Writing a letter to your newspaper's editor is a privilege that Americans have exercised since the early days of journalism. You need not be an expert about the topic at hand, but by adding your voice to the discussion you can help shape people's opinions positively and constructively. Here are some tips to help you get your letter published:
1. Keep it short and sweet. Most newspapers and ezines put limitations on the number of words you can write. Generally, 200 words or less is common although some newspapers allow for up to 300 words. If you find these limitations to be too confining, consider offering your thoughts to the editor via an "op-ed" piece.
2. Keep it "libel-free." You can criticize someone personally, but you may not libel them. Don't expect your letter to receive the light of day if you slander or libel someone. Free speech does have its limits.
3. Use your own words. Sharp editorial staffs will recognize plagiarism in a moment. Speak from your heart, don't quote others unless you are responding specifically to an article or previously submitted letter to the editor.
4. Show good taste. This one is difficult. What is tasteless to one, is a freely spoken opinion to another. Remember: you want to get the letter published, so curb your language accordingly.
You don't have to agree with the newspaper or ezine's policy regarding letters to the editor. Still, if you want to get published you must take into consideration whatever guidelines are offered.
Please note that you will be required to submit your name, address, and city as well as your phone contact information too. Some, not all, editors will allow you to be listed as "Name Withheld by Request" while others will want you to identify yourself with the words you wrote. So, think carefully about what you want to have printed as misused verbiage can come back to haunt you later on.
Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes for magazines, newsletters, ezines, web sites, and more. You can preview his site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com
A huge problem for many people who are working on... Read More
Heard about article marketing but not sure why you'd need... Read More
A large portion of your business relies on your ability... Read More
This is a perennial question among writers and wannabe's. Many... Read More
Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a... Read More
I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now... Read More
Did you realize that writing and publishing articles online represents... Read More
Online readers love information, but be sure your information is... Read More
Article marketing is becoming more and more popular, especially as... Read More
Earlier, I published part 1 of this series, which contained... Read More
MS: Bob, how important have Ezine Articles been in achieving... Read More
When you create your articles in TextPad format, something like... Read More
Proven and Exceptional Click-Through ResultsTesting has proven again and again... Read More
Overture reports over 1 million queries for article keyword related... Read More
Okay, I admit it: I'm a keen people-watcher. (Most writers... Read More
It is a well-known fact that a key to obtaining... Read More
If you've spent any time online trying to promote your... Read More
Publicity?you're business can survive without it, but it certainly won't... Read More
One of the best ways to promote your website is... Read More
So you've decided to market your home-based copywriting business through... Read More
Often all the Web Surfer will see is your title,... Read More
Publishing content on the internet is not a hard task.... Read More
If you want to increase the amount of visitors to... Read More
Is Putting your Articles in the Public Domain really a... Read More
One of the most common blunders by those using article... Read More
It is not my intention to give you a 5... Read More
It is pretty obvious that content is king online. It... Read More
Do you wonder what easy, cheap, and fast way you... Read More
People love to hear stories. They'll identify with what you... Read More
I recently became aware that promoting your web site in... Read More
It's no secret-link exchanges are dying a painful death. And... Read More
Thanks to recent information that leaked by Google within their... Read More
In today's busy world, whether your business is large or... Read More
Everyone focuses their web marketing efforts on search engines, and... Read More
This free way to promote or publicize your book or... Read More
By now you probably understand how important writing for trade... Read More
Finding something to write about can be frustrating for all... Read More
Are you an Article Marketer? If so, you know that... Read More
Do you wonder what easy, cheap, and fast way you... Read More
Writing for web content is one of the easiest ways... Read More
Take a look around the Web and you'll find thousands... Read More
This article is dedicated to those who are afraid to... Read More
If you are not creating articles for your website and... Read More
Online readers love information, but be sure your information is... Read More
I get tons of emails from people who want to... Read More
Frequently when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
When I was first advised to start writing articles, this... Read More
Writing articles is one of the most powerful, if not... Read More
If you have submitted your articles to EzineArticles.com you have... Read More
Here's a depressing fact if you sell anything on the... Read More
I am sure that there would have been a moment... Read More
Writing articles is one of the best and most effective... Read More
It's not enough to scatter your articles across the internet... Read More
The more you write, the larger your impact. If that's... Read More
Publishing articles on the Internet is a tremendous way to... Read More
There are two primary factors in creating a successful reference... Read More
For me, to decide to start a home business was... Read More
1. Participate in chat rooms related to your targeted audience.... Read More
Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice... Read More
There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More
A great headline can be the difference between having your... Read More
Routing traffic to your web page is incredibly important in... Read More
Writing an article is not an easy task. You have... Read More
Do you know one of the most powerful marketing techniques... Read More
Publishers and webmasters can spend massive amounts of time just... Read More
Everyone knows an expert is just a drip under pressure.... Read More
Article Writing |