Every now and then, I get so infuriated by injustice, evildoers or something that is just plain wrong, I am prompted to take a stand. This is a a sidebar to my ever popular attempts to "Fight the Power" by boycotting. This is the more proactive approach when I just cannot keep my mouth shut any longer. Enter the Strongly Worded Letter (SWL).
I have found great success and personal satisfaction in the use of the SWL. CBS and Gillette are two of the companies who have had the privilege of receiving my wrath. Thankfully, both came to their senses and promptly thanked me for my feedback with free stuff. A word of caution however, if you are in it for the freebies, don't bother. Ulterior motives cloud SWLers in a negative way. You have to write it pure of heart. It comes out as more sincere that way.
Excessive use of the SWL renders it ineffective. Your success ratio will drop dramatically and your pure, unadulterated anger will greatly decrease if you are drafting SWLers once a week. No, you have to save this type of protest for only the most offensive, rage inducing scenarios.
I have even been asked to write SWLers for friends and family members to which I always reply with a emphatic NO. It is not my battle and rage does not translate if it is not your own. Ghostwriting SWLer grossly waters down the potency of the message, therefore rendering them ineffective.
Today I wrote the motherload of the SWL. This is my SuperBowl of letters. I ws so enraged in fact that I had to wait a full week to write it for fear that my comments would reflect just how pissed off I was in a negative way and cloud the validity of my message.
So I say that if you are faced with true injustice or something that flat out pisses you off and you are harping on it for more then a couple of days, don't just sit idly by. Break out those writing skills and take a stand. Make your feelings known. That is your right.
Fight the Power!
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8 comments:
Oh...I'm excited to read the SWL! I am aware of the power of your CBS and Gillette ones and was expecially impressed with the outcome of CBS. I also wrote a SWL to CBS. Mine was about the bad updo of the lady on 'Cold Case'. I hear that recently she has been wearing her hair down. I like to think that I had something to do with it.
I just heard the SWL...it was very good!!
btw Pooh, she got CBS to change camera angles and got Gillette to give her free razor replacement cartridges.
There was another one thrown in there because I know I was 3 for 3 but I just can't remember what it was.
The free razor cartridges were just gravy. I was really angry with CBS about that bullshit "Field Cam" that caused me to miss half the game. That has since been retired.
I have chosen to boycott Cold Case because of her bad hair dos. I was not inclined to write a letter about it. We need to get Gail B. to write hers to the cruise line before her anger begans to wan.
Oh My God.....I have to hear the SWL!!
If you need me to take care of somebody, I know people.... I mean I live in Brooklyn.. so... well... anyway...
Thanks for the offer but according to the Moose, I am the Little Assassin who weilds "little fists of death."
I fear no one.
ahh, the return of anonymous (sorry pooh wherever you are)... where have I been?... well... certain links have recently been deleted for certain reasons that I can only assume, (although I could be wrong) that may have to do with your SWL and I never bookmarked yours and I couldn't remember the name of your blog... the search for mcdougall wasn't working then suddenly... "the frustrated writer" popped into my head and here I be... ANYWAY...
After missing the last few I must catch up quickly and comment on a few things...
First, I am glad you had fun on your trip and look forward to reading some stories... especially how and what you were bitten by (I have this, well, um, fear I guess it would be, of sharks... but since you seemed to have retained your typing ability, I guess it was nothing that serious).
Second, you have a very engaging style of writing... (stemming all the way back to the first blog I ever read - "The Drama Jar". So I was not at all surprised that you took "screenwriting, TV writing and narrative storytelling classes". You definitely should be looking in some sort of creative writing direction...
And last... With the ease that you seem rattle off your blogs, I am certain that the SWL was powerful and enlightening. I only hope that the right set of eyes reads it instead of it simply being filed away.
I'm back baby!
(This really has to be read in the voice of George Constanza to feel the full impact.)
p.s. I missed you too pooh ;-)
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