How to Write a Letter to The Editor of a Newspaper

by Dr. Shanthi Thomas

Ray was an important member of his community. He was in fact one of the founders of the ‘Responsible Citizens Forum’ which worked for better living conditions for the families of the community. Therefore, when the district council announced that they were going to convert the local park into a shopping complex, he felt he had to voice his opposition to the idea, on behalf of the residents. He decided to write a letter to the editor of the national newspaper. The problem was, he did not know how to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper. Luckily, he got advice from his friend who was a lawyer.

Letter or email?

Do you send your letter to the editor by post or as email? Newspapers prefer to get all material by email. This is because everything is printed straight from software. So, send your letter by email. If you send it as a postal letter, somebody will have to type it into the computer before it can be printed. It is not advised.

Begin the letter with a salutation

Are you worried that you don’t know the name of the editor? No worries. A simple ‘To the editor’ is enough. If you do know the editor’s name, however, do use it. There is more possibility for your email being read that way.

Hook the reader’s attention

How do you make sure that your mail will be read from the beginning to the end? This is where your opening sentence becomes important. Tell the reader what you are writing about and why it is important to not only to you, but also to them.

Explain the issue

Be concise. Be quick. Tell the reader the key issue. No frills. Remember that the attention span of anyone is very short nowadays. Use plain language for the common man. Your reader may not be a literature graduate. Make sure to write the most important part of your mail in the first paragraph itself. Editors often make cuts to these mails, and the cuts often happen from the bottom up.

Related reading: How to Improve Writing Skills

State your opinion

Granted that many letters to the editor are just to ‘vent’. That is, to criticize a policy or the coverage of news. However, you may also have a suggestion to improve some situations. Add that as well. Be specific. Give the reasons for your suggestion.

Keep it brief

Better within 300 words. Shorter letters have better chances of being published. So go back to your letter and see if there are redundant words that can be cut. Wordiness is not a virtue here. There is limited space to publish letters to the editor. Some newspapers even give specific instructions regarding word limit for letters.

Sign the letter

Write your full name, signature and address. Newspapers do not print anonymous letters. However, in some cases they may withhold your name if you request so.

How to get your letters accepted?

It is a no brainer that clear, brief, well-written letters are more likely to get published than long, wordy letters. It also depends a lot on the publication. A small-town paper might print every letter it gets. A national publication like the New York Times that gets hundreds or thousands of letters every day may publish just ten or so. Newspapers tend to not publish personal attacks on particular people, or anything that is seen as libel. However, criticism of the actions of politicians, public figures and those in power is often published.

Tips for getting your letter accepted

Keep it local. Refer to an event in your community so that your letter is relevant to all community members.
Keep it recent. Do not write about an incident in the long past.
Include local statistics and personal stories to illustrate your point.
Make sure to include your title as well as your name. It adds credibility and acceptability, especially if you show that you are an authority on the subject discussed.
Include your phone number and email address. The editor might want to contact you.
Your letter should be without grammar and spelling mistakes.
Your letter should not be copied from anywhere. Plagiarism is a serious offense in publishing.
If your letter is not published at first try, try again with a revised version. With a different angle on the issue.
You don’t have to write the letter by yourself. Many letters to the editor are published with many signers.
Never ever accuse the editor personally or the newspaper of anything in your letter.