Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Ten letter-writing tips
These are old hat to veteran writers of letters to the editor. But for those of you trying to get in the habit of writing a letter in this important election year, the following tips may be useful. (And if you don't like 'em, check out John Kerry's Media Corps site for other tips.)
1. Keep it short. Concise letters are more likely to see print. Try for under 100-150 words. 200 max.
2. Stick to a single subject. Deal with only one issue per letter. (Got more? Write another letter and have someone else send it in.)
3. Keep your cool. Don't be shrill or abusive. Always write as if your target audience is an intelligent, thoughtful person who can be persuaded by a good argument.
4. Organize your argument.
6. Defy stereotypes. Liberals get (mis)characterized as effete, godless, intellectuals who are out of touch with mainstream values. When appropriate, try some rhetorical jiujitsu by citing unexpected sources. For example, the Bible--and religion in general, for that matter--is a valuable resource that the Left underutilizes. Surprise your reader.
7. Provide your own headline. Use the subject line of your email to summarize your letter in a punchy way. The editor might decide to use it. Get your message out to even the casual reader skimming the editorial page.
8. Proofread. Editors usually clean up mistakes, but why take the chance?
9. Contact information.Always include your name, address, and day-time phone number so that the newspaper can verify that you wrote it.
10. Just write. Don't worry about perfection. Even if your letter isn't published, it can help sway an editor's opinion about whether to print another letter expressing your point of view.
Sample letter:
To the Editor:
Last Sunday, the Dispatch editorial ("A World Changing Election") noted that voters "will face a striking, historic choice on the issue of foreign policy." I could not agree more. George W. Bush's radical agenda of "preemption" has led to the deaths of nearly 600 American service men and women since he declared "mission accomplished" a year ago.
That death toll is only going to grow as more countries abandon the quagmire Iraq has become. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran and decorated war hero, has spent his life fighting for this country and fighting against policies that needlessly sacrifice American lives. He has a plan to work with the United Nations to restore order to Iraq. For me, the choice in this November's elections is clear.
J.B. Lawton III
1234 Home Address
Columbus, OH 43221
614-123-4567
1. Keep it short. Concise letters are more likely to see print. Try for under 100-150 words. 200 max.
2. Stick to a single subject. Deal with only one issue per letter. (Got more? Write another letter and have someone else send it in.)
3. Keep your cool. Don't be shrill or abusive. Always write as if your target audience is an intelligent, thoughtful person who can be persuaded by a good argument.
4. Organize your argument.
- Begin by summarizing the point that prompts your letter. Ideally, this should be a specific article or editorial appearing in the newspaper. If so, mention the headline and date.
- State your own position.
- Provide example(s) to support your position. Use facts, figures, and independent experts whenever possible.
- Close with a short restatement of your position or pithy comment.
6. Defy stereotypes. Liberals get (mis)characterized as effete, godless, intellectuals who are out of touch with mainstream values. When appropriate, try some rhetorical jiujitsu by citing unexpected sources. For example, the Bible--and religion in general, for that matter--is a valuable resource that the Left underutilizes. Surprise your reader.
7. Provide your own headline. Use the subject line of your email to summarize your letter in a punchy way. The editor might decide to use it. Get your message out to even the casual reader skimming the editorial page.
8. Proofread. Editors usually clean up mistakes, but why take the chance?
9. Contact information.Always include your name, address, and day-time phone number so that the newspaper can verify that you wrote it.
10. Just write. Don't worry about perfection. Even if your letter isn't published, it can help sway an editor's opinion about whether to print another letter expressing your point of view.
Sample letter:
To the Editor:
Last Sunday, the Dispatch editorial ("A World Changing Election") noted that voters "will face a striking, historic choice on the issue of foreign policy." I could not agree more. George W. Bush's radical agenda of "preemption" has led to the deaths of nearly 600 American service men and women since he declared "mission accomplished" a year ago.
That death toll is only going to grow as more countries abandon the quagmire Iraq has become. John Kerry, a Vietnam veteran and decorated war hero, has spent his life fighting for this country and fighting against policies that needlessly sacrifice American lives. He has a plan to work with the United Nations to restore order to Iraq. For me, the choice in this November's elections is clear.
J.B. Lawton III
1234 Home Address
Columbus, OH 43221
614-123-4567
