How to Write a Letter to the Editor - Letter Writing Structure and Tips

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Logic

A practical guide for writing a persuasive letter to the editor for a local news outlet. It explains why letters influence elected officials and public awareness even when unpublished, and how to choose an outlet likely to amplify library-related issues. The guide provides a reusable structure: introduce the issue, add a personal example or local statistics, and close with a clear call to action. It also covers submission strategy, timing for re-submission, and ways to amplify engagement after publication.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

Choosing a news outlet

Letter structure

Introduce the issue

Use a personal example or local statistics

Close with a call to action

Submission and follow-up

Waiting and re-submitting

Amplify your message after submission

What to do if the letter gets published

How to Write a Letter to the Editor Writing a letter to the editor to your local news outlet is one of the most effective ways to draw the attention of your elected officials and raise public awareness about an issue. Congressional staff monitor media hits for their offices every day. Every letter to the editor makes an impact, even if it’s not published. The more feedback a news outlet receives on libraries, the better they understand that libraries are newsworthy to their readers. Choosing a news outlet: When it comes to persuading decision makers, news outlets that have a critical place in your local or statewide community can have an even greater impact than larger, national news outlets. Small-circulation newspapers publish a majority of the letters they receive. To move the needle on an issue, we encourage you to aim for a local audience. Below is a general structure you can use to help you craft a letter to the editor. Be sure to consult the unique guidelines for word count and other specifications of your chosen news outlet before writing your letter. 1. Introduce the issue. State why you are writing the letter. If you are responding to a specific news article, directly address that article or its author. Example: I’m writing in response to your article “A Bill was Introduced” published on May 10, about bill \#1234 that was just introduced in the U.S. Senate. 2. Use a personal example and/or local statistics. Share why you, your family, or your community are personally connected to this issue. Support this with statistics, preferably local. If you do not have a personal story or local statistics, cite a local or state-specific story. Example: This bill would make it much harder for me and other veterans in rural communities to access healthcare. Before the library opened its private telehealth kiosks, [I had to travel 70 miles to the nearest V.A. hospital. If the library](I had to travel 70 miles to the nearest V.A. hospital. If the library)[ ](I had to travel 70 miles to the nearest V.A. hospital. If the library)were to reduce staff or lose funding to maintain high-speed internet, I would have to take a day off work and lose a day’s payto see my doctor. CONTINUED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE > DOWNLOAD MORE LIBRARY ADVOCACY TOOLS AT [ala.org/advocacy](ala.org/advocacy) 3. Close with a call to action. Tell your representative(s) what exactly you want to do to support libraries. Reaffirm the main point, offer a solution to the problem, and reinforce how important this is to you. Example: I’m urging my senators [Name and Name] and Representative [Name] to oppose Bill \#1234 in any way possible. I depend on the program the bill would eliminate for my livelihood. Then follow the news outlet’s submission instructions! Waiting and re-submitting: Once you’ve hit send or submit, wait at least seven days before re-submitting it somewhere else. Do not submit the same letter to multiple outlets at the same time: news editors want exclusive content, and will not print something that’s already published elsewhere. If you submit the same letter to multiple outlets simultaneously, you may be blacklisted. A seven-day grace period should be safe, and you’re free to try again somewhere else: persistence is key. What’s next? Amplify your message! Once you submit your letter, email the same message to your Congressmembers ([at](at congress.gov/contact-us)[ ](at congress.gov/contact-us)[congress.gov/contact-us](at congress.gov/contact-us)) and tell them where you’ve sent it to underscore your passion and the potential reach of your involvement. If your Letter to the Editor gets published, multiply the impact: ɂ Share the article link broadly on social media, tag your Congressmembers wherever they have an account, and urge them to show up \#ForOurLibraries. (Use this hashtag so ALA sees your posts!) ɂ Ask friends, family, and fellow library lovers to comment on your letter on the media outlet’s page.

FAQs

Why write a letter to the editor, and does it matter if it isn’t published?

Letters can draw attention from elected officials and raise public awareness. Even when not published, letters still help news outlets understand which issues matter to readers.

What news outlet should you target to maximize influence?

Choose a local or statewide outlet with strong community presence, since local newspapers often publish many letters. Aim for an audience closely connected to the issue.

What structure should a letter to the editor follow?

Start by introducing the issue and why you’re writing, include a personal example or local statistics, then close with a specific call to action and the solution you want decision makers to support.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Logic