We are counting down the days to the election, and it is crucial t he voices of our community are heard. One excellent way to support the causes you care about is to write letters to the editor of your local or statewide newspapers.
Yes, it’s 2024, and I’m telling you to write letters to print publications (or any news outlet in any medium). Voicing your opinion in the public realm puts you in a special circle of citizen commentators and journalists. You may not change someone’s mind (though it is possible), but you can start a conversation and let it be known that whatever issue you’re writing about is meaningful enough for someone to take the time to write about it and share their thoughts in public. It’s one of the most patriotic things you can do, short of voting or joining the military.
Whether or not you or your friends regularly read letters to the editor, you know who does? Editors. And journalists. As do elected officials, those seeking office, and their staff. In other words, the people who shape policy and make decisions that affect our lives read them. Getting letters to the editor published allows you to bring issues to the fore that may not otherwise be addressed by a publication, and it shows there is interest in an issue such that people like you are moved to speak out.
Plus, local editors are hungry for well-written content that they don’t have to pay anyone for.
Writing letters to the editor requires that you be informed on an issue. If it’s a local issue, attend school board meetings, library board meetings, and city council meetings. Knowing what is going on in your community and hearing the arguments made by others will help you write a superior letter.
Here are some other handy guidelines and tips for writing a good letter and getting it published:
I’m mad, too! The late Eddie Chiles, owner of the Texas Rangers in the 1980s, ran radio ads opening with the line, “Let me tell you why I am mad.” Try basing your letter on the same premise: What makes you feel angry or passionate? Chiles’ opinion ads changed many unaffiliated voters’ minds at the time (I told you it was possible) and helped Ronald Reagan win the presidency in 1984.
Choose your audience. Write as if you are addressing a specific person, not the general public. Despite the term “letter to the editor,” your intended audience should be the person you hope is reading your letter and being influenced by it, whether that’s a legislator, candidate, organization leader, or a group of constituents.
Stick to the point. Too many writers attempt to put multiple issues into a single letter. Be succinct and direct, focusing on a single topic. State your position and what you want done. Do not make the reader connect the dots about some grand plan or scheme. If your letter is too complicated, the reader (and likely the editor) will skip over it.
What’s to be done? Always include an action statement. Merely stating the problem is just complaining. Having a compelling action statement makes your letter a tool of persuasion. Tell us what is wrong and how to make it better, or tell us what is right and how to make it so.
Know your limits. Letters to the editor usually have a word limit of 250 to 300 words. Consult the opinion page of the paper or website to see what their word count limitation is, and remember KISS (Keep it Short and Simple) is the best approach.
Make it personal. Use “I” statements. This is your opinion letter, so own it. If you do use “we,” make sure you have specifically identified the group to whom you are referring and your position in that organization which allows you to speak on their behalf. This will give your letter power.
The Dragnet Rule. “Just the facts,” and cite your sources. Verifying where your data or information comes from is paramount to being published. In many cases, if you do not cite your sources, you will not be published. For example, if your letter is about vaccines, back up your scientific claims appropriately by writing something along the lines of, “According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control…” or what have you.
Who do you think you are? Sign your name, give your mailing address, email address, and telephone number. The paper will need to verify that it is actually you who wrote the letter. You can always ask to be published anonymously.
Give it a rest. Put your letter aside for the night, then edit it the next day for spelling and grammar. The editor will correct one misspelling or grammatical error, but more than one and a letter will likely get rejected.
Let it go. Once you have submitted your letter, you are giving control to the editor. They may change the length or the wording while keeping the same meaning. As long as the meaning is there, let it be.
Don’t fret! If your letter is not published, don’t worry about it. There are multiple reasons your letter might not be chosen for publication. You may be one of a large number of contributors making the same argument. Write and submit your letters early and often. Repeat.
You really do have influence over the political process, and one way to exert that influence is with a well-written letter to the editor. People read the opinion pages to see how others think. You can start an important conversation, and you may even get a positive response from the target of your writing—or from the opposition.