The “Letters” section is consistently one of the most widely read parts of any publication. It is also accessible to community organizations and many of us have the unique perspectives publications seek in soliciting letters. Letters to the editor are simple pieces of writing that your chapter should submit at least a few times a year.
When Should You Write a LTE?
• To respond and react to news items that very recently appeared in a publication
• To correct sloppy, offensive, incorrect or simplistic coverage
• To praise solid journalism and draw attention to your issue
• To raise your issue when a publication has consistently ignored it (only write these letters if you can demonstrate that you’ve consistently and persistently pitched your story to the publication)
General LTE Guidelines
• Short and concise (150-200 words)
• Three or four short paragraphs, three lines per paragraph maximum
• Respond to coverage of a specific issue and reference the article, series or column you are reacting to
• Personalize it – Tell a personal story or offer a perspective that only someone in your unique position could offer
• Include your name, date & location
• Follow up to ensure publication