Try writing a letter to the editor of your local paper.
The editorial page is one of the most important sections of any newspaper. This is an ideal forum for conveying your message about environmental and public health issues.
Editors of these newspapers wish to publish criticism, praise, or feedback to the stories and columns that have recently appeared. Editors are also looking for ideas and facts. By providing your editor with information on your issues, you are helping them to do their jobs. Keep in mind that editors are not required to print your letter, but usually they feel responsible for equitably and accurately depicting all sides of an issue.
How can I write an effective “Letter to the Editor”?
Tips to maximize the impact of your letter to the editor:
- Respond quickly. If you wait more than a day or two the issue is old news and it is unlikely that your letter will be published.
- Keep it short and simple. Use plain language, short sentences, and short paragraphs — and get right to the point. Keep it no longer than 180 words. Be clever, and present new information.
- Craft the first paragraph. Make your point in the first paragraph, and then present your argument in the paragraphs that follow.
- Think locally rather than globally. The more relevant you can make an issue to both your own and the readers' circumstances, the more likely it is that your letter will be published. Localize and personalize the issue as much as possible.
- Use your own words. Don't use a form letter. Let your personality and thoughts show by being serious, humorous, or ironic, but don't be nasty or offensive. Creative letters using humor or irony will have a more lasting impression on the reader.
- Use facts and figures. Where possible, the use of facts and figures elevates your argument above the average "tit-for-tat" verbal skirmishes on the letters pages. These are also more difficult to rebut or to dismiss as mere "opinion."
- Be polite and calm. Over-emotional responses and rants are more easily dismissed than reasoned arguments. Attack issues, not people.
- Sum up. Conclude your letter with a single sentence that sums up your main point, argument, or position, so that readers are not left hanging in the air.
- Proofread. While most newspapers will edit your letter before printing it, spelling and grammatical errors create a bad impression and reduce the chances of your letter being published.
- Provide contact details. Provide your name, address and telephone number in case the paper needs to contact you.
How do I submit my “Letter to the Editor” to local and national papers?
Submission information will often be printed on the editorial or "Letters to the Editor" page in the newspaper or magazine. Many publications accept email submissions; look for the "feedback" or "comments" link.