Write a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor are quick to write, relatively easy to have published, and appear in the most widely read section of the paper, the editorial page. Politicians and government agencies routinely clip and circulate letters to the editor as an indicator of what is important to their constituents.

You enhance your chance of getting a letter published if your thoughts and ideas add some new angle or element to the public debate on a story or issue.

Tips on Generating a Letter to the Editor – Remember Your C’s

Be Current – Responding to a recent article in the newspaper or a recent event is a great way to increase your odds of being published.

  • Have someone in your group skim the newspaper each day to identify “hooks” upon which you can hang your response.

  • Do a search on the newspaper’s website for recent articles, using search terms like “poverty,” “education,” etc.

  • When submitting your letter, refer specifically to the article you are referencing by using the name of the article and date.

Constructing Your Letter

  • Create your letter using the EPIC format (Engage the listener, state the Problem, Inform about a solution, give a Call to action). Check the opinion page of your newspaper or its website for the guidelines and logistics for submitting a letter. Most times you can create a draft on your computer then copy and paste it into an online web form.

  • Once you’re ready to send your letter, make it obvious in the subject line that your letter is in reaction to a story or piece printed in the newspaper. Reference the article, date of publication and page number in the newspaper (i.e. RE: “Senate Weighs Health Reform Bill” article, October 21, 2019, p. A5).

Be Clear and Concise – Most papers will not print letters that are more than 200 words. Some papers limit them to 150 words. The shorter the letter, the more likely it will be published. Stick to one subject and check your grammar. After you have written your letter, read it aloud (this really works). Ask yourself: Is my point clear? Is my letter compelling? Can I shorten it and still get my point across?

Connect the Dots – Connect the dots between your community and our national and international issues.

Be Challenging – Feel free to question what others have said or done, and even start your letter off with a feisty first sentence. However, be sure to avoid personal attacks. An argument based on merit rather than emotional attacks is respectful and more persuasive.

If appropriate, mention members of Congress by name – If you are thanking a member of Congress for something or respectfully challenging his/her position in your letter, mention him/her by name. Many congressional offices do internet searches by name each morning. This increases the chance your member of Congress will see your letter.

Call to Action – Remember to end your letter by asking for action from your members of Congress or from your readers. Articulate your passion for the issue; ask them to make a difference.

Include Your Contact information – Include your name, address, e-mail, and a daytime and evening phone number with your submission to the paper. They won’t print this information, but may use it to confirm that you wrote the letter.

Coordinate Your Efforts – Have as many people in your group send in letters to the editor at the same time to maximize your odds of getting published and to emphasize the importance of the issue. Whether they print your letters or not, you are letting the paper know what issues the community cares about.

If Your Letter is Published, Send a Copy to Your Congressional Offices

  • Remember, follow-up is critical to maximizing the political impact of your published letter! Send a copy to your representative or senator and to the aides with whom you work on issues. They will be sure to pay attention.

  • Due to delays from mail screening in Washington, we recommend you scan and e-mail a copy of your letter.

  • Be sure to check the online version of your local paper for your letter. Sometimes letters will be printed in the online version even if they are not included in the print edition.

Also, help us track successes! If your letter gets published – please let the team at Brooke USA know right away!