How to write a letter to the editor

The opinion page is one of the most read pages of every newspaper. The other portions are the sports page, comics and obituaries. My own theory: According to mourn for the White Sox lose again, want to laugh, and then to see, you want to survive.

People do not read the opinion pages of the healthy and worthy publishers that are not usually signed. You do not read the opinion pages of the Pulitzer Prize syndicated columnist.

No, people read the reviews of the pages of newspapers for three reasons:

(1) George Will not know if the county should it new coal-fired power plant to be built in the old Miller Farm written,

And the people - (2) Your friends and neighbors will write about local issues that care for them, and

(3) there is a good chance that someone developed a letter or publisher who has written more than a little crazy. And it's always entertaining.

I'm not saying that you are crazy to write letters to the editor. Far from it. But if a time when humor and spirit to use, there is always, that's all.

Write letters to the editor: Length and format

Several newspapers have completely different requirements in time. Some newspapers publish 200 words or less. Other newspapers clearly run 500 words, are very interesting.

But let's simple: stick to 200 words and be safe, no matter what the newspaper that you are targeting. This is the format:

Give your writing a catchy title

The lyrics are compelling, no information, so give the track a point. Persuasion is to meet people to make decisions. If you read your letter, that you want them to do? Put it in the title.

A letter to the editor is the first person in the whole message. This is not an essay or dissertation.

If you want to see bad examples of writing on the opinion page, to keep up with arms outstretched and looking pieces planted quotes, numbers and abbreviations. They are easy to recognize. And no one is going to read.

The format is also important. Last fewer first things first - When you write a letter to the editor with the inverted pyramid, is not convincing. It is boring. Build your statements. Not the final confrontation with the villain in the first place: Think of it as the culmination of an action movie. This is the last scene of the film.

At the end of his letter, did these things:

Your name

Your city

Telephone number

Email address

You will not publish the phone number or e-mail. These two things are included when you send a letter so that they can verify that you sent. Will be sent by e-mail, and it is easy to forge e-mail things.

Am I saying that you can not send a letter by fax or mail? Yes, I said, dass newspapers are a list of your usual fax numbers, addresses and post office, because people send checks in this way, and how to check. But no publisher wants to spend their days, enter the letters and OpEds. Send your letter to the editor by e-mail, and look at the editorial page of the e-mail on the right side.

Letters to the Editor Why are wonderful

Letters to the editor are underutilized. Editors and journalists put their eyes when asked how many press releases they receive every day. I know a bureau chief for AP that receives every day 700-1000 press releases. Think about it, that they navigate through all of them. They are the index develop a ruthless hit delete.

Letters and OpEds are the opposite. Most newspapers want more, not less. They are happy to get written by local public figures good pieces.