How to Use Your Words Right Now

To be clear about where I stand in case you’ve somehow failed to suss this out already: fuck ICE and CBP, fuck fascism, fuck racism and bigotry in all its forms, fuck the Trump-Vance-Miller administration, and fuck anyone who says otherwise. Also, fuck anyone who wants to tell me to lower or sweeten my voice to make it more palatable.

Now that we understand each other, let’s get down to business.

This blog post is tailored to USA-based writers specifically—that is, those who consider themselves to be good with words, or who find the most fulfillment from putting pen to paper. Even more specifically, it’s for those writers who are fucking sick of living under a fascist regime, but who have not yet taken a step towards doing anything about it. You’re a little late, but you know what? I was a little late, too. Better late than never.

So what do you actually do? Well, I’m delighted to tell you that words still mean things, and you can use your words to affect change, or at least apply some pressure to those who can change things.

Use #1: Write an Email, Letter, or Postcard

If you hate calling people on the phone and you’re agoraphobic, here’s where you’re gonna shine, baby!

Emails, letters, and postcards are all tracked by your congressperson’s staffers. They do this because they need to know where their constituents stand, so that (1) they can represent them as they wish to be represented, and (2) they can secure their votes in the next election. If they don’t do what we want them to do, they know we will vote them out—as we should—and they’ll be out of a job.

Given that, I can tell you that emails, letters, and postcards—especially when scores more are delivered than typically come in—are going to get attention. Depending on the congressperson, they might not get as much attention as they deserve, but they can’t be ignored in such large quantities.

You don’t need to write in legalese. You don’t need to be an expert; you just need to have an opinion on an issue. (But it sure is helpful if you know what you’re talking about and what angle your representative will be most receptive to hearing, so don’t take this as an excuse not to do your research.) Write your heart out and send what you’ve written and send often.

Keep scrolling for a step-by-step guide to writing your representatives for the very first time. It’s low-cost, doesn’t take more than an hour, will make you feel less anxious, and you’ll get to enjoy brownies or whatever baked good you like afterwards!

Use #2: Write a Script and Call Your Reps

Staffers track phone calls just like they track written communication. Even better, staffers answer the phones during regular business hours, so you can actually ask questions and learn where your representative stands on the issues that matter to you.

Now, I come from a long line of people who hate phone calls, so I know this is probably not what you’d rather be doing. I’m here to tell you it’s not as bad as you think it is. It takes less than five minutes to do, and there are plenty of videos now on Instagram of people demonstrating how quick and easy it is. My favorite to watch is Kate Powell!

Given all that’s happened, you might find yourself talking to an answering machine instead of a staffer. You’ll absolutely be talking to an answering machine if you call late at night. Regardless of when you call, write yourself a script to read out loud and simply recite it after the tone. Give specifics about what bills and actions to support or oppose, and remind them that what they do next will determine your vote.

Use #3: Write the Change You Want to See in the World

If you’re following me, you probably write fiction. One of many wonderful things about fiction is that it can move people to take action. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, for example, bolstered the abolitionist movement and opened the eyes of many readers who might not have otherwise been willing to lend an ear or a hand to the cause.

Importantly, Stowe did that on purpose. Suzanne Collins also did what she did in The Hunger Games on purpose. I have seen multiple people draw comparisons to every aspect of that series in recent months.

And you can do that same thing on purpose, too. You can write about what you’re seeing and how it horrifies you, and you can make other people feel that horror and recognize it in the real world, and illustrate what they can do to change what feels like their fate.

If you’re writing historical fiction, epic fantasies, romantasy with political intrigue in the kingdom, or a space opera, you can probably see how to weave such themes in easily, if you haven’t already. Get even more intentional about them. If you’re writing a genre that’s naturally smaller-scale—a cozy mystery, a romance—there is still plenty of space on the page for you to engage with these themes. We can talk about it if you want. I can also help you structure your novel, so these themes feel natural and cohesive with the story you’re trying to tell.

You can and should do this while engaging in the two tactics above, by the way. The impactful stories you’re writing now will be published much, much later. As happy as I am to have them in the pipeline, we also need your voice in the here and now.

First Time? Here’s a Recipe to Follow

With inspiration taken from this Instagram carousel and this one, I wrote out an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for first-timers to contacting representatives by mail. This little recipe is for the writer who doesn’t have a lot of time or bandwidth, but can’t stand doing nothing a second longer. It’s designed to get your feet wet and to whet your appetite for resistance, so you can start to think about what else you have the capacity to do.

Since I was an education major, I can tell you that this is also an excellent activity for older kids and teenagers who feel a strong desire to make their voices heard. In the process, this will naturally teach or encourage independent learning about:

• How to address a postcard and apply a stamp (a skill they’ll want to learn since analog communication and gathering is becoming so trendy!)
• The importance of the U.S. mail system
• The importance of checks and balances in a functioning democracy
• Who their representatives are in Congress, and how they got there
• Why elections matter
• That everyone has a responsibility to participate in a democracy
• That taking action is the best way to reduce anxiety
• How to write formal correspondence
• How to write persuasively
• And more!

From start to finish, you’re maybe looking at an hour of your time. I’m going to hold your hand through the entire process. And at the end, you will have some delicious baked goods to reward yourself for a job well done!

Prepare Your “Kitchen Tools”

Do these things throughout the week when you have a spare minute, so you can save time day-of.

• Download the 5 Calls app for Apple or Android.
  • They also have a website!
• Screenshot or jot down four mailing addresses for your representative and two senators.
  • Don’t know who they are? The 5 Calls app will tell you once you put in your ZIP code.
  • Seek out their official websites. (Don’t use the AI summary on Google because those might have their campaign headquarters instead.) On their official site, they’ll have addresses for all of their offices—one in Washington and (an) office(s) within the state. For the sake of simplicity, you can use the Washington addresses for this exercise. That’s three. Pick a fourth address of your choice.
  • If you’re having trouble finding the Washington address for a congressperson, search here for your representative and here for your senators.
• Buy postcard stamps if you don’t have any stamps to your name already. You can order online and get them delivered, so no need to make a run to the post office!

Gather Your Ingredients

• A box mix of some kind, plus whatever ingredients the box mix calls for (You want one with a decently long baking time. Most recently, I used a cookie brownie mix from Betty Crocker, which I baked for 32 minutes.)
• A pair of scissors
• A black pen that writes well on cardboard
• Your postcard stamps
• Your list of addresses
• Optional: a permanent marker
• Optional: a ruler, if you like to be precise
• Optional: a pencil

Follow These Steps

1. Prepare the box mix as instructed.
2. Once your mix is in the oven baking and you’ve got a timer set, flatten the box. Cut down the box so that all you’re left with is the front and back faces of the box—two rectangles of cardboard that should be at least seven inches tall and five inches wide.
3. Great news: when cut in half “hamburger style,” those rectangles of cardboard are the perfect size for postcards! Make those cuts, and you’ll have four postcard-sized pieces.
   • If you want to make sure your postcards are the right size, here are the postcard dimensions straight from USPS.
4. Transform the rectangles into postcards by drawing lines with your permanent marker or your pen on the “blank” side. At the top of this blog post is an image of a blank postcard you can use as a reference. The lines do not need to be perfect—they’re just there to make the address on the postcard more readable at a glance (and to make it more obvious that it’s a postcard)—but you can use a ruler to ensure they’re straight.
5. Write the messages for your postcard. If you find yourself paralyzed by the need to get the words right, you can sketch out what you’d like to say in pencil or on your phone. If no words are coming out at all, you can use the call scripts from the 5 Calls app.
   • I like to listen to Heather Cox Richardson’s latest explainer while I do this. She’s keeping me sane with her insightful videos tying current events to American history. Amanda Nelson is another great source of level-headed, history-backed explainers, as is Ashley B.
6. Sign the postcard—with your full name and ZIP code, so they know you’re a constituent whose vote they need, or simply “a [constituent/resident/voter] in [your ZIP code]” if you wish to protect your identity—and apply the stamp to the postcard. If your kids are getting in on the action, they can put their first name and their age.
7. Check how much time is left until whatever you’re baking is done. Got a minute? Work on any of the following tasks until the timer goes off:
   • Run out and drop the postcards in your mailbox, or find a public mailbox nearby to visit ASAP.
   • Call your representatives using the 5 Calls app.
   • Go around your house and identify what other boxes, etc. have the potential to become postcards, and either start making them now or make a mental note of them for later.
   • Type out the same message on your postcard in your representatives’ contact form on their website.
   • Research who your local and state representatives are because local government is even more important.
   • Research upcoming elections in your area and make a plan to vote.
   • Donate to an organization doing good and important work, like the ACLU.
   • Send this blog post to a like-minded friend who is ready to take action and who maybe has a sweet tooth or a birthday coming up or something.
8. Once the timer goes off, enjoy what you’ve baked. And don’t forget to drop off those postcards at your next opportunity if you haven’t already!

What to Do Next

There are a million directions to go in, which can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do everything. If you don’t already have an idea about how you could best meet this moment, ask yourself this: “How am I rich, and how can I share that wealth?”

Are you financially well off? Donate and spend your money at local and small businesses, especially those that share your values. (How do you know who shares your values? A lot of them will tell you.)

Are you rich in relationships? Then you probably want to think about organizing on the ground, or joining a local organization that’s dedicated to helping your community in specific. You probably already know someone who knows someone who can connect you. If you don’t, a few Instagram and DuckDuckGo searches should illuminate your possibilities.

Are you rich in time? Volunteer. Attend town halls, peaceful protests, and other local political events. Get involved in local elections by canvassing or phone banking. And for the love of God, don’t skip jury duty.

Do you have a wealth of knowledge in a relevant field, like the law, history, emergency medicine, civil rights, etc.? Then start thinking about who needs to know what you know. Reach out to your local library to ask if they’d be interested in you teaching those skills in free classes.

Do you feel like you aren’t rich in any of these categories—that there are circumstances in your life that honestly prevent you from doing any of the above? Then use your words that much more often, my friend, and buy extra box mixes whenever they go on sale. Vary to whom you write, so your voice has the greatest reach. You have a mayor, a governor, representatives in your state legislature, school board members, city council members, county commissioners, supreme court and lower-level judges, and a sheriff who would all love to have your vote in the next election. Spell out for them how to earn it.

There are other, more creative ways to use your words, too. Keep your eyes open for those chances, and seize them when they come along. When they don’t come along, create them.

Drop by drop by drop, all together, we can manifest an ocean of change. Lots of big blue waves, if you will.