Tips on Writing Letters to the Editor That Get Published

Start your letter by telling a little about yourself -
I am a member of AFSCME Local ....
I have worked for the (city, county, etc) for ___ years ...
I am a retired person on a fixed income ...
As a parent of a handicapped child ..
My mother is 70 and lives alone so I worry about ...
My husband and I both hold down jobs so we can raise our four children ...
I have lived in ____ for more than 20 years ....

Keep it short -
Newspapers don’t need columnists, they want your opinion in clear and concise terms. Try not to go over 350 words, that is about four paragraphs.

When responding to an editorial or news story, note the headline, date, and mention the paper’s name -
“The article "Privatization is Good" in the December 12, 2007 Akron Beacon Journal raises a lot of questions about.......”

Address only one clear point in your letter and give an example.
“I am worried about the privatization of our water department. Two years ago, the water department in ___ went private and now the costs are higher then ever and the service is not as good as it was with city workers on the job!

Don’t ignore the weekly and community newspapers in your area.
Weekly and community newspapers are read by many people. Your letter often has a much better chance of being published in smaller papers.