The Power of Your Written Word: Writing Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor have been around practically since the dawn of the newspaper itself, and over time have endured as a powerful way to leverage one's power of persuasion. Do you have an opinion on a particular matter? Want to weigh in on a heavily-talked about issue in your community? All it takes is putting pen to the paper - or in today's day and age, fingers to the keyboard - and at no cost you can literally put your opinion in front of the eyes of hundreds, if not thousands of people and influential leaders. As an added bonus, politicians and policymakers frequently look to the editorial pages of newspapers to gauge constituent opinions and perspectives.

Newspapers veritably receive far more letters than they have room to publish in their editorial pages, so the crux of your message should be concise, focused, tasteful and timely. To keep your letter out of the thumbs-down pile, here are a few guidelines you can follow.

Pick your issue and choose your media outlet. If it's a community issue, your local newspaper is best. You can usually find information how to submit a letter on the editorial page. Lists of global newspapers are also available at Ref Desk.

Be timely! Sending your letter while the issue is hot is a must if you want any chance to get published.

When you respond to a story, a column or another reader's letter to the editor, be polite even if you disagree with them. Letters to the editor are not the place to launch personal attacks or be rude. On the same note, if you are responding to a particular story, column or letter, make sure to note the headline and date of publication.

Compose your letter in short, well-written sentences that get to the point quickly. Make your letter no longer than one or two paragraphs.

Avoid banality; don't use any hackneyed or already overused phrases.

Proofread your letter! Better yet, have someone else proofread it.

Make sure to include your name, phone number and email. The media outlet will almost always want to verify that you wrote the letter before they will publish it.

Ultimately, if your letter does not get published, keep writing, especially when the issue has particular importance to you. Read other letters to the editor on a frequent basis as this can help you when crafting your own. And once you do get published? Congratulations on casting your net far and wide. With just a little time spent, your opinion can influence and be the accompaniment for many as they sip their coffee and read the morning news.

Brett Banter