it ’ s our story, now tell it well
DESCRIPTION
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs. It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well. How to Write right for FrontLines, Impact Blog and other USAID publications. Workshop Outline. • How to Write for USAID USAID ’ s Different Communications Vehicles - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
It’s Our Story, Now Tell it Well
How to Write right for FrontLines, Impact Blog and other USAID publications
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
![Page 2: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Workshop Outline
• How to Write for USAID
•USAID’s Different Communications Vehicles
• Story, Not a Story?
• The Submission Process
![Page 3: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Why tell the USAID/Development story?
• It’s a fantastic, humanitarian activity.• Unless it’s understood, the public and Congress may
not continue to support it.• To communicate clearly and simply to a mass
audience how USAID uses taxpayer money to help people develop and improve their lives.
• The better we communicate, the more support we’ll
generate, and the more lives we’ll save.
![Page 4: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
What Makes an Effective Story
![Page 5: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
General Story-Telling Must Haves
• Have a narrowly focused pitch (a good way to measure this is if you can explain your story in one sentence),
• Use powerful statistics; communicate progress;
• Tie your story to USAID’s larger Mission, and
• Bring it to life with a personal narrative.
![Page 6: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
AID-Speak and Communication
Gayle Smith, Senior NSC advisor, speaking June 9 at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid, said:
• “We need translation at the NSC – I asked USAID people not to speak ‘USAID-ease’ at meetings.”
• “There is a lot of jargon in use. The more development is seen as boring” the less support it gets.
•“We need to translate.”
• “We need to figure out how to talk about [foreign aid] with colleagues in the foreign policy community so we do not come across as money movers.”
![Page 7: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Magazine/Narrative Writing vs. Contracts, Dissertations
• Not academic• Not technical• Considers how people read, maintains attention• Uses anecdotes• Uses a specific example to illustrate a larger issue• Clear writing, but can use floral language
![Page 8: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
USAID’s Main Communications Vehicles
• Frontlines
• The Impact Blog
• Transforming Lives
![Page 9: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
The Redesigned FrontLines
Main Differences•Thematically focused•Longer Feature-style Articles •Exclusive Interviews•Produced every two months instead of monthly•No in-house news•More robust web presence
![Page 10: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Online Edition
Internet Edition hs 30,000 unique pages views per month since redesign
![Page 11: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
FrontLines: What Are We Looking For?
• Interesting, creative angles that highlight our important work in long, “feature” form
• Powerful statistics/Results
• Human Interest Angles, Good, non-technical Quotes,
• Descriptive Language. Make the reader feel like he/she is there
![Page 12: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
What are we NOT Looking For?
• No technical papers
• No “Process Stories” or “Inside Baseball”
• No mere program descriptions or a laundry list of achievements.
![Page 13: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Transforming Lives
The Old “Telling our Story”
![Page 14: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Transforming Lives: What Are We Looking For?
●Stories that show broad-scale sustainable development projects, [no one-offs, and nothing that is not being or cannot be scaled
●Stories that relate to Presidential Initiatives, FTF, GHI or GCC;
●Stories that highlight new, cutting-edge development innovations; and/or
•Stories that highlight the USAID Forward Reform
![Page 15: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Photos and Social Media
![Page 16: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
What makes a good sharable blog?
• Timeliness, why is this relevant right now? • Write for the general public- using plain language (i.e. avoid acronyms, technical jargon, and AID-speak) • How many lives were changed? Focus on impact, not budgets• Tell the larger story of why aid matters- you know better than anyone! Have a hook, show results• Is it relatable? Use quotes and first-hand accounts of aid recipients• Don’t make your reader search for more information: always include links
![Page 17: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Promoting your blog
![Page 18: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Story? Not a story?
![Page 19: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Ethiopian Burial Societies Join Fight Against HIV/AIDS
![Page 20: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Eggplant Grafting Transforms Life In Guatemala
![Page 21: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
“Magic Traps” Increase Farmers’ Profits in BangladeshMethod uses chemical that mimics pheromone of the female melon fly
![Page 22: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Strategic Development Communication Impact Expands Development
USAID’s K Program and World Bank Affected
![Page 23: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Sandy Smith Sworn In as Kundu Mission Director
![Page 24: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Afghanistan Infant Mortality Rate Falls 25 Percent after USAID Intervention, Hopkins Study Shows
![Page 25: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Poor’s Participation in Mainstreaming Gender Empowerment for Civil Society Stakeholders Promotes Country Ownership of Good Governance for Community-Driven Sustainable Development
![Page 26: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Economic Development Expert Paul Collier Meets with Senior USAID Officials
![Page 27: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
When Aid is Blocked, Can Nations Intervene?
![Page 28: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Partnership Alliance with Major Oil Co. Launches $300M Initiative in Ghana
![Page 29: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
FrontLines: Submission Guidelines
• Generally, stories should be submitted through USAID Communications POC according to themes
• Send your 2-sentence “pitch” for your article to FrontLines at ([email protected]).
• For the subject heading, use a brief slug for your article followed by the the word “pitch” (i.e., India Mealyworm Pitch)
![Page 30: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Blog: Submission Guidelines
All blog submissions must be directed to [email protected] and should be submitted at least two days before desired post date.
Please include the following:
•Title of the article•Author’s name & title or bureau•Links leading to relevant content (Read USAID’s linking guidelines)•An image with caption & photo credit •Clearance sheet (Must include LPA Strat Lead)
If you would like to include additional multimedia (like a photo slideshow or video) please contact us in advance for guidance on accessibility compliance (section 508).
![Page 31: It ’ s Our Story, Now Tell it Well](https://reader035.vdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062722/56813ae7550346895da34a59/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING WORKSHOPS Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
Transforming Lives: Submission Guidelines
•Stories must be submitted through your USAID communications contact at either the mission (the DOC), or Washington.•No template needed; word doc ok•300-600 words. •Must contain a title, subtitle, pull-quote, and photo with caption and credit