Narrative Communication – Copywriting, Storytelling and more…
Freelance communications consultant and support; website copy, social media, signage and visual content, bridging science with people.
Everything I do is always focussed on creating connection, care and genuine concern. Not simply words but the actions we need to connect and care.
You might want me to interpret science into story, update signage so it says something about the animals you care for not just facts, you might want me to inspire a particular action…
Here a few ways I might help you but of course there’s no limit…
Communication of Scientific Evidence and Information
Interpret research and evidence and turn it into accessible communications without flattening the complexity.
Advocacy & Campaigning
Build narratives that help people understand why an issue matters, including the human context behind the evidence.
Social Media & Marketing
Creating copy for your website, social media and other materials.
Grant projects
As much or as little support as you need through the whole process, or just a part of it. I can help with research to identify and analyse the match of prospective funders, build and manage your grant pipeline, develop your case for support, write or review your application and write funder reports post-project.
Policy & Public affairs
Communicate complex welfare or health issues in ways that are meaningful to policymakers, stakeholders and the wider public.
Engaging Information & Education
Translate specialist information into accessible articles, resources, websites, social content and visual material.
Research
Ethnographic-style, in-depth interviews and narrative non-fiction write-up or report. Case studies & lived experience. Bring the human consequences of a health issue into communication without reducing the subject to a simplistic emotional story but using context and lived experience narrative to bring it to life evocatively.
Tell me more about different
ways you use writing to get messages across?
Writing can mean so many different things.
Copywriting usually suggests a more journalistic-style of writing, often to provoke a response and inspire action.
By contrast, stories share context and more sensory detail, taking us into a situation. But now there are new questions about how to write. Is first person POV going to best, creating intimacy as we experience the world in our protagonists head. Or third person? So, the author can see and report things the protagonists may not know themselves.
Point of view can can make a huge difference to how the story feels, what it inspires. Is it even appropriate? For example, is speaking for another animal just completely anthropomorphic or might it be appropriate with care, to explore our similarities. Just think how Anna Sewell’s, Black Beauty, raised awareness of a horse’s experience of the world through narrating in the first person as the horse.
Choosing the style and thinking about the detail can turn ‘just writing’ into something truly evocative and memorable.
Narrative non-fiction often occupies a space in-between. Story to show a reality, to explore a situation, a problem, a solution maybe an experience communicating the reality and possibly discussing the causes and possibilities as part of that narration.
Business and report writing clearly give us a more formal tone, sharing information and details whereas academic style builds an argument and could be woven within a report.
I work flexibly using different styles. Often, for grant writing, using multiple writing styles works best. Report writing to detail factual information outlining your mission, credibility and history. Then narrative non-fiction using story and discussion to demonstrate the value of the work weaving in academic style with references, stories as case studies and copy to inspire action.
The audience and the context matter. Thinking about and deciding where to use techniques, to make comparisons, where to explain complex terminology, where to simply interpret it into lay language, where to use contextual sensory description to evoke feeling, and when, at other times, that might be completely inappropriate….
It’s about creative choices, awareness and desired outcomes… I work with you, helping you make those decisions, giving options and helping you shape messages that work for your audience and your mission.
Visual Communication & Design
It’s rare that a narrative communication goes without visual communication, or vice versa.
Visual communication through the use of colour, light and layout can pull a viewer’s attention to a particular place. It can suggest a hierarchical relationship or leave room for thought, a pause or a moment of reflection.
I’m known for my passionate love of photographic art.
A Fundraising Possibility
Taking a photograph and turning it into a fine art finish is just one of my techniques. Whether images are shot by me, or your team, they can be re-created into something for your gift shop or adoption materials to be put on a wall, a mug, a bag or something else for your supporters to treasure.
I’m an advanced Photoshop and Canva user. In my spare time, I teach photographic art and love to bring these skills to my day job. Follow this link for more information.
