How to Write a Letter to the Editor that Gets Published and Read
We've all read bang-up letters to the editor focused on a
recent event or issue covered by a publication or TV or
radio coverage. More recently, I've seen letters crafted
in response to websites and e-newsletters. It's much more
likely that your organization's letter will run than it is
to place an op-ed piece or get your nonprofit covered in a
feature article.
Unlike news stories, letters to the editor enable your
nonprofit or foundation to state an opinion, offer an
alternative viewpoint, heap praise, or move someone to
action, in your own words. That means there's a much
smaller chance that the facts will be wrong or that
your message will be twisted or diluted as it might
be in a news or feature story written by a reporter.
The benefits for your nonprofit include:
- Keeping its name in front of the public.
- Raising its profile.
- Getting your share of news ink.
But writing an opinion letter that gets published and has the
desired impact is both an art and a science. Here are 10
practical tips for writing a letter to the editor that gets
published and read:
- Identify your target publications and programs
Select five to 10 venues to focus your opinion letter
placement efforts on. Don't forget trade publications, and
community and weekly newspapers. Depending on your
audience, those venues can have greater influence than an
opinion letter in the NYT. And it's easier to get letters
to the editor published in these smaller publications.
Once you have your target list, you're ready to respond
when an opportunity surfaces.
- Research the letters policy for each venue on for your
target list
Most publications and programs publicize what they want
in a letter to the editor, and how and to whom to send it.
Examples include:
Asheville (NC) Citizen Times – conditions for rejection
http://orig.citizen-times.com/service/faq/letters_policy.shtml
Chronicle of Philanthropy – via snail or email
http://philanthropy.com/about/letters.htm
The New York Times – maximum of 150 words
http://www.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/letters/
The Washington Post – letters must be exclusive to the Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
- Reference a recent print or broadcast article
Write your organization's letter as a direct response
to recent coverage, building on the focus presented or
emphasizing how your organization's perspective
wasn't presented (and presenting it clearly).
- Respond as quickly as you can.
If there's an issue or news story that's getting a lot
of attention in the press, draft a letter or at least
key message points so your nonprofit is prepared to
finalize and submit your letter pronto.
- Hone your opinion letter writing style, before you're on
deadline to submit it.
Read letters in your target venues on a regular basis to
learn how to write the most effective letter.
- Be Concise.
Include a maximum of 200 words. The publication will
shorten your letter to fit its format. The more it has
to edit, the less control you have of what gets printed.
Include two to three paragraphs, each with no more than
three sentences.
- State Your Point Early and Clearly
Use the inverted pyramid scheme, leading with (and
maintaining focus on) your most important point.
- Include Your Contact Information
Your contact information is a prerequisite for most
publications to print your letter. Include your full
name, title, organization name, address, phone number
and email at the top of the page and sign the letter
at the bottom.
- Don'ts
- Don't write too often. Once every three months
is as often as you should write.
- Avoid being abusive or strident.
- Follow Up
Make a follow-up phone call to the editor in question to
make sure your letter has been received. It's best to keep
calling until you get through, rather than leaving a
voicemail message.
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© 2002 - Nancy E. Schwartz. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Nancy E. Schwartz helps nonprofits succeed through effective marketing and communications. As President of Nancy Schwartz & Company (www.nancyschwartz.com), Nancy and her team provide marketing planning and implementation services to organizations as varied as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, and Wake County (NC) Health Services.
Subscribe to her free Getting Attention e-update (http://www.nancyschwartz.com/getting_attention.html) and read her blog at http://www.gettingattention.org for more insights, ideas and great tips on attracting the attention your organization deserves.
NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the copyright and "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint.
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