Are you fired up over something you’ve read? Whether you’re motivated by a passionate point of view or you’re responding to a class assignment, you can use these guidelines to draft a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. Select a topic or a publication. If you are writing because you’ve been instructed to do so in a class assignment, you should start by reading a publication that is likely to contain articles that interest you. It is a good idea to read your local newspaper to look for local and current events that matter to you.
You may also choose to look in magazines that contain articles that interest you. Fashion magazines, science magazines, and entertainment publications all contain letters from readers. Include your name, address, email address and phone number at the top of your letter. You can state that this information is not to be published. If you are responding to an article or letter, say so right away. Name the article in the first sentence of the body of your letter. Write your letter in pithy, clever statements, but remember that this easy to do! You will probably need to write several drafts of your letter to condense your message.
Limit your writing to two or three paragraphs. Try sticking to the following format:
In your first paragraph, introduce your problem and sum up your objection.
In the second paragraph, include a few sentences to support your view.
End with a great summary and a clever, punchy line.
Proofread your letter. Editors will ignore letters that contain bad grammar and poorly-written rants.