We’re launching a new series on copy. What’s copy? Any written communication, whether it’s text in a newsletter, words on a banner, a blog post from your pastor or signage on the wall. It’s all copy.
We’ll cover the ins and outs of writing and editing copy, from how to write good copy, to writing for different mediums to style guides and proofreading. Because in the end, copy matters. Why does it matter? That’s a good place to start…
Why Should I Care About Copy?
In the beginning was the Word. Words are how we communicate and how we tell our story. And we have the greatest story ever told. I think churches have an incredible opportunity to write copy and create content that tells that story.
Sure, you can use copy to do all the mundane and basic things. How to get to the bathroom, why visitors shouldn’t feel obligated to give, begging for more volunteers to host coffee hour—necessary and important, but basic and boring.
But you can also use copy to tell the greatest story on earth. You can use copy to communicate the gospel. You can create content that brings people to Jesus. You can tweet about what time church starts, or you can tweet about how Jesus changed your life.
Copy is important because you can do so much more than just the basic and boring. The church has always used new advances in technology, from the printing press to the Internet, to advance the gospel. Now is an exciting time to do church because there are so many avenues to use copy and content, from social media to blogs to self-publishing. These are opportunities for the church to communicate and connect.
Copy is used in some way in nearly every medium, from the words an announcer reads to the text on the video screen to the headline in a design. Copy is everywhere and so much of our communication relies on it. Brilliant design can’t save crappy copy, so you have to make sure it communicates.
That’s why you should care about copy.
More in our Copy Matters series:
- Benefits, Not Features
- Know What You’re Writing and Why
- Who Should Do Your Writing?
- Writing Better Emails
- 10 Practical Writing Tips
- Writing for the Web
- Writing for Social Media
- Writing for Non-Writers
- Choosing the Right Words
- Style Guides
- Proofreading
- Copy That Sucks
- Poll Results: Does Your Church Care About Copy?
- Or get those resources and more in our ebook, Getting Started in Church Communication: Copy Matters. It’s a guide to writing and editing for church communicators.
Matthew Sandahl
March 5, 2012
amen amen amen! It easy to publish the Who, what, where, when. But those are the obvious things right? not always compelling. Its the WHY, you need to interweave within these details that convinces someone to join your small group, or help with Childrens church. You can tell people we need kids church volunteers and where they can sign up for it and when, but If you don’t offer them a glimpse into seeing why this impactful, how these kids are the future leaders of our world, how setting an example for these kids is a huge ministry, you may not get the right people- and noone will value what you’re trying to promote.
Brian Jones
March 6, 2012
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written something meant to cast vision and incite change in our church (an email, letter, etc.) only to go back and read it months later and cringe. Typos. Passive voice. Mediocre content. You name it. Poor copy takes great vision and relegates it to the mundane.