The art of the edit: How writers and reviewers can work as a team

When I first started out as a consultant way back in 2005, I worked closely with Frank O’Brien on a shared client Amnesty International. He led direct mail. I worked on digital.

As a young writer, I was always struck by how his copy sailed through approvals. It wasn’t just good writing—it was the way he built relationships with non-fundraising reviewers, anticipated concerns and approached feedback.

I sensed this, even then. But I didn’t have the roadmap—until he laid it out so clearly in his Monday Morning Memo this week.

Over 20 years later, I’m like: That’s exactly what Frank did so well!

Frank admits he once saw “vetting” as a way for program staff to suck the life out of good copy. But with experience, he learned the process doesn’t have to be painful. Here’s a quick breakdown of his timeless advice—for both writers and programmatic reviewers.

For Writers: Vet It Right

1. Understand the work. You can’t communicate what you don’t truly grasp. If you misrepresent the program, trust breaks down—fast and programmatic reviewers will over edit to compensate.
2. Ask before you write. Sit down with key programmatic stakeholders and ask: What’s most essential for donors to understand? What drives you crazy in fundraising copy?
3. Pick your battles. Push back only on edits that harm emotional clarity or accuracy. Let go of the ones that just hurt your ego.
4. Collaborate with edits. Instead of saying “That change won’t work,” try: “I see what you’re going for—what if we tried this instead?”
5. Add context with your draft. A short note explaining your approach can make a big difference in guiding productive feedback.

For Programmatic Reviewers: Review It Right

1. Respect the craft. Fundraising writers have specific, response-driven skills. You don’t need to rewrite—just point out what’s unclear, missing, or off-tone.
2. Focus on the donor. As I said last week, the goal isn’t to sound academic—it’s to connect with someone deciding whether to give. That’s not “dumbing down,” it’s donor-centered communication.
3. Don’t trash the channel. Even if you don’t personally read direct mail or email appeals, avoid saying so. It devalues the work and the audience.
4. Share what’s next. Donors give to move things forward. Help writers speak to the future, not just celebrate the past.

Copywriting doesn’t have to be a battle. With a little emotional intelligence, compassion and care, we can make the process smoother—and the message stronger.