# [REVIEW] How to Turn Your Words into Money

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/11/01/review-turn-words-money/
- Published: 2015-11-01T20:12:33+00:00
- Author: Guest Blogger

**With twenty five years experience in the field, Jeff Brooks knows direct mail.
And luckily for us, he’s happy to share his wisdom. How to Turn Your Words into 
Money is Jeff’s latest book, dedicated to the theory and practice of writing effective
fundraising materials.**

Jeff wants to help us raise ‘truck loads of money to support good work’ and his 
passion for fundraising is abundant and infectious In this short book he guides 
us through writing style, how to use stories in our copy, making the donor the hero,
assumptions about donors and the writing traps we fall too easily fall into. There
are also dozens of examples of poor copy that Jeff rewrites —certainly one of the
most helpful parts of this book. Of course it’s also incredibly well written, but
who’d expect anything less?

Jeff’s points us to his website for further examples of the ideas he talks about.
[Uncle Maynard’s archive](http://www.futurefundraisingnow.com/future-fundraising/2012/07/uncle-maynards-treasure-trove-of-direct-mail-knowledge.html)
has provided many moments of amusement and insight since its discovery.

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If you’re brand new to writing for fundraising I might suggest starting off with
Jeff’s earlier book – [The Fundraiser’s Guide to Irresistible Communications](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/the-fundraisers-guide-to-irresistible-communications/),
which gives an easily readable short overview. But that’s not to say this book doesn’t
have something for fundraisers at every stage of their career- whether they’re writing
direct mail or grant bids – there’s something in here to make your writing much 
much better, and ultimately more likely to succeed.

Jeff says he hopes his words will help us ‘become better equipped, more enthusiastic,
and empowered to win battles with those who don’t get it.’ It will, and for that
alone, it’s worth the read.

![Quote by Jeff Brooks about the secret to fundraising.](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2022/02/jeff-brooks-quote-secret-to-fundraising.jpeg)

![Quote by Jeff Brooks about an emotional act.](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/
2022/02/jeff-brooks-quote-giving-emotional-act.webp)

![Quote by Jeff Brooks about the wrong audience](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2022/02/jeff-brooks-quote-wrong-audience.jpeg)

![Quote by Jeff Brooks about testing fundraising.](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2022/02/jeff-brooks-quote-test-fundraising.webp)

  [How to Turn Your Words Into Money: The Master Fundraiser’s Guide to Persuasive Writing](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2015/10/07/new-guide-on-persuasive-writing-for-fundraisers-from-jeff-brooks/)
by Jeff Brooks is available from [Emerson & Church](https://emersonandchurch.com/bookstore/how-to-turn-your-words-into-money/)
and from [UK Fundraising’s bookshop](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/turn-words-money/)._**
Rachel Brown** forged her fundraising career in Individual Giving, and now heads
up a one-(wo)man fundraising shop for a leading art gallery. Responsible for all
elements of the fundraising operation, she loves looking for new and innovative 
ways to connect with supporters, and finding the ‘why.’__She tweets about fundraising
and bad tv at [@brownrach](https://twitter.com/brownrach) and blogs at [The Fundraising Collective](http://www.fundraisingcollective.com/)._

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