How to Write a Letter to the Editor

Writing a letter to the editor of a local or regional newspaper is an effective way to get your message to a large audience. Letters to the editor are among the most widely read parts of the paper. Not only does the general public look at the editorial page, but elected officials pay close attention to it in order to get a better sense of what issues are currently important among the public. Even more, if a newspaper gets a large number of editorials on a certain issue, the newspaper will be more inclined to include this issue in news articles and on the editorial page. However, getting an editorial printed can be tricky. Here are some tips on how to write an effective letter and how to get it placed.

1. Respond to an article in the paper. Your letter will have a better chance of being printed if it is in response to an article that ran in a paper. Make sure you cite the original article by name, date, and author.

2. Be timely. Respond to an article within one or two days of its publication. Ideally, you would e-mail a letter the day the article was printed.

3. Follow the paper's directions. Follow the guidelines that a paper provides. These guidelines can usually be found right on the editorial page in the newspaper or online. Guidelines for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News are included at the end.

4. Share any expertise and use examples. If you are closely connected to an issue, share this information up front. For example, a doctor writing about a health issue should share this information. A college student writing about the drinking age should share that they are an observer of underage drinking on college campuses. Personal stories are persuasive tools.

5. Keep your letters short, on topic, and interesting. Letters should generally be 150 to 200 words. The longer your letter, the less likely it is to be used. Get to your main point by the second or third sentence, and make this point clearly and persuasively.

6. Write in your own words. Be sure not to take information directly from an article you are responding to. The letters need to be original. Try to make a point that others have not made. Be controversial, but avoid personal attacks.

7. Include complete names of corporations or individuals you are discussing. Avoid confusion by using nicknames and abbreviations.

8. Follow a standard format. Open your letter by refuting the claim made in the original article. Then, back up your claims and argue for your position in the next few sentences. Finally, end by explaining what you think should happen now.

9. Avoid using complicated language and jargon. Use simple language that all readers can understand. Make sure that non-experts can understand your point.

10. Get local. Even when discussing a global issue, be sure to localize to the region. Know your audience. Localize based on what areas the newspaper covers.

11. Include your contact information. Include your name, address, phone number, and
e-mail address. The newspaper will contact you if they are going to print your letter.

12. Proofread. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Newspapers will not select a sloppy letter.

13. Keep the e-mail clean. Do not send an e-mail with history from other discussions on the letter, and do not cc anyone.