How to write a letter to the editor
Letters should be short and concise, typically about 250 words, or about four short paragraphs. For a news magazine or a radio news show, they should be even shorter, about 100 words. Letters should be written with passion, using strong but not strident language.
Once a week, most newspapers will print guidelines on the editorial page for submitting a letter to the editor. Be sure to consult them before writing a letter to your newspaper. If you are not able to find the guidelines in print, most newspapers will post them on their Web site on the same page as the letters to the editor. Additionally, you can call your paper's editorial desk to request guidelines.
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. However, if you can tie your letter to a recent article, editorial or column, you will greatly increase your chances of being published.
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. Many cities and states have large denominational newspapers as well. Also consider sending to Hispanic and African-American newspapers, since they are often interested in issues which affect Africa, Latin America and low-income people in the United States. Finally, you can submit letters to national newspapers, magazines and radio programs.
When submitting a letter to the editor by regular mail or fax, don't forget to sign it, as many newspapers will not publish a letter without a signature (letters sent by e-mail obviously cannot be signed). Also include a daytime telephone number in case the newspaper wants to verify that you are the author. 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.
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.
If you want help writing your letter to the editor, feel free to consult Bread for the World media outreach organizer Shawnda Eibl at 1-800-822-7323.
