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How to Write A Letter to the Editor or Op-Ed

Be sure to consult guidelines before writing a letter to any news outlet. Most news outlets will post guidelines on their Web site on the same page as the "opinion" or "contact us" section. At least once a week, newspapers will print guidelines on the editorial page for submitting a letter to the editor. If you are not able to find the guidelines in print or online, you can simply call the news outlet to request guidelines.

Tips for getting your letter to the editor published:

• Keep it short. Letters should be short and concise, typically 150-200 words, or about three short paragraphs. For a news magazine or a radio news show, they should be even shorter, about 100 words.
• Respond to a recent article, editorial or column. By connecting your opinion to a current thread of public discussion, you will greatly increase your chances of being published.
• Write an original letter. Do not simply copy from a BFW alert. Your own voice is much more compelling than a canned message. Keep it real! Otherwise, an editor may receive the exact same letter from two different BFW media activists. Editors have an aversion to mass mailing campaigns, but they welcome opinions that reflect personal insight and expression. Also, do not send the exact same letter to different news outlets. Each letter you submit should be unique.
• Express your opinion with conviction and passion, using strong but not strident language. Vitriolic opinions are easily dismissed.
• Name your Representative and/or Senators so that your letter, if published, reaches your members of Congress quickly. Congressional staff monitor media "hits" for their offices on a daily basis. If your member of Congress is on a relevant committee related to your issue, be sure to include that.
• Invite a friend to submit a letter to the editor on the same subject. The more input editors get on a given issue, the more likely they are to print at least one of the letters they receive.
• If you email your letter, send your message as text only. Do not use attachments. Also, do not cc: your letter to Bread for the World or any other organization or individual. If you want someone else to see your letter, copy the letter into a separate e-mail.
• Always include a daytime telephone number and your "snail mail" address in case the newspaper wants to verify that you are the author. If you submit a letter by regular mail or fax, don't forget to sign it; many newspapers will not publish a letter without a signature (letters sent by e-mail obviously cannot be signed).

Bear in mind that it may take a week or more from the time a newspaper receives a letter before it gets published. Weekly papers and news magazines take even longer.

Small-circulation newspapers usually print most of the letters that they receive. It is more challenging to get a letter printed in major metropolitan newspapers, as they receive a much larger number of letters. The more feedback a news outlet receives on hunger, the more likely they are to print news stories and opinions related to hunger. So, even if your letter doesn't get printed, remember that your voice still influences the editorial process and creates awareness about hunger!

In addition to submitting letters to your local daily newspaper, consider other newspapers in your area. Most major metropolitan areas have free weekly community newspapers that go to tens or hundreds of thousands of homes. Consider sending letters to religious publications, both national and regional; your message could reach thousands of church people who may never have heard of an Offering of Letters. You may submit letters to Hispanic and African-American newspapers, which are often interested in issues which affect Africa, Latin America and low-income people in the United States. Finally, you can send letters to national newspapers, magazines and radio programs.

With a little practice, writing good letters to the editor is neither time-consuming nor difficult. Your own letter will be more effective if it is not copied from a sample letter or media alert, because it comes directly from the heart. No other form of communication can match the impact of a thoughtful letter written by a concerned community citizen.

How to submit an op-ed

An op-ed is an opinion piece usually published opposite the editorial page, hence its name. Op-eds are frequently written by columnists, public officials or heads of organizations. However, anyone can submit an op-ed.

Before writing an op-ed, check the Web site or call your local newspaper and ask for the name of the op-ed editor (verify that you have the correct spelling) and guidelines for submission. Your op-ed should be longer than a letter to the editor; 750 words is usually a good length. Be sure to type it double-spaced.

After you have written the op-ed, submit it along with a cover letter addressed to the op-ed page editor. Follow up with a phone call a few days later to confirm that he/she received it and to ask if it will be published. Be sure to submit the piece at least two weeks prior to the time you want it to appear because space for op-eds is often planned in advance. If the editor declines your op-ed, then try another paper. Just don't send your op-ed to more than one paper at the same time.

It takes a little longer to write and place an op-ed than a letter to the editor, but the extra effort is worth it. Op-eds are more widely read by policy-makers than letters to the editor, and they are much more influential.

Bread for the World's Grassroots Media Associate Shawnda Hines is here to help you. Don't hesitate to send her an email!

EPIC: A format for powerful writing

"EPIC" is a format you can use to develop a well-written opinion piece. Use EPIC to organize your ideas and clarify your message. This format makes opinion-writing much easier and less time-consuming. Instead of spending a lot of time trying to figure out where to begin, you may try using the EPIC outline, and your letter to the editor or op-ed will almost write itself!

Engage:  Engage the reader with a startling fact, a visceral image or a strong statement of a serious problem.

Propose:  Make a specific proposal regarding the Offering of Letters or a piece of legislation.

Illustrate:  Illustrate how the proposal would work and why it's important. Give a few details or examples to make it concrete.

Call to action, or Commitment: Call on your legislators and/or readers to take a specific action or express your commitment to alleviating hunger.

"Engage" grabs the reader's attention. "Propose" makes it clear what you are advocating for. "Illustrate" fleshes out your solution and gives reasons why it's a good idea. "Call to action" ends your piece with a request, or "commitment" ends your piece with an inspiring statement of your vision.

Sample EPIC Letter to the Editor

Engage: President Bush spent President’s Day weekend on a victory lap around the continent of Africa—his commitment to which is one of the great legacies of this Administration. Just as he took office in 2000, the United States and 188 other nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals—a set of eight achievable objectives to improve the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people around the world by 2015. We have made some progress.

If you get published, SHARE the news! It inspires people to use their voices as well. Email or send a copy of your letter or op-ed to Bread for the World's media department (media@bread.org). We will post it on the Bread web site.   
 
Maximize the political impact of your letter by sending it to your Senator or Representative. If your letter or op-ed mentions your legislators by name, it is likely that they will see it. However, sending them a copy of your printed opinion (by fax or snail mail), along with a brief personal letter or marginal note, will reinforce your message.

Read examples of published Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor written by Bread for the World members and media activists