The letter to the editor section is one of the most widely read parts of most newspapers. These letters can help win issue campaigns by:
Raising awareness: An LTE is a great way to raise the profile of an issue in your local community.
Responding rapidly to new developments: Many publications print LTEs within a day or two of receiving them, making them one the most effective actions when trying to respond quickly to new developments or announcements.
Sending a message to the opposition: LTEs can show unsupportive lawmakers that their constituents care passionately about an issue and will hold them accountable if they fail to represent them.
Energizing supporters and thanking supportive members of Congress: Published letters fire up local supporters and show lawmakers that their constituents have their back when they lead on important issues.
Persuading those who are on the fence: LTEs can show how an issue affects local people in a way that those on the fence, including lawmakers, may sympathize with.
People read LTE’s to find out:
How local people think or feel about an issue.
How an issue is affecting the local community.
What are the major impacts of a potential piece of legislation or action.
People do not read LTE’s for:
In-depth policy descriptions: LTEs should be short and demonstrate the local and personal connection to an issue and the views of local community members. You don’t have to be an expert on an issue to share your personal story. Most papers will not print select letters that are too long or try to outline an entire policy issue.
National political debates about an issue: People turn to TV and large publications to learn about the national debate on the issues. LTEs that speak in general terms about how an issue affects the entire country or region will likely not be selected for publication in a local paper.
Research publication type: Which publications are commonly read in your community? Most local newspapers have well-read letters to the editor sections, but they can be found in unlikely places. Don’t forget online publications, alternative papers or lifestyle magazines that younger people my read, and community specific media, including media in languages other than English. Don’t discount a publication just because you don’t often read it—it may be very popular with other parts of your community. Investigate what’s out there by asking friends what they read and listen to.
Know the rules for LTE submission: Publications usually have tight rules for publishing, including length of the LTE and listing your own contact information in a very specific manner, and they will reject letters if they break the rules. Know the rules for submission and make sure your letters cnform to them. Know the publication’s schedule and submission deadlines.
Keep it short. Stay within the publication’s rules—likely no longer than 250 or 300 words. This may seem very short, but shorter letters are the most effective. Get to the point.
Tell your story. Begin the letter with a brief story about you or someone you know. Describe how this issue has affected you, your family, a coworker or a friend. Make it personal. Even another local OFA volunteer, someone you met on a long plane or bus ride, or in line at the grocery store can be a great subject for an anecdote (especially if this person is from the local area). Make the issue human.
Know your audience. What type of publication are you writing for, and who is reading it? Use a story the audience will connect with.
DON’T delve into policy. There is not enough room in 300 words to make a nuanced policy argument. Avoid using a long string of facts — information is not an argument.
Use powerful language. Let your feelings show! Use powerful verbs and descriptive nouns. Write short, punchy sentences. Vary sentence length. This will help your letter stand out and make it more likely to be published.
Make a call to action. End your letter with a specific call to action to your local lawmakers or community members. Your LTE will only be effective if it gets others to take action!
Check for proper grammar and spelling. If you’re working with a group, trade letters with each other and edit them carefully. If you’re writing a letter by yourself, ask a friend to take a look at it before you submit it. Don’t submit LTEs with errors—they will likely not be published, and even worse, they may be published with the original errors.
Below is a sample template to help you structure your letter.
[If you are responding to or referencing another article, you should reference it by writing the first sentence, then the title of the article, the name of the publication & finally the date it was published. If not, you can start here with the reason why you’re writing, but it’s not always necessary. Sometimes it’s best to include some kind of interesting hook here that also explains why you’re writing without saying “I’m writing because…”]
[Tell your personal story in this second section. How has the issue impacted you, your family, or someone you know? Or why is this issue important to you? What are the impacts of the issue on people in your community? Remember to be concise, draw a local connection, and relate to the community you know best by touching on the values you share with them. If you include contrast—what the opponents think—be respectful.]
[So now what? Are you encouraging readers to contact their legislator? Are you asking them to take some other action? Don’t be afraid to make a specific ask of the people reading your letter.]
[End on a positive note. You have gone to all this trouble to entice your readers, you don’t want to turn them off to your opinions before you’ve sealed the deal.]
[YOUR CITY, ST, Month DD, YYYY]
Monitor the publication. After you send your LTE, keep an eye out! Many publications, especially small ones, may not tell you if you will be published because you have already given your permission to publish the letter by sending it.
If you are published: Success! Congratulations! Your message is being heard. Make sure to:
Reshare the printed LTE on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. Link to the page where it is published online. Email it yourself from the site if possible.
If the publication has an “email” or “share” feature, ask local supporters to use the website itself to send the piece to family and friends. This will make it rise on the “most e-mailed” or “most shared” list on the site if it has one.
Once you've written an LTE, be sure to let us know. And if your local paper has published your letter—congratulations! Please consider writing another.