Alison Brown Cerier
Sierra Club members have written letters to the editor that were published and made a difference. Here’s how you can, too.
The power of letters to the editor
The editorials page is the most-read part of any newspaper. That makes a letter to the editor (also known as an LTE) an effective way to reach a large audience, including elected officials.
Most published letters respond to a news article, editorial, or other letter. Letters support or oppose what’s been written in a paper about a current issue of interest to its readers. A letter to the editor can add new information, propose an alternative, or call for action. Most importantly, a letter gives the impression that many people feel the same way.
Letters that aren’t published matter, too. They educate the paper’s editors on an issue and increase the chances of future articles and letters about it. Bob Graves, the chair of the Forest and Wildlife Stewards, says, “It means a lot to a paper if many people write in about an issue and support an alternative. And it’s more likely that one or two of the letters will get published.”
Boosting the power of members’ letters
Sierra Club members write letters to the editor on their own and as part of campaigns. Peter Wagenius, the chapter’s Legislative and Political Director, says that “individual letters about current issues are always helpful,” but Sierra Club letter-writing campaigns can have “exponentially more benefit” through coordination and repetition.
With the flood of digital content, Peter says printed LTEs are even “more powerful and necessary if you want to rise above the din and say something at a point in time so people can react to it.”
When a letter is published, then the North Star Chapter spreads word of its work and campaigns through digital platforms. You can help by reacting to and sharing the posts. Ask a question, add a point, tag a local official. Even if you never write a letter to the editor, you can play an important role in getting a message out.
How to write a letter to the editor
- Keep it short: Be sure to stay under the paper’s maximum word length, but aim for much shorter.
- Be timely: Respond to a published article, editorial, or letter within a day or two. Include the title, writer, and date in your letter.
- Be focused: Limit yourself to one specific policy or issue. Briefly and clearly make one or two points.
- Be relevant: Write about a current issue. As you can, show its effect on the local community.
- Stick to the facts: Make your argument with verified facts.
- Keep your composure: Express your feelings, but avoid outright partisanship and personal attacks.
- Make it personal: Tell your own story or something about you that has shaped your reaction to the issue.
- Write for the average reader: Assume most will not know about the topic. Provide a short background and avoid insider jargon and acronyms.
- Name drop: Catch the attention of an elected official or business by putting their name in the letter.
- Call to action: State the change or action you want to see.
- Follow submission rules: Send the letter in the body of an email (no attachments) and include your name, address, phone number, and email. Submit to one paper at a time.
Alison Brown Cerier is a volunteer on the Communications Team. She enjoys writing about climate action and the environment, and going on wildlife adventures.