Writing about current events
Thoughts on whether and how to write about politics and other hard topics.
Hi there.
I’ve been talking lately with people who are feeling conflicted about whether to address current events in their newsletters.
It’s a hard call.
One one hand, most of us don’t want to pretend everything’s fine and nothing at all unusual is going on. That feels a bit like fiddling while Rome burns.
On the other hand, your newsletter may not be about politics. You might be thinking, “People didn’t sign up to hear about that from me,” or even, “I’m not really qualified to speak on any of this.”
I don’t have an answer for you, but here are a few thoughts:
If you know or suspect people in your community, the people with whom you want to work, and/or your newsletter readers are worried, stressed, or otherwise directly affected by anything that’s happening, it makes sense to acknowledge this.
This could be as simple as “I know it’s been an exhausting week for many of us, including me, so I’m keeping this week’s message short. I’ve added a few resources that help me let go and get sleep when I’m feeling really worried at the bottom of this message.” (feel free to borrow that language if it works for you!)
Another option is to share links to resources for taking effective action, articles that help us to think about or navigate what’s going on externally, or anything else your readers might find helpful in this moment.
Or, maybe it makes sense to write more directly about how current events affect you or your communities, and how you’re navigating things personally or professionally.
In the end, everything is connected. You’re allowed to show up as yourself in your own newsletter - doing so helps people to understand you and your work more fully.
Keep writing,
Camille
Hi. I’m Camille Freeman.
I’m an herbalist, nutritionist, and educator. I’ve built my business largely with the help of my (other) newsletter. I write this newsletter to support other newsletter writers, because I know how much of a difference it makes and how hard it can be to keep writing. Remember: write regularly, sound like yourself, and focus on sending things that matter to your readers. If you haven’t already, please check out my book: Write Better Newsletters.