Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: A letter written to a newspaper, magazine or other periodical about issues of concern to readers, usually intended to be published in the paper/periodical. It is an editorial written by someone who is not on the newspaper’s staff. It has a definite point of view, takes a stand for some cause or issue, and is usually written by someone with some expertise or reputation on the subject matter. It should persuade readers to your point of view.
OpEd v. Letter to the Editor: An OpEd is typically 600-800 words. A letter to the editor is typically 150-350 words.
When writing, ask yourself 4 things:
- Who you are and where you are from
- Why is Vote Smart important??
- Why you came to Vote Smart
- Small pitch for what VS does/why VS is important to you
Guidelines:
- Most Letters to the Editor are required to be 350 words max
- Can be as few as 150 words, so keep it concise and to one main point
- Keep two separate copies of your letter, on 350 and the other 150 so it will be easier to post the letters.
- Try to keep it non-partisan
- It is okay to show your support/disappointment in the current political climate, and the lack of facts.
- However, do not attack a single politician or group (I hate Sen. XYZ or Party XYZ because…..).
- Which newspapers to send it to:
- Some papers ask for only current residents to submit letters, try to keep media list close to home or school, and personalize it to make it seem local.
- Feel free to try sending it to papers far from where you live, but avoid sending it to two newspapers in the same “market.” (Sending to the San Francisco Examiner and the Seattle Times is OK, but not the Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle.)
- “National” newspapers like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor and USA Today generally do not accept op-eds that are also being offered to other papers.
- If you send it to only one paper, let that paper know you are offering them an exclusive. If you do not hear from them, trying sending it to other news outlets.
- Make it interesting and eye-catching! Feel free to build controversy (without being partisan of course).
Keep in Mind:
- Make sure to link to Votesmart.org as well as any mentions to Vote Smart tools (biographies, key votes, issue positions, voteeasy, ect.)
- Letters should be approved by DevComm
- Letters should be saved on DevComm’s Media drive
- See DevComm for help with the media list
Example:
A Look Into Politics, For The Outsiders
Last summer I worked in an understated office in Washington, DC’s famed Dupont Circle. I felt like one of the lucky few - the tiny proportion of Americans who work in DC-based organization’s, headquarters of executive agencies, and, for those venturing onto Capitol Hill, the illustrious halls of Congress.
Today I intern at Project Vote Smart where politically-minded people impart factual, unbiased information to voters in state and national elections. Working at non-partisan Vote Smart, is drastically different from working amidst the bustle of DC politics.
Vote Smart’s objective is simple: to tell Americans what their representatives and candidates say and do. Votesmart.org includes a tool called VoteEasy that matches voters to candidates who best represent their views, voter registration information, and an enormous database containing politician biographies, key votes, issue positions, speeches, and special interest group ratings. As a non-partisan organization, we provide voters with a fair and direct view of activities in Washington, DC and state governments.
The “lucky few” who directly witness DC proceedings and state governments should not be the only Americans with a direct look at large-scale politics. I am happy to contribute to the flow of information out of offices and legislative chambers, and into the hands of Americans who don’t live or work in a hub of political power.
Knowledge is vital to our future, and Vote Smart’s trove of information is continuously growing. Please use votesmart.org if you want to know which candidates deserve your vote.
Wren Greaney
Redding, CA
UC Davis
