A letter to editor is a short piece submitted to a newspaper or other publication that expresses the writer’s opinion on an issue. Often these letters are in response to a news story, an opinion editorial (op-ed) or another letter to the editor. Letters to the editor are also found in magazine articles, television and radio news commentary programs and may be addressed to a specific person or organization. They are a form of citizen journalism that can be an effective method for influencing public opinion, raising awareness or creating advocacy campaigns.
A well written letter to the editor can have a significant impact. It is important to choose a topic that is relevant to the publication and to limit the topic to one point. Writers can use their letter to advocate for or against an issue and can write positive letters about people or programs as well.
Letters to the editor are most common in newspapers but can be written for a variety of publications including magazines, news websites and even television and radio shows. When writing a letter to the editor it is important to clearly state what you want your readers to do as a result of reading your letter. This is known as a call to action and it is vital for the effectiveness of the letter.
When submitting a letter to the editor it is important that you include your name, town of residence and daytime phone number. This information is used to verify that you are the author of the letter and to contact you if necessary. It is also a good idea to submit the letter to several different publications as this will maximize the chance that it will be published.
About the Author
