My website is hotcopywriter.com., for those interested. I also have a blog on that site, but not like this one. While I am not prone to a lot of reveals  on this personal blog (at least I don't think so), the .com is strictly industry dealings and  really cool information about building  and maintaining  donor relationships.
​       Did you know that nonprofit fundraising is an industry? I assumed someone wrote that  stuff,  retired folks, mainly. But it turns out there are professionals doing it. And well paid ones, too.
​        HOT is the acronym for Heart of Texas.
​       hotcopy.com might have been a better handle, but it was taken. As a writer, nonprofit fundraising is a challenging endeavor.   It puts my skills to the test.  Have you ever written a persuasive letter? If you have, you know how  hard it is to convince somebody of anything, much less to give money.
​       The first rule is  to know your reader. ​ There are ways to get the demographic profiles. The better you know her, you can then understand what makes her tick . . . . But here I am giving away my secrets.
​        If you want to find out  more about  fundraising, you'll have to go to my .com website.  This space is reserved for thoughtful inspiration.
        
         

​           I have started a new career as a copywriter who writes fundraising letters for nonprofits. After completing my first one, for VSA Texas (of course), I'm ready to sink my teeth into rounding up more clients, studying at becoming proficient at my craft, expanding my creativity and owning up to everything, because I'm the boss.
            So I have to set a good example for myself: get to bed early
(I'll have to DVR the Daily Show with Trevor Noah) pace myself during the day, get up at 6 AM, eat lots of vegetables, drink less beer, and smile more. Well, good luck with that.
            I know what to do when it comes to the writing, I just have to keep reviewing the material until it sinks in  and becomes second nature.
            I already completed three courses  sponsored by AWAI. The first was The Accelerated Program for Six Figure Copywriting, then I studied SEO and finally Fundraising for Nonprofits. It all took about 12 months to complete the courses, but it's one of those things that I will spend a lifetime learning.
            I got these great books, one by a man named Mal Warwick, How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters and another called Dear Friend: Mastering the Art of Direct Mail Fund Raising by Kay Lautman. Great books by the masters of direct marketing.
​            I'm so excited to have a challenge again. There is, again, something to wake up for in the morning that has me jazzed. It's the same way I had felt about teaching before my stroke. And it revolves around the things I love to do,  which is writing and  learning new things. Keeps me on my toes.
​            So next time you get a letter from a nonprofit organization don't be quick to trash it, because it just might be from me.