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Tips on writing a letter to the editor

Give Animals a Voice in Harrisburg with a Letter to the Editor

Writing a letter to the editor (LTE) is a way for you to share your opinion to your community and is a great advocacy tool. Writing a letter to the editor is a great opportunity to educate the public and public officials about animal issues. A well written, well timed letter to the editor can shift public opinion and influence policy.

Letters to the editor:lte
• Are noticed by elected officials who monitor their local papers
• Can help advocate for the passage of bills
• Create an impression of widespread support for or in opposition to an issue
• Help engage other animal advocates who may not know anything about the issue

Tips on how to write and submit a letter to the editor:

  • Keep LTE’s short and to the point. Most newspapers have limits on the length of letters. Keeping your letter brief will help prevent the newspaper from editing out your key points. Keep your letter as short as possible by focusing on only a couple major points, Aim for no more than 250 words, and be sure to stay under the paper’s word limit.
  • Add an emotional appeal. Remember that newspaper readers have varying levels of education and experience. Your letter must make sense to a wide range of people in order to be effective. If you have personal experience related to the issue you’re writing about, consider including it.
  • Close with the thought you’d like readers to remember. Instead of focusing your attention at a reporter, editor, or expert who got it wrong, consider the central point you want people reading the letter to take away.
  • Be sure to include your contact information. Many newspapers will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address. Newspapers will not give out that information and will usually only print your name and city should your letter be published.

Below is a list of contact information for submitting a letter to the editor to most of larger Pennsylvania newspapers. You can also go to the web-site of some  papers to submit.

Sample letters to the editor to end live pigeon shoots.