Writing a Letter to the Editor

FAIR

Letters that are intended for publication should usually be drafted more carefully. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Make one point (or at most two) in your letter or fax. State the point clearly, ideally in the first sentence.
Make your letter timely. If you are not addressing a specific article, editorial or letter that recently appeared in the paper you are writing to, then try to tie the issue you want to write about to a recent event.
Familiarize yourself with the coverage and editorial position of the paper to which you are writing. Refute or support specific statements, address relevant facts that are ignored, but do avoid blanket attacks on the media in general or the newspaper in particular.
Check the letter specifications of the newspaper to which you are writing. Length and format requirements vary from paper to paper. (Generally, roughly two short paragraphs are ideal.) You also must include your name, signature, address and phone number.
Look at the letters that appear in your paper. Is a certain type of letter usually printed? Support your facts. If the topic you address is controversial, consider sending documentation along with your letter. But don't overload the editors with too much info.
Keep your letter brief. Type it whenever possible. Find others to write letters when possible. This will show that other individuals in the community are concerned about the issue. If your letter doesn't get published, perhaps someone else's on the same topic will.
Monitor the paper for your letter. If your letter has not appeared within a week or two, follow up with a call to the editorial department of the newspaper.
Write to different sections of the paper when appropriate. Sometimes the issue you want to address is relevant to the lifestyle, book review or other section of the paper. An increasing number of broadcast news programs (60 Minutes, All Things Considered, etc.) also solicit and broadcast "letters to the editor." Don't forget these outlets.
Always sign your letters as an individual or representative of a community group.

Source: From FAIR's Media Activism Kit. Originally posted on the FAIR web site. Republished with permission.