I started this blog in January this year because I enjoy writing and wanted to take it more seriously. I also felt that I had something to add on topics that weren’t being covered anywhere else.
The experience has been rewarding, exciting and unexpected:
- Interviewing my fundraising peers has developed valuable and insightful relationships with colleagues across the profession.
- The blog helped me develop an online portfolio of writing, which will support my ambitions as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction.
- It’s directly led to a paid commission in the charity trade press.
- I’ve been involved in influencing policy at the Institute of Fundraising.
- The fact I have an online platform of my own has made it easier to quit social media – something I’ll be writing more about in future.
- It’s given me something to think about and work on while on maternity leave.
- When writing a blog, it’s important to have a unique angle. I have plenty of opinions on GDPR, for example, but didn’t feel like I had anything new to add to the existing conversation.
- I’m grateful to my employer for being supportive of my writing, and am glad I discussed this with them at an early stage. In addition, it’s important to maintain a distinction between my writing here and the work I do for my employer.
- It’s led to surprising outcomes. My writing on blockchain was picked up by a Reddit thread that’s critical of Bitcoin (r/buttcoin) and led to hundreds of non-fundraisers viewing my site. And it turns out I was quoted on Breitbart over a year ago (I only discovered this yesterday, not being a regular reader of Breitbart for reasons which are hopefully obvious, and I’m not going to link to their article!). Thankfully, though, no trolls.
- The fundraising community is incredibly friendly, supportive and civil online.
So, if you’re thinking of writing and adding to the conversation on fundraising, charities and/or life in general, I would definitely encourage you. I’m excited about how my work as a fundraiser, my writing, and my ambitions in general develop over the next year.
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