Education

Political Writing Working With The Candidate

Writers have political views and some support their views with writing. I’m one of these people. Though I never intended to do political writing, I’ve volunteered to write for my state senator. It’s something I can do from home and makes me feel like I’m making a difference. So far, I’ve worked on two campaigns, and learned from each of them. These are some of the things I’ve learned.
Respect the candidate’s time. Being on the election team doesn’t mean you can call at any time. The legislature may be in session, for example, or the candidate may be giving a speech. My candidate participated in local parades. To avoid interrupting the candidate, ask him or her when it is best to call.
Use the right email address. The first time I emailed my senator I used her state address, which is illegal in my state. Instead, I must use her personal address. This is something I didn’t know and something you may not know. Again, check with the candidate and ask him or her which address to use.
Understand the decision process. Every candidate has a political team and a manager for this team. While the manager can make suggestions, the candidate is the one who has the final say. He or she is familiar with the political process and has a sense of what will work and what will not.
Be politically savvy. Daniel Goleman, PhD, describes political awareness in his book, “Working with Emotional Intelligence.” People who are politically aware, he explains, can accurately read power relationships, detect social networks, understand the forces at work, and read organizational/external realities accurately. As I’ve discovered, this takes time, patience and practice.
Know what to avoid. Before a letter is mailed I write several drafts and my senator reviews them. She asked me to delete a point because it would stir up controversy. I deferred to her judgment. Words can be controversial as well and I choose them carefully.
Use conflict management skills. Robert Bolton, PhD, lists these skills in his book, “People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts.” Members of an election or re-election team have different ideas and discussions take up time. Bolton’s advice saves time: 1) Define the problem in terms of needs; 2) Brainstorm on solutions; 3) Plan who does what, where and when; 4) Implement the plan; 5) Evaluate the process later.
Allow enough lead-time. Writing drafts, revising them, checking with the candidate, printing, stuffing envelopes and mailing are just a few components of a campaign. All of these things take time. Make sure you have allowed enough time for the review process and for letters or billboards or door knockers to be ready by the deadline date.
I think political writing is improving my health and wellness writing. You may make a similar discovery. Best of all, I’m enjoying myself. If you ‘re thinking of doing some political writing I encourage you to do it. You will learn new things and see government in action.

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