Ten Commandments for Letters to the Editor

Courtesy of Mary Turck, Resource Center of the Americas

Thou shalt be:

Short
Focused
Grab the reader's attention with your first sentence. State what you want them to know. Follow up with short, clear factual points. Focus on what is most important.
Timely
Write right away, before the readers (and the Letters editor) have forgotten what the issue is. Respond quickly to news stories, columns or editorials.
Original
Form letters are pretty easy to recognize, and editors hate them. If you are going to write, use your own words. Be specific. Write about "the DREAM Act" rather than "immigration policy." Or about a particular person you know, or whose story you know, not about "most immigrants."
Professional
Type letters or send them by e-mail. PROOFREAD. Then proofread again. Send your letter to only one newspaper. Save a copy for yourself. Sign your letter and include your typewritten address and telephone number and e-mail address, so the editor can verify your identity.
Personal
Your readers (yes, they are YOUR readers) want to know how this affects them personally, or their neighbors personally. Bring the global issues home.
Polite
You are not a dittohead. Disagree without being disagreeable. Refrain from name-calling.
Accurate
Get your facts straight. And know where you got them, and that your source is reliable. Also be specific - if you are responding to a particular statement, cite it (Senator Dufus's position on trade policy, as stated in the Star Tribune, p. xx) or quote it (As Senator Dufus said, "blah, blah, blah.")
Rewritten
I'm a pro. I reread and rewrite my work. Enough said?
Persistent
If at first you don't get published—keep trying.

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Last modified on August 24, 2009