What's your
advice/questions/experience/stories about getting
letters to the editor (LTEs) published? Do you get better results with email or snail? What are your inspirations and resources? Do your friends even notice when you get published? What's the biggest publication you've gotten into.
First, let me get the ball rolling with...
Why LTEs matter.
Your LTEs are REALLY important now as November elections approach. Each LTE...
- Gets our ideas outside the KOS echo chamber.
- May let a ray of light into the dark echo crypts of the ossified media.
- If published--can reach a lot of people. LTEs are right up there with the sports page for the most-read parts of a newspaper. (BTW, editorials are among the LEAST read.)
- Even if not published (most are not)--makes it more likely other letters of similar viewpoint will be. And may be ammo for the good guys (if any) among editors at your paper.
Getting published 101.
With my own dismal LTE batting record, I'm sure a lot of people have BETTER hints. But here are mine:
- Keep it short. (Keep paragraphs short too.)
- Keep to one subject.
- Follow directions (e.g., most papers require you to include a phone number where they can confirm you sent the letter).
- Be polite. (Okay. I flunk this one.) And DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS WITH LOTS OF!!!!!!'s. Even if they FRIGGIN' DESERVE it!!!
Also, I think the ossified media (unlike us here at DKOS) tend to NOT much like humor. I suppose it scares them. Or they think you are serious when you suggest everyone mail a box of pretzels to the President for his birthday. This is another rule I usually flunk.
Magnify your effort.
For more bang:
- Cross post to DKOS. Post your LTE here, either as a diary (if you think it worthy), or as an Open Thread comment, or as a comment on a related diary, or as a suggested action item comment to Elises Sunday action diary. This way at least SOMEONE sees it, and you may encourage others to write.
- CC. CC your LTE to other editors and reporters at the same paper. For example, CC the science editor for an LTE on global warming.
- BCC. You might want to send blind copies to friends and relatives.
- Got a local paper too? Maybe tweak the letter for a local angle.
- Shotgun. Use Congress.org's media page to find additional local media--and even to "shotgun" the same letter to up to 5 different outlets.
Never written an LTE?
If you are an LTE virgin, maybe come to KOS and diary your draft, or put it on the Open Thread, with a request for help/editing/advice. (If you diaried every time, some might complain; but virgins we are kind to here.)
You fear your LTE will hold you up to public ridicule? Repeat after me: "Fuck `em if they can't take a joke." That's the little prayer I say just before I press the send button. Or I remind myself of drowning polar bears and children dying in Darfur and Edmund Burk's "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing."
If that doesn't work, don't give up. You can still send letters NOT for publication, for example, to the managing editor, city editor (for local), science editor, religion editor, and different reporters as well. Even a short "good job" to a deserving reporter is a help.
(Hint: When looking for a particular editor or reporter at my local Columbus Dispatch, I gave up trying to navigate their web dungeon and just Google, e.g. "`Columbus Dispatch' Science Editor contact." It's much faster.)