tommy has to say, (and insisted I include): “Beyond Short Takes’ incredibly useful tips and tricks, what stands out most for me is what drives the content – my mom’s passion and dedication for writing that I continue to learn from.”

For me, I’m continually reminded that there’s always room for writing improvement. Here’s an example. Recently I sent two personal essays to my writing coach for review. He had already commented on them twice before. These new versions were, I was sure, huge improvements. He would be so pleased! Instead, they came back blanketed with comments, some of which were repeats because, apparently, I didn’t get it the last time.

In response to my (rather obvious) despair, Coach Ethan wrote “Writing is a journey so don’t get discouraged.” He’s right and I’m working on it.

So whether it’s a proposal, a poem, or a personal story, I wish you discovery, creativity, joy, and yes, improvement in your writing journeys. Your best and perhaps most fulfilling writing may well be yet to come.

https://marthakurz.com/985-2/

Today is a big day for me because it’s time to let you know that I will be ending Short Takes, in its current form, with my next and 70^th article on February 4, 2025. 

While I’m clear about my decision, it’s been a hard one. I enjoy thinking up Short Takes topics, writing the articles, and receiving comments from many of you while, hopefully, sharpening my writing skills.

Nevertheless, I realize that it’s time to focus on other writing pursuits. 

I’m excited that my writing has expanded to include personal essays, with a potentially larger project in the works. These essays started out, you won’t be surprised to hear, as one-pagers. Now, I’m learning that what has become a comfortable writing model doesn’t have to be the only one. Instead, I’m taking the space I need to tell the stories I want to tell.

I will continue to write fundraising and other strategic documents, and hope you’ll be in touch if I can help. For now, and looking back on my Short Takes experience, I’ve pondered some of what I’ve learned along the way. Here are my top three most important takeaways. 

Write from the heart. Think about the people you’ve encountered in your work, or elsewhere, whose lives have inspired you and influenced your writing. In an internship I had just out of college, teens and parents living in public housing both challenged and supported me in a project that was, frankly, completely out of my depth. Their lessons, friendship, and their photos on my desk have inspired me, and my writing, ever since.  

Let it sizzle. Good writing takes time. Even if your proposal is due tomorrow, allow a moment, or even an hour, but preferably overnight to walk away from your draft. Do or think about something completely different, and you might be surprised by a new idea that cinches what you’re trying to say. The feeling of satisfaction and even giddiness at your accomplishment is so worth the effort. 

Have fun! 
Writing for donors can be tedious, but you have latitude. For example, pull back the curtain to describe a little known slip-up, perhaps during a donor meeting, that you turned into a winning conversation. Write the short but always appreciated bread and butter letter. Or, sharpen your skills in brevity in a postcard to your colleagues from your travels to, say, Timbuktu or Coney Island. 

When you’re really stuck, get out the markers and doodle. Strategies like these can jump-start your brain and motivate new ideas for communicating with donors, or even your kids or your great aunt Bessie. 

Thank you
I’ll wrap things up next month, but for now I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for joining – and remaining – on my mailing list, and for your comments, encouragement, and peeks into how Short Takes has contributed to your writing. You have inspired me to start and then continue this endeavor. 

If you remain on my mailing list, I will keep you posted (now and then) about my writing, plans, and (hopefully) accomplishments. Perhaps this will evolve into an occasional writing series. 

Without you, Short Takes would never have happened. I’m deeply grateful. 

This fall I met with Gloucester High School seniors to discuss their college essays. I was excited, and a little worried. I wondered if I was qualified to help them with such an important task. It’s been a long time since I wrote my own college essay and I don’t remember one single thing about it.

Nevertheless, the project had the hallmarks of an engaging experience. It was about writing, teens and writing, and helping young people articulate their goals and passions for their futures. The first morning, I went to the school library and waited.

The writers

Soon, a student presented me with her draft. At first, I was overwhelmed by the density of her writing, and how I could help in the limited time we had together.

In her essay, the student described an Indigenous girl at the moment of her removal from her family to an unknown destination, a “school”. In her telling of this historical injustice, an interpreter explained to the girl, who did not speak English, that the waiting train, something she had never seen, would take her there. I was floored by the student’s decision to focus on such a complex moment, and encouraged her to keep writing about it.

My regard for these budding writers grew.

A student told me that when he was nine, he spontaneously grabbed a camera on his way to his father’s second wedding, took pictures all day, and had so much fun that his early love for photography has become a lifelong passion. He was brimming with enthusiasm and I imagined his talent in capturing memories in families and communities.

I admired another student’s determination to convince the college he had chosen to choose him. His Experience was impressive, his commitment to a better world was clear, and his sincerity so genuine that I inwardly cheered for him while hoping the college would recognize his potential.

One student told me her essay was about her life in foster care, but this was not what she was there to talk about. She just wanted help with the first sentence. I threw out a few ideas, she said this gave her what she needed, and I felt hopeful that her writing would get attention.

A student shared a beautifully written essay about her grandfather. It was a lovely tribute to someone whose story is clearly shaping her own. I expect many others will benefit from her writing, her compassion, and her understanding of the value of storytelling.

Why it matters

I’ve been pondering what I learned from this experience. The young people I met are thoughtful, smart, and eager. They understand, I believe, that the true value of the essay far exceeds that of a required component of the college application. The writing process is helping them consider their futures, and how they can contribute. I expect they will use their talents to benefit others far beyond themselves.

Amidst the noise in our world, these students give me hope for the future.

I’m guessing we all agree that citing experts such as scientists, academics, or community leaders strengthens our proposals to donors. I also believe that including the voices of others such as patients, parents, and students improves donor understanding of and confidence in what you do and why it’s important.

Here’s an example. Early in my career I was a social work intern at a community program in a public housing development. The teens who lived in the neighborhood wanted to create a teen center, and my job was to help them.

It quickly became clear that the real experts in how to engage teens in the project were the teens themselves. Carmen and Jacquie emerged as leaders with a vision for the center, connections to their peers, and the talent to maintain their trust and engagement during the long development and approval process. When management expressed concerns, they delivered a responsive plan.

Other experts emerged. A mother who lived in the community contributed insider knowledge and was a driving force in keeping the project on track; and the tenants’ association director worked with the development manager to secure space, obtain necessary materials, and navigate the Boston Housing Authority for required approvals.

Three more examples

• At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, I helped start Passageway, the institution’s domestic violence program. We learned that patient input as well as caregiver expertise was essential to meeting urgent needs. One expert, a cancer patient with multiple readmissions, explained that after each discharge her husband flushed her medications down the toilet. She and her caregivers, also experts, together created a plan that improved her health and safety while reducing her readmissions.
• In a project to improve student learning, we realized that to fully understand the barriers to academic success we needed to involve the experts, in this case 200 public school students in grades two through 12. In multiple focus groups, we asked them what helps and what gets in the way of doing well in school. Their insightful responses informed and guided new thinking about what works.
• I met a surgeon who described a patient’s valiant journey to health following a horrific accident that required reconstructive facial surgery. His expertise, and obvious compassion for his patient enabled me to tell a compelling story to the donor.

What I’ve learned

• Be inclusive. Seek input from both those who deliver and especially those who receive your services in your proposals to increase donor confidence in your model.
• Be alert. You might find experts in unexpected places, for example a board member who works on a hotline or a fundraiser who once taught in an urban school.
• Be brief. In the old days funders might allow a whole page for a client story. That’s not necessary. Just a few lines are enough to describe how real experts help assure the success of your programs.

Many fundraising documents require strict attention to guidelines, word limits, and, of course, deadlines. It can be hard to be creative.

Nevertheless, I believe creativity in writing gets donor attention. Encourage closer reading by including something different. An unexpected surprise might boost the reader’s appreciation for what you propose to do.

Here are some ideas.

Provide context. Build enthusiasm by describing the big ideas that drive your work. For example, funds to rehabilitate a neighborhood park can contribute to the health and safety of the entire city; and support to mitigate climate change locally can help build evidence for sustainable practices nationwide.

Engage constituents. Ask staff, participants in your programs, leadership, donors, and people in the community for feedback. In a campaign for a library expansion, on the street interviews elicited thought-provoking comments, including: “The word ‘serenity’ comes to me, because when you walk into the library, it’s an exhale.” Another comment was simple, but profound: “The library got me through hard times.”

Provide evidence, but keep it focused. The board committee of a hospital community health program chose a single statistic for its case for support – the 12-year gap in life expectancy among residents living in Roxbury and Back Bay – in order to capture the attention of interested donors.

Invite the reader to join the action. For example: “Walk into the Kids Club on any afternoon and find eager ten-year-olds conducting science experiments or enthusiastic five-year-olds writing stories using stickers, glitter, and markers of every imaginable color.” Or, “Follow the unmistakable sound of a bouncing basketball to the gym down the hall and see first-hand the value of exercise, teamwork, camaraderie, and fun on health and well-being.”

Prioritize, keep it short, and eliminate clutter. Brevity can magnify impact by limiting distractions and focusing busy readers on what’s most important, while demonstrating your respect for their time constraints. Cut anything that’s not necessary.

Finish strong. Remind the reader that the stakes are high and you are prepared. In one proposal conclusion I wrote: “Today, [the University] is on the move. We are building on the vibrancy of our students, the expertise of our faculty, our exceptional diversity, and our commitment to excellence to strengthen leadership across our entire campus. The complexities of our world depend on it.”