Edward Bulwer-Lytton nailed it when he said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." The pen may long since have been replaced by the keyboard, but the written word remains a powerful tool for educating the public on any given topic.
Letters to newspaper editors are especially effective because they tend to be widely read. Opinion pages are often the most-read pages of newspapers. Messages from the heart are usually the most effective, but if you feel you need help getting your message delivered we will be happy to assist you. Just contact us and we will help you tell your story or get your message heard.
The Media Awareness Project (MAP) is an outstanding resource for writing tips, pointers and ideas. Their Activism Center has an excellent collection of tips and pointers to facilitate your writing efforts. We have posted more tips and suggestions below:
How to Write Letters to the Editor
by Richard Rider
Short, concise letters are always more likely to be published than long, meandering ones; try to keep them under 150 words. The longer letters are also more likely to be edited. It's better that you do your own editing.
Ever notice how you read letters to the editor in the paper? Most people read the shorter letters first and then perhaps later read the longer ones. Thus your shorter letter has a better chance of being read.
Be timely; try to respond within two or three days of the article's publication. Pick an issue of particular importance to you - don't be afraid to let some passion show through.
Here are some stylistic considerations:
- State the argument you're rebutting or responding to, as briefly as possible, in the letter's introduction. Don't do a lengthy rehash; it's a waste of valuable space and boring to boot.
- Stick to a single subject. Deal with one issue per letter.
- Don't be shrill or abusive. Editors tend to discard letters containing personal attacks. Even though you're dying to call Jesse Jackson a preachy parasite, stifle the urge.
- Your letter should be logically organized. First a brief recitation of the argument you are opposing, followed by a statement of your own position. Then present your evidence. Close with a short restatement of your position or a pithy comment: ("Jimmy Breslin says possession of firearms should be limited to law enforcement officers. I say when only the police have guns, the police state is just around the corner.").
- Use facts, figures and expert testimony whenever possible. This raises your letters above the "sez you, sez me" category. For instance: "Anthony Lewis calls for taxing the rich as a way to balance the budget. Is he aware of the fact that if we confiscated the entire income of the top wage earners in this country (those with income above $200,000), this would run the federal government for exactly 8 days?" Readers respect the opinions of people with special knowledge or expertise. Use expert testimony to bolster your case ("George Will claims we need to draft to defend America. But General Edward C. Meyer, Army Chief of Staff, recently stated . . .").
- Proofread your letter carefully for errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Newspapers will usually edit to correct these mistakes, but your piece is more likely to be published if it is "clean" to begin with. Read your letter to a friend, for objective input.
One suggestion is that a letter shouldn't be mailed the same day it is written. Write, proofread and edit the piece. Then put it aside until the next day. Rereading your letter in a fresh light often helps you to spot errors in reasoning, stilted language and the like. On the other hand, don't let the letter sit too long and lose it's timeliness.
- Try to view the letter from the reader's perspective. Will the arguments make sense to someone without a special background on this issue. Did you use technical terms not familiar to the average reader? Should your letter be typed? In this day and age, generally yes. Double or triple space the letter if it is short. For faxing purposes, the letter should be all on one page, so single spacing might be the only option available. Direct your missives to "Letters to the Editor," or some similar sounding title.
- Always include your name, address, day-time phone number and signature. The papers will not publish this information, but they may use it to verify that you wrote the letter.
- Most important - WRITE! Do not try to do a perfect letter. Just give it a good effort and send it off. Letter writing is the one thing that any one of us can do on our own without the need to work through a group. No committees are necessary. Just do it!
- Don't be discouraged if your letter isn't published. The editor may have received more responses on that issue than he feels he can handle.
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". . . federal policy that prohibits physicians from alleviating suffering by prescribing marijuana for seriously ill patients is misguided, heavy-handed, and inhumane."
— Dr. Jerome Kassirer, "Federal Foolishness and Marijuana," editorial, New England Journal of Medicine, January 30, 1997
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More LTE Tips
Special Thanks to Robert Sharpe and MAP, Inc for these excellent tips.
Letters written in response to editorials are more likely to be published than letters written in response to wire stories (does not apply to major news stories). Avoid scathing criticism. Civility will increase the likelihood of your views being printed.
Respond to major news stories while they are still hot. Nonetheless, investing time in editing pays off. Always spell-check your letter.
Local newspapers are far more likely to publish letters than out of state papers (does not apply to major newspapers).
Adding local relevance helps, especially when replying to an AP wire story. Repeat information found in the article if necessary.
It is helpful to include credible statistics to make your point, especially when government statistics are used. Include links to government websites whenever possible.
Write with a specific target audience in mind, i.e. soccer moms, fiscal conservatives, etc.
Tailor letters for specific newspapers. If you're going to write to the Wall Street Journal you can be pedantic, but you'd better dumb it down for certain papers. You're always better off preempting editors.
Use an organizational affiliation if possible.
Most newspapers require that letters submitted be exclusive. When recycling letters make slight edits.
It's important to keep track of when you last sent a particular newspaper a letter. Likewise, avoid sending the same letter to the same newspaper twice.
Last but definitely not least, visit the newspaper's website and find out what their policy is for publishing letters. In general, letters should be under 250 words. The shorter the letter, the greater the chance of it being published. Most papers will edit letters down to less than 200 words anyway. You're better off aiming for roughly 200 words and sticking to one or two key points. There are many brilliant activists out there who would be published far more often if they just shortened their letters.
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