Amnesty International USA

Write-A-Thon Checklist

Before your write-a-thon:

•  Ask a friend or group of friends to help you organize a write-a-thon.
  Discuss the tasks listed below and decide who will be responsible for what. Remember to follow-up.
  
  
•  Establish a time and date for your write-a-thon.
  Look at a calendar and figure out when and for how long you would like to host a write-a-thon. The global portion of the write-a-thon will be running around the world and around the clock on Saturday December 10 and Sunday December 11, but you should plan your write-a-thon's date and time based on your group's schedule and venue availability. Try to keep your write-a-thon as close as possible to December 10, International Human Rights Day.
  
  
•  Secure a location for your write-a-thon, and arrange for tables and chairs or other seating.
  Decide where your write-a-thon will be held and make arrangements now to book the venue. Write-a-thons can be as small and simple as a cluster of friends or family sitting around a kitchen table. For write-a-thons that are open to the public, community areas such as libraries or recreation center meeting rooms are a possibility, but always make sure you have permission to use the facility beforehand. Coffee shops are also popular venues, but check with a manager to ensure space is available and your group is welcome. If your group plans to have the write-a-thon on a campus, book a room or reserve a table in a high-traffic area through the proper channels. Since some venues may charge to use their facility, see Raise Funds for fundraising ideas and guidelines.
  
  
•  Invite more friends to the write-a-thon.
  Tell them to write down the where and when of your write-a-thon on their calendars now. Invite them to help spread the word about your write-a-thon or to take on any tasks that you may still need help with.
  
  
•  Fundraise.
  The cost of mailing letters, postcards, and cards can add up quickly, so figure out now how you or your group is going to afford sending the letters you write during the write-a-thon. Letters from a group may also be sent in one large envelope to save on postage costs. Encourage attendees to bring stamps, seek in-kind contributions, or collect change for stamps by making a postage donations jar. Have a postage donations jar available at tabling and local or school AIUSA events between now and your write-a-thon. Don't forget to have the donation jar available at the write-a-thon as well. (For more fundraising ideas and guidelines see Raise Funds.)
  
  
•  Seek in-kind donations.
  Encourage attendees to bring writing materials to the write-a-thon, or collect materials beforehand. You can also solicit in-kind contributions from local businesses, such as pens, paper, stamps, envelopes, or other necessary materials.
  
  
•  Contact the media; Promote your event
  Send details about your write-a-thon to your newspaper's calendar section. Write a letter to the editor, publicize, make and post flyers locally at cafes, schools, libraries, clinics, and markets.
  
  
•  Send out emails
  
  
•  Ask friends to commit to bringing a number of other people
  
  
•  If your write-a-thon is open to the public, feature it on the AIUSA Events Webpage.
  
  
•  Get AIUSA brochures and postcard actions (order by registering your write-a-thon)
  
  
•  Send email reminders to members, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc.
  
  
•  Organize your write-a-thon toolbox, and ask friends to bring stamps or other toolbox items (see below)
  

The day of your write-a-thon:

•  Bring a sign-in sheet and an AI banner or poster
  A sign-in sheet should be passed around to all write-a-thon attendees. This will make it possible for you or your group to follow up with these individuals later about other events, and give you a way to contact them after the write-a-thon to thank them for attending and helping out.
  
  
•  Bring enough copies of the letter writing actions for everyone
  
  
•  Bring your write-a-thon toolbox
  
  
•  Share the AIUSA brochures and encourage friends or new members to join AIUSA
  

After the write-a-thon:

•  Mail letters
  After all that writing, don't forget to mail the letters!
  
  
•  Send a thank you to those who attended your write-a-thon and invite them to join AIUSA.
  

The write-a-thon toolbox:

Find a box where you can start to put all the supplies you'll need for your write-a-thon. It should include:

•  AIUSA brochures, stickers, and promotional materials to encourage your friends to join Amnesty (order by registering your write-a-thon)
  
  
•  Actions
  
  
•   An AIUSA banner or posters - available at the AIUSA Store
  
  
•  Pens, paper, envelopes, postcards, and non-religious cards or cardstock.
  Encourage attendees to bring writing materials and stamps to the write-a-thon, or collect materials beforehand. You can also solicit in-kind contributions from local businesses.
  
  
•  Stamps - order stamps online.
  
  
•  Markers, glitter, glue, and other art supplies for decorating cards
  
  
•   A donation jar for postage
  
  
•   A print out of postage rates
  
  
•  Amnesty calendars, pins, or stickers to give as tokens to those who show up to help write letters (available at AIUSA Store)