(Download)

TIPS ON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1) Keep it short – Keeping your letter to about five reasonably short sentences will increase the chances of having it published, reduce the chance that it will be edited for length in a way you don’t like, and make it more likely to be read if it is published. 

2) Connect it with news – Your letter is more likely to get printed if it responds to an article that has recently appeared in the paper or an issue that is in the news. 

3) Make it timely –The sooner you submit your letter after the original article is published, the better chance you have of getting it printed. 

4) Follow a basic format

• Put a short heading in the style that paper uses for its letters.  The editors probably will put their own heading, but it doesn’t hurt to try.
• Start with an opening sentence that refers to the original article and highlights something that was missed or something you disagree with.
• State your main point, referring to why you have credibility (“As a nurse for 12 years…”)
• Say why the public should be concerned and what you think should be done.
• Sign it and include your address and phone number so the paper can contact you.  There generally should be only one or two signers.  Papers rarely will print letters with more than two signers.

5) Avoid an excessively negative tone – Most papers will not print overly harsh attacks on anyone.  That includes attacks on the newspaper itself (and remember, you don't want to unnecessarily damage your long-term relationship with them).

6) Connect your point to the public interest – Use the opportunity not to state a special interest grievance but to show the reader why they would benefit if your position were listened to.  Connect your point, for example, to quality services, secure health care, good jobs for the community, or some other public concern.

7) Avoid jargon that only people in your field or organization are familiar with.

8) Show the letter to a few people not involved in your group to see if you have used the right language and tone and appealed to the broader public interest.

Here are some sample letters to the editor that have been published and that applied these principles.   

Better benefits for janitors

could give city kids hope

The article, “Janitors’ union, cleaning companies to negotiate” (July 4), didn't really make clear that it's not just janitors like me who will benefit if we win better wages and benefits.

I clean office buildings at night, but by day I work with high school students.  Many of them are discouraged about their future prospects here because of the lack of good jobs.  The good jobs that once existed at Sparrows Point and other places are gone and have been replaced by low-wage, part-time service jobs.

The only way our city is going to hold out some hope for these kids is if city leaders and business owners get behind the effort to make good jobs out of low-wage jobs.  I can think of no better place to start than with our city’s janitors.

SHIRLEY GRAY

Baltimore

Health care as a sports team

Your article about how Americans must go abroad for health care because we can't cannot afford it here at home really struck a chord.

The United States spends more than 80 percent more on health care per person than countries like Canada. Yet, we rank 37th in the world in actual health outcomes.

If our health care system were a sports team, the coach would be looking for a job because the team didn't make the playoffs despite having the largest payroll in the league.

I hope Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Greg Walden will strengthen the legislation in Congress to make health care affordable for everyone, and not just give insurance companies new customers at the same unaffordable rates. Most Oregonians can't travel abroad to get health care. We need a system that makes it affordable here.

— Matt Witt, Talent

Courtesy of TheWorkSite.org