Speak Out
Write a letter to the editor
Letters to the editor are one of the best and easiest ways to get an unfiltered message about a particular issue out to the community. One of the reasons that they are so effective is the fact that after the front page and the comics page, more people read the editorial page than any other section of the paper. Furthermore, letters to the editor carry certain credibility because they come from citizens, and the public does not view them with the same bias with which they view the rest of the paper.
A good story is often what can take an issue from an abstract concept to an urgent issue that requires immediate action. With that said, we ask that you write your local paper and let them know it is an issue that is important to you and your community. If you are unsure about how to write a letter to your newspaper please review the tips below or contact us for more assistance.
Here are a few tips for writing to the editor:
- You can usually find the address to send your letter to the editor on the editorial page of the paper.
- Letters should not be longer than 250 words.
- The first line of your letter to the editor should set the stage for whatever point you are going to make. Following your opening sentence, you should immediately begin to make the case for why you are writing the letter.
- While letters to the editor can be used to criticize an elected official, it should usually only be used as a means of last resort. Office holders generally remember those people and organizations that have criticized them publicly, and they are not likely to forgive or forget a harsh letter in their local newspaper.
- Remember, when you close the letter, you should include some call to action.
- When you send in your letter to the editor, you must include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Your name is needed because anonymous letters are not as credible as those that are signed, and the large majority of newspapers will not publish them.