Public Policy Writing That Matters

by David Chrisinger, Deborah Stone (Foreword)

The trusted guide to honing your public policy writing skills and making a significant impact on the world, thoroughly updated and expanded.Effective policy writing holds the transformative power to inspire action, shape public opinion, and influence outcomes. In the third edition of Public Policy Writing That Matters, communications expert David Chrisinger, who directs the Harris Writing Workshop at the University of Chicago and worked in the US Government Accountability Office for nearly a decade, continues to demystify the art of writing persuasively about public policy.Effective public policy writing is a catalyst for meaningful societal change. Chrisinger argues that by mastering the craft of clear, concise, and compelling communication, writers can elevate their ability to influence decision-makers, mobilize communities, and drive lasting and positive change. The book combines practical advice, insightful analysis, and hands-on exercises to provide a comprehensive guide for readers who want to improve their policy-writing skills. Offering real-world examples and cautionary tales, it offers a step-by-step approach to crafting impactful policy analysis, leveraging evidence, and framing arguments persuasively.Aimed at helping students and professionals overcome their default impulses to merely "explain," this book reveals proven tips for writing sophisticated and persuasive policy analysis that is also easy to understand. For anyone interested in planning, organizing, developing, writing, and revising accessible public policy, Chrisinger offers a step-by-step guide that covers everything from the most effective presentation methods to the best ways to write a sentence.

Genres: Writing, Public Policy

248 pages, Paperback

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

David Chrisinger writes about how true stories, told carefully and honestly, change what people understand and what they do. His subjects include Ernie Pyle, whose columns brought the Second World War home to American readers; Edgar Kupfer-Koberwitz, who kept a secret diary inside Dachau on scavenged index cards; and ordinary citizens learning to turn their own experience into stories that move lawmakers.

Chrisinger is the Executive Director of the Writing Workshop at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. He has taught policy writing for nearly two decades, starting at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. His writing on war, memory, and public life has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and other national publications.

His narrative histories are "The Soldier’s Truth: Ernie Pyle and the Story of World War II" and "Writing Against the Reich: The Secret Diary of Dachau" (Potomac Books, 2027).

His books on persuasion include "Public Policy Writing That Matters," now in its third edition; its second edition won the National Council of Teachers of English’s George Orwell Award. He also wrote "Because Data Can’t Speak for Itself," with Lauren Brodsky, and "More Than Personal: Transform Your Lived Experience into Political Change" (Johns Hopkins University Press), a guide for advocates.

He edited "See Me for Who I Am: Student Veterans’ Stories of War and Coming Home," and wrote "Stories Are What Save Us: A Survivor’s Guide to Writing About Trauma."

Reviews

[Masha Bunina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first and second addition barely have anything in common! The second one is better, and I'm excited about the upcoming third one. Obviously, the book is for a very narrow field, but it does greatly what it was supposed to do: clear, coherent, well-structured, well-balanced, easy to apply. And I love David Chrisinger haha

[Zainab · Rating 5 out of 5]

After meeting David in Riyadh, I promptly delved into the book. It serves as an excellent guide for those intrigued by policy memo writing, eloquently outlining the process. It reinforces the idea that our focus should be on effecting change rather than merely aiming to impress. Good read!

[Ernesto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lo leí para una clase en Harris sobre escribir. Es un libro útil con algunos buenos consejos para mejorar la escritura, especialmente en temas de análisis de políticas públicas.

[Joshua Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book for policy writing. Great for students as an introduction to writing good policy.

[Denise Sudbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Style guide in the last chapter is really helpful.

[Krista Schumacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book for the policy section of an MPH class I teach, and I'm glad I did. Not only does it help when thinking about how to pitch a policy idea, but it's a great writing handbook in general. Excellent tips for clear and succinct writing that's useful for policy briefs (which my students had to write) as well as papers, reports, grant proposals, and any other non-creative work.