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Letter-to-the-Editor Writing Tips

Many newspapers are anxious to hear from their readers and to share information that has a local angle. Because of this, letters-to-the-editor can be an effective way to communicate information about agriculture and E.A.T.

While letters can be used to talk about an event or specific E.A.T. activity, letters are also a vehicle for responding to negative articles or editorials that have appeared in the newspaper. More often than not, your letter WILL be published. The difficult part is taking time to write a letter. Follow the tips listed below to write your letter:

1. Make it legible: Type your letter if possible, using double spaces. Write on only one side of the paper;

2. Keep it simple: Be as brief as possible, while still long enough to make your case. Focus in on a basic idea in the first sentence or two so the editor can quickly determine why you are writing. Letters of 150-200 words are most likely to get printed, and least likely to get edited. Look at the letters page of the newspaper you're writing to so you can get an idea of the typical length of published letters;

3. Make it readable: Give specific examples to support your points. Use personal experience when possible. Use short sentences. Avoid using jargon. Avoid long paragraphs;

4. Make it timely: If you're responding to a news story or someone else's letter, try to mail your letter within three days. Refer to the article or letter in your first sentence;

5. Identify yourself: If you're writing on your own, identify yourself with a short introduction that explains why you are knowledgeable on this topic. For instance, "Our family has been farming for 20 years," or "As a farmer, I believe" If you're writing on behalf of E.A.T. or some other group, include that information at the beginning. At the end, sign your name and give an address and phone number. The phone number is important because if a decision is made to print your letter, someone often will call to verify that you wrote the letter;

6. Address it properly: Use the following both for the address at the top of your letter and as the address on the envelope: Letters to the Editor, Newspaper Name, Newspaper Address. Your salutation should be, "Dear Editor:"

7. Keep a copy: If your letter gets printed, you'll want to compare your original copy with how the newspaper published it. That allows you to make sure the intent of your letter wasn't changed by editing and that no crucial point was eliminated. It also will help you write a better letter next time;

8. Be persistent: If you send a letter and it doesn't get printed, don't get discouraged. Review letters that did get printed, especially on the same topic. You'll probably see how you could have made yours more effective.

For letter-writing help or to obtain background information to support your point of view, contact E.A.T. at 1-888-EAT-0077 or email info@eatusa.org.

Also you can download the sample Letters To The Editor on this page to use: