OMG, it's the 100th issue of the Fundraising Writing Newsletter! Like this? Please share. We'd appreciate it. (Your lovely peeps can ​subscribe here for free.)​

In this issue:

• Top 10 movie quotes for fundraisers (How many do you know...?)
• Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you
• Win It in a Minute

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Hi Reader,

What, wait, wow. Are we really 100 newsletter issues old? Time: you are one funny gal.
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Our commemoration of reaching 3-digit-newsletter-publication status is really just a numbers thing. And this ain't no math newsletter. We're about words, not numbers! (Although we want you to use words to push your revenue numbers UP UP UP!)

We're about fundraising, writing, and YOU!
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Therefore, in celebration of this our 100th anniversary of our 1st Fundraising Writing Newsletter issue, here are:

Top 10 movie quotes for fundraisers (How many do you know...?)

What, did you expect 100?!

Movie quotes are quotable for a reason. A good quote resonates because of its story context and its universality. (It can apply to me and you.)

Here's hoping you find in the following some memorable words worth tucking into the nifty little back pocket of your beautiful mind.
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​Okay, so, Top 10:

10. "Every adventure requires a first step." — Alice in Wonderland

With the whirlwind of responsibilities you manage, it can be helpful to announce to yourself that what you're doing is an adventure. It's true — and your adventurous first steps build momentum, get the blood flowing, and lead to productive next steps.

9. "Remember who you are." — The Lion King

Busyness and stress can feel like an impassable jungle, yet remembering your roots can help you find your bearings, take that crucial next step oriented on your core values and strengths, and find your way to that next sunny clearing.

8. "Even miracles take a little time." — Cinderella

A fundraising win can feel like a miracle. And patience is a kind of perspective. If you can "see it" (the whole of the great big thing that you are doing) across time, it will be easier to avoid that gnawing feeling that you're not getting anywhere. You are.

7. "It's not the years, honey. It's the mileage." — Raiders of the Lost Ark

In Zen, there's an idea of "the beginner's mind." This is a way of looking at everything with fresh eyes. No matter how many years into your fundraising journey you have traveled, you might find it helpful to focus on the wonder of what you don't know. This sort of humility can be quite liberating, energizing, and fruitful.

6. "After all, tomorrow is another day." — Gone With The Wind

Sometimes, it's just one of those days. Turn the page, close the book, and come back tomorrow to read on for more of the story. The "good parts" might just be waiting for you in that next chapter.

5. "There's no place like home." — The Wizard of Oz

Try to remember to make your donors, your colleagues, and the people you serve feel at home in everything you do, say, and write. That vibe will seep into their bones, and many good hearts will be thankful for your good heart.

4. "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." — Casablanca

Every new person you meet in your fundraising adventures could be with you in the trenches, alongside you moving mountains, and making incredible memories. You might even become friends. How beautiful.

3. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." — Forrest Gump

Wouldn't it be nice to think of all of life's challenges as chocolates? You might not be a fan of the ones with the weird nougat in them, but they're still chocolates. So maybe visualizing Forrest's box o' chawk-lits when you feel steam coming out of your ears might help you cook up a mindset that's at least semi-sweet.

2. "Just keep swimming." — Finding Nemo

Movement keeps you going. Inertia gets you stuck. Dory gets this. Yes, Dory is adorably, hilariously genius. Just keep swimming, and leave your troubles in your wake.

1. "There’s no place like the present." — Kung Fu Panda & "What we do in life echoes in eternity." — Gladiator

For first place: we have a tie. These two #1s are complementary quotes that highlight the importance of staying in the moment and not forgetting the future — the current picture and the big picture. Put 'em together, and you're less likely to feel half empty. That's all good.

So, what did we miss?​
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Do you have a favorite movie (or other kind of) quote that inspires your fundraising efforts?
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Please hit reply and let us know! 😃

Randomly yours: to inspire and recharge you

For your brain, heart, and funny bone...

• Fundraisingly Informative — 7 Ways to Grow Your Donor Email List via donorperfect (a blog post worth reading if this title is calling your name) ​
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• Overly Generous — Man accidentally donates $15K instead of $150 to food relief fundraiser, chaos ensues. by Joseph Lamour (an article about how a man's typo led to publicly advertising an amount he did not actually donate, and the charity responded very charitably ... again and again)
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• Seriously Thought-Provoking — AlphaGo - The Movie | Full award-winning documentary​ via Google DeepMind (a riveting 90-minute film, free to view on YouTube, that documents the story of the world's top player of the ancient Chinese game Go, and how he was defeated in 2016 by an AI called AlphaGo)
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• Geographically Mind-Boggling — Maps That Show How The World Really Is​ by Tegan Holmes (a slew of fascinating maps that compare, for example, states to countries: by overlaying one on another for better visualization and understanding)

Until next time: May you find in your fundraising efforts all the wonderful movie-worthy-moments. You deserve it!

All our best,

PS: Here's the latest in our weekly video series, Win It in a Minute. You can (and maybe want to?) subscribe here.

Julie asks Tom: “What is 'skimmable' fundraising writing and how is it done?”

Click below for Tom's answer...

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