Name the enemy, create a movement

I’ve been talking with a lot of new authors and a common theme keeps popping up. They’re all writing books because they want something to change. There are a million ways to approach writing a book, and at least a few of those apply to persuasive books. One of the most powerful strategies can be one of the easiest to overlook when you start to write, but it’s easy to see how well it works if you look at the world around you.

There’s a thing that every awful leader you can think of does that helps them gain power. There’s a reason that as hard as you argue for the good that you’re trying to do, you never seem to gain traction.

If you look at everything you’ve written, you’ll probably realize that you haven’t named an enemy. Like most authors, you’ve probably brought evidence to bear in favor of your argument. A vision forms of a better world so that readers can see it for themselves. If you’re like most authors, you’re also being careful not to close the door to readers who might reflexively disagree with you. So while uou’ve probably said a dozen things that in your mind, paint a pretty clear picture of the downside of not going down the good path, have you actually taken a position against anything?

Some people who have named the enemy

Donald Trump names enemies over and over again. Whatever it is that you feel bad about, he’ll give you someone to blame it on. Sometimes his picks don’t sit right with you. Migrants. “DEI” in whatever place it pops up. In fact, you likely see those as good things, not enemies. Antisemitism; wait, I actually do think antisemitism is a worthwhile enemy. And if you’re not careful, you’ll believe it’s more than a Trojan horse. He’s not interested in fighting antisemitism, he’s interested in getting people to line up behind him, and he knows that if he names your enemy as his enemy, there’s a good chance you’ll get in line.

In a way, this is an exercise in critical reading. Any time you see a person or a group being treated as an enemy, pause to think about what’s behind it. What does the writer want from you? What’s below the surface? In another way, it’s an opportunity to use these observations for good.

The Occupy Wall Street protests didn’t take to the streets chanting “it would be better if we had a more balanced approach to wealth inequality!” They named an enemy: the 1%. It was as much a concept as it was a group, and it made it abundantly clear to you that you weren’t one of the enemies. The specific aims of the movement were downstream of getting you to take sides.

Rereading the Declaration of Independence yesterday, it struck me that part of its brilliance is the way it recognizes its enemy. Tyranny, and the abuse of power, rise to the top of that list, not King George III. Where the king was singled out it was only in connection to the acts that fit into those categories. In doing so, they ensured that the movement would survive any clever machinations designed to change the figurehead while maintaining the status quo in the colonies. By naming specific grievances, they created an opportunity for a broader coalition to form; whether you cared more about taxation or the right to a trial by jury, you had a chance to see that you had a common enemy.

The beer wars benefitted everyone with a faction. Whether you’re a Coke person or a Pepsi person, Apple or Android, shows just how ready we are to take sides.

As you work for the good ends that you imagine—whether it’s greater equity in health care, evidence-based approaches to substance use disorder, a fair tax code, getting profit motives out of your doctor’s office, or climate protections—think about how you can name your enemy to create that dynamic in a way that favors your argument.

I’m not suggesting that you name a person. Not only would you be flirting with defamation, but that’s also, in most cases, not going to serve you. How can you turn a concept into an enemy? What stands in opposition to your goal? What are the things holding it back? What would be the thing that people believe, that they would have to stop believing in order to take the action you desire? You’re not going to convince people they’re wrong, but if you can show them an enemy that resonates with them, they might change their minds all on their own.

I heard recently that negative emotions are a more powerful motivator than positive ones. People all have a fundamental need to belong. To put those things together, name a common enemy. People will be more likely to feel the reflexive negative reaction to an enemy they can recognize, and then you can help them see that they are part of a larger group. Seth Godin, the marketing grandmaster, says that one of the most powerful ideas in his field is “people like us do things like this.” Name an enemy and you can create an opportunity for people to be part of the movement against it. What is the identity you would give to the people in the movement?

Could this apply to your work? You may be able to easily identify real enemies, or you may have to think a bit more creatively. The right people will align against those enemies.

Are you writing a book with a Good Cause at its heart? If you are, I hope you’ll consider joining us in Author Club for the summer. Most of the Author Club members you’ll meet were readers of this newsletter first, and they came to the group to find support to make their books better, and to get them done on schedule. People like us do things like this. You’ll fill out a short questionnaire at the link, and if it looks like a good fit I will reach out to you directly.