Happy Holidays! Every year during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, we like to spread some good cheer with some free stuff for our awesome readers like you!
Today I share newsletter ideas for January and how you can get ideas every month by subscribing to the Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter.
Let’s take some of the grief out of nonprofit writing and smash through your writer’s block!
At the start of each month, we’ll send you an email with at least 10 prompts to get you thinking about articles, stories, press releases, blog posts, Facebook updates, letters, and other content that you could write for the following month. For example, at the start of January, you’d get writing prompts for February. That way you’ll have time to think about the ideas and incorporate them into your calendar.
The idea isn’t to do your editorial calendar for you or to tell you what to say to your supporters. Only you can figure that out. What we will do is give you at least 10 prompts to get you thinking more creatively and strategically about what you’ll write. See our ideas for January below.
Nonprofit Writing Prompts for January 2022
On the Calendar
1/01: New Year’s Day. Share your resolutions and plans for the new year. Ask your supporters to add a cause-related resolution to their own lists.
1/02: World Introvert Day. Share how introverts can still be advocates for your cause.
1/04: Trivia Day. Stump your readers with questions about your cause or fun facts about your staff or volunteers.
01/10: Peculiar People Day. Celebrate those out-of-the-box thinkers and quirky people who make your organization run.
01/13: Make Your Dream Come True Day. Share an awesome story about someone you helped. Or ask your supporters to help make someone else’s dreams come true.
1/17: Martin Luther King Day (US). Inspire your readers to dream and stand up for what is right.
1/18: Thesaurus Day. Explain some confusing terms or other jargon associated with your cause and tell supporters what words they should use instead. Then show everyone in your organization and stop using jargon!
1/24: Compliment Day. Say nice things about your supporters, or about other organization’s working in your field.
1/25: Opposite Day. Share what your community would be like if your organization didn’t exist.
1/28: Fun at Work Day. Ask your followers to share their funny pictures at work or you can share what your staff does to unwind. Suggest ways to create a less stressful office culture.
1/31: Inspire Your Heart with Art Day. Encourage supporters to send in drawings, photographs or other artistic pieces that celebrate your cause. Or feature clients’ artwork.
Other dates in January:
- 11: National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
- 20: World Religion Day
January is also:
- National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- National Hobby Month
- National Mentoring Month
- National Blood Donor Month
- National Braille Literacy Month
- Mental Wellness Month
- Healthy Weight Awareness Month
- Veganuary (UK)
Metaphor of the Month
This month’s metaphor is Health and Fitness. Think about new year’s resolutions, gyms, Fitbits/Apple Watches, exercise, treadmills, calorie counting, weighing in, personal trainers, nutrition, running, eating healthy, sports, yoga, vitamins, and annual physicals.
How can you relate these things to your organization?
Pop Culture, Events, and News
Expect posts on trends for the new year and resolution features.
The NFL playoffs will begin January 15th.
The college football championship game is set for Monday, January 10th.
The Grammy Awards are on the 31st.
Movies that are coming out in theaters include The 355, Morbius, Scream, and Cyrano.
And HBO Max will host the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special.
TV premieres in January include Around the World in 80 Days, The Equalizer, Dirty Jobs, a lot of NCISs, 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Bachelor, Ordinary Joe, black-ish, the FBI shows, Judge Steve Harvey, The Amazing Race, Chicago Fire, Med and P.D., The Conners, Fixer Upper, The Goldbergs, Good Sam, I Can See Your Voice, The Wonder Years, B Positive, The Blacklist, Bull, Ghosts, Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer, Law & Order: SVU and Organized Crime, Nancy Drew, RuPaul’s Drag Race, All Creatures Great ans Small, Euphoria, Pivoting, The Righteous Gemstones, Peacemaker, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, As We See It, Ozark, Billions, How I Met Your Father, and Monarch.
Source of the Month
Analytics. Run your Google analytics and see what the most popular topics have been and what people are searching on to find your site. Base your content around those keywords and searches.
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