Tips on writing letters to the editor
From "Run a mile with a column inch," by Andrea Uzans, published in Activate, spring 2000.
Writing a letter to the editor is an effective and virtually cost-free way to craw attention to issues your organization represents. The editorial page is one of the most widely read sections of the newspaper. Politicians, business leaders, your neighbours and other members of the media read this section to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues. Writing a letter is something anyone can do.Getting your letter printed is the challenge! Follow these steps to editorial page letter-writing success!
1. Determine length and format guidelines, deadlines for submissions and who to address your letter to. This information is usually printed on the editorial page of your paper. Editors like creative, concise and insightful commentary.
2. Make your first sentence, also known as the lead, short, compelling and catchy. You can do this by making a play on words, using alliteration or drawing an unlikely comparison. Your goal is to grab the editor's, and then the reader's attention.
3. Give your side of the story. Provide a human focus. Let readers know how the issue will affect them or others. Provide little known statistics or cast the issue in a new light.
4. Let readers and elected representatives know what action you want them to take on the issue: do you want readers to contact a politician, vote a certain way or join a demonstration? Do you want elected representatives to change a by-law or introduce a new policy?
Activate is the on-line publication of the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society, which offers many helpful tools for concerned individuals and activist organizations. View the entire article here.
From Amnesty International USA: "How to Write a Letter to the Editor"
Writing a letter to the editor is often the easiest way to get your message in print and the letters pages of some publications are often the most widely read section of a publication.
A letter is usually written to educate the reader or to make them look at an article published in the newspaper or magazine in a different way. In general a letter to the editor is published if the writer:
- has been injured by something published in the paper;
- disagrees with someting that was published;
- can offer expert opinion or additional information on something published; and
- can offer an interesting opinion about a current news event.
The letter may refer to an article, editorial, opinion-editorial (op-ed) piece or column in the publication. Alternatively, the letter may comment on a public statement or a recent news event.
The letter will begin by noting the article in question or the news event. Then the author will point out an omission or incorrect aspect of the story and then put foward a different argument or supply additional information. The letter may include a personal perspective or experience or that of the organisation the writer represents.
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