Spread the word about your cause by channeling your inner journalist and writing an article.
- You can use the internet for research, but make sure to use reliable sources.
- You can get great insight by going out and interviewing people who already know about your cause. If you want to write about homelessness, visit a homeless shelter.
- Go to the library and ask questions about books, old news article archives, film archives, etc. There is a lot of information out there about different issues; you just have to find it.
- Decide who your audience is. Are you writing for people older, younger, your own age? Choose your words and facts based on your audience.
- Once you’ve done your research, start writing. Include the facts you’ve gathered. Don’t be shy to mention the scary ones because they tend to be the most effective.
- Add in the horror stories you heard and your own personal description of what you encountered in your travels. This too makes for catchy writing. And a picture is a great way to engage your reader.
- Always use spell-check. Spelling mistakes will distract your reader and take away from your point.
- Make sure that you hook 'em with your first paragraph. People decide whether they're going to pay attention with the first few lines, so make them interesting.
- A title can sell a book and the same goes for an article so make it something catchy and informative.
- End your article with a “More Resources” section or a “What you can do to help” paragraph. You want to encourage people to keep investigating and to do something about the problem.
- When you’re done, think about where you might want to submit your article for publication. Need some ideas? Here’s some:
- Contact your local or school paper
- Look for some magazines or newsletters focused on these issues. Send your article in.
- Better yet, find a website or blog that focuses on the cause and try to post your article here.
- Self publish—i.e., hand out your article around school or at a local sporting event.
Don't have a cause? Check out our 11 Causes [2] section. GO [2]
Issues:
Animals [8]
Animal Cruelty [9]
Animal Homelessness [10]
Animal Testing [11]
Endangered Species [12]
Factory Farms [13]
Puppy Mills [14]
Child Abuse [16]
Cyber Bullying [17]
Dating Abuse [18]
Gang Violence [19]
Gun Control [20]
Hate Crimes [21]
School Violence [22]
Sexual Assault [23]
Disasters [24]
Fires [26]
Floods [27]
Hurricanes [28]
Tsunamis [29]
Discrimination [30]
Affirmative Action [31]
Disability Rights [32]
Environmental Racism [33]
LGBT Rights [34]
Education [37]
Arts in Education [38]
Financial Education [40]
High School Dropouts [41]
Music Education [42]
Sex Education [43]
Environment [44]
Climate Change [45]
Energy Conservation [46]
eWaste [47]
Organic Food [48]
Pollution [49]
Recycling [50]
Sustainability [51]
Water Conservation [52]
Global Health [54]
Global Poverty [55]
Homelessness [56]
Hunger [57]
Labor Rights [58]
Millennium Dev Goals [59]
Human Rights [60]
Child Soldiers [61]
Free Speech [62]
Genocide [63]
Human Trafficking [64]
Immigration [65]
Reproductive Rights [66]
Sweatshops [67]
Voting [68]
Women's Rights [69]
Our Troops [71]
Veteran Homelessness [72]
Alcohol Abuse [74]
Asthma [75]
Body Image [76]
Cancer [77]
Diabetes [78]
Drug Abuse [79]
Eating Disorders [80]
Fitness [81]
Healthy Living [82]
HIV and AIDS [83]
Sexual Health [84]
Smart Driving [85]
Smoking [86]
Steroid Use [87]
Suicide Prevention [88]
Teen Pregnancy [89]
Who:
Alone [91]
With Your Friends [92]