Story Tips

The following should give you ideas for how to participate in this project, and also answer any questions you have about the process. Make sure you read our sample stories from Joseph Doyle and Cynthia Braxton.

Story Subject

Think ahead about your subject. If you're doing something for the Sierra Club that day -- tabling, rallying, leading an outing -- then please tell us about that. If you don't have a specific activity planned, then let us know about something you planned or thought about or did that day that was related to your environmental interests. Did you take a walk with a friend and talk about the rejuvenating power of nature? Did you reflect on how you got involved in the environmental movement in the first place? Did you call a favorite volunteer and thank him or her for a job well done? Tell us about it!

David Karpf, a Sierra Club board member, said he'll be flying home that day after giving a presentation at a Sierra Student Coalition event, so he'll reflect on how satisfying it is to work with future environmental leaders. Tom Libby, chair of the Oklahoma Chapter, was supposed to talk to a group putting together a strategic plan for an outings program, but it turns out he has to work that day, so he'll write about how sometimes work gets in the way of his volunteer efforts. What matters is that the environment is part of your everyday life, and we want you share the many ways in which that's true, whether or not you're actually involved with the Sierra Club that day. Seriously -- everyone should be able to come up with something to write a few sentences about.

When it Comes Time to Write

The story you tell about your day will be aggregated with the stories we receive from other Sierra Club members and supporters. Our aim is to provide a portrait of the people whose combined actions, commitment and passion power our grassroots organization.

To that end, we're offering you a few storytelling tips:

Make it personal. Good, memorable stories are about people first and foremost. We are endlessly curious about each other. Feed that curiosity. Paint us a vivid picture of how you see the world and your place in it.

Keep it real. The best stories are stories of and from the heart. Tell us what inspires you. What keeps you committed, even in these dark times? How do you hold onto your optimism and faith that one person can make a difference? What do you do to channel your sense of outrage and fair play into productive action? What do you do to feel less alone on the planet and more connected to the natural world?

Share your hopes and history. What are your hopes for the future? For your children and the world they will inherit? Are there solutions out there you would like to see adopted and practices you would like to see promoted? How did you come to this view and how has it changed your daily life -- what you buy, where you live, how often you get outdoors.

Be bold about sharing your values and passions. What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it the anger you feel at the irresponsible practices of the oil companies and other irresponsible corporations? Is it the joy you take in volunteering to lead an inner-city outing?

Remember, these stories, this combined face of the Sierra Club, is intended to be shared with the public at-large, so:

Please avoid acronyms like the ESA or MTBE.

Please avoid scientific jargon like "particulate matter" and "riparian zones."

Please try to avoid Club-speak -- shorthand like CCL or BEC (instead of Council of Club Leaders or Building Environmental Community)

Use language that's inviting and compelling and helps the larger public understand us not as a political force, but as people who share their values, concerns and communities.

Use local place names and help our neighbors understand we live side-by-side with them in the same communities, connected to the same place and future.

We'd like you to submit your story on August 6, but if you can't get to it that day because you're away from your computer, you may still submit your story on August 7. In any case, we're asking folks to keep it to 300 words.

Submit your story here.