 | Pick a timely "hook" for your
letter
The more you can link your letter to
something the newspaper recently published, the more likely it is that
your letter will be published. But even if your letter isn’t
published, it can bring your point of view into the debate. If the
paper gets a lot of mail on a subject, it can clue them in to the fact
that readers are concerned, and make it more likely that someone’s
letter does get published.
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| Correct media mistakes
Correcting mistakes the paper made can be a
particularly good way to get a letter published. Many newspapers feel
obligated to correct errors, even if they otherwise aren't inclined to
print your viewpoint.
If your position or an event you know about was seriously
misrepresented, the first step is often for someone in your union to
call the reporter and ask for a correction, and if that doesn’t work,
to contact the editor and explain your disagreement. At that point the
union spokesman can suggest a "Letter To the Editor" setting out your
view of the story.
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| Make it quick and short
In any case, it’s important for concerned
members to respond quickly, while the news is still hot. The letter
need not be long -- in fact, shorter letters tend to be more
effective. Also, the shorter the letter, the more likely it is that
someone will publish it without editing out the most important parts.
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| Concentrate on your key point(s)
Refer in the first couple of lines to the
story that you’re commenting on or disagree with. Give the date it ran
or appeared. Don't go after each minor mistake, however. It could make
you come across as petty or too defensive.
Boil you point of view down to just one key point or a couple of
simple points, and don’t get side-tracked into discussing details that
aren’t as important.
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| Make it readable and credible
State your main points clearly and with
lively, fun-to-read language, but don't get abusive. Back up your
opinion with evidence, which could be anything from a personal
experience to a study on the situation. Make sure you get your facts
right and have a credible source for every fact you mention. This
should take a couple of paragraphs.
End with a summary of your view-point and your hope that this
correction or point of view will lead to better understanding of the
union’s position, or the candidate or issue you’re backing, in the
future.
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| The more letters, the better
The more letters a paper gets on a subject,
the more likely it is that one will be printed. So on important
subjects, encourage other union members to write in. You might even
get together to write letters at the same time. |
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