Ways Writers Can Contribute During Recession

The following few lines originally appeared in an article on networking in Portable Writing Newsletter back in Jan. 2007. It seems appropriate to take an excerpt from that article to fit the current economic situation. As writers, we all have the ability to make a positive contribution to our communities. On the other hand, if our own situation seems dire, we have within us the ability to improve our situation. Sometimes, while doing one, we’re also doing the other: that is, helping ourselves while helping others. The excerpt follows:

“Most people love to help people. It’s inbred, in our blood.

And maybe that’s a good lesson for all of us to remember this holiday season. Perhaps you can’t give time or money to help someone less fortunate, but you can always give someone a leg up by recommending they call you later, or suggesting they call a friend who might can help them achieve their goals or dreams. People don’t always need a handout; they may simply need a helping hand up.

What goes around, comes around. Every time you help someone else, it will eventually come back to you. Look at life that way and your in-basket will always be overflowing.”

Okay, so what else, besides giving money or donating canned goods, pet food or clothes, can you do to make life better for others. First of all, you could volunteer a couple of hours a week or make it a one-time shot to a charitable organization or your church. Food banks are seeing higher demand than they can meet, animal shelters are finding their kennels overflowing with abandoned animals as more and more people lose their homes, churches are having more people turn to them for help and spiritual guidance during tough times, thrift shops are reaching record sales as people seek out clothing bargains.

There are many ways you can help out any of these organizations, such as donating time, supplies, and/or money, but as a writer, you can offer to produce a newsletter, flyers, short articles for the local newspaper, inventory lists, or even maintain their membership list. There are numerous ways to put your writing and computer skills to use in almost any type of charitable organization. If your favorite charity doesn’t offer something that fits your skills, be ready to suggest a way to make yourself useful that involves using your writing talents.

Maybe you have life skills that would be useful to overwhelmed families, and could offer to teach classes in budgeting for a family, planning and cooking economical meals, writing a resumé, job interviewing skills, sewing and mending clothes, or starting a small home-based business. People are searching for ways to make their income stretch further, and useful skills that we might take for granted could possibly change the lives of some of those less fortunate. Writers generally have the ability to organize ideas and create useful courses on a variety of subjects, incorporating skills they’ve learned from raising a family or working at a variety of jobs. We all tend to think that what we’ve done isn’t that important, but we all know things that others would love to learn.

Your life will be enriched by the people you meet while volunteering, and you’ll receive other wonderful benefits, including improved mental and physical health from the simple act of helping someone else. Another benefit could come from the people you meet while volunteering. Many busy executives and their families volunteer, and it’s possible you’ll meet someone who is impressed with your dedication and talent, and will recommend you to one of their business associates. That, of course, could lead to an increase in your writing income.

Those of us who are fortunate to have good health, a roof over our heads, plenty to eat, and a lifetime of experiences, no matter what our age or background, all have something useful to give to others, especially in times like these.

Remember: good things come from doing good things for others.