Write a Letter to the Editor (LTE)

A LTE is an easy what to let your community know your opinion on a particular issue, like offshore wind or uranium mining.  While your letter will most likely be published if it is in response to a printed article, it's not always possible, so make sure it's well written.

1. Keep your letter to 250 words or fewer.
2. Make one clear point in your letter, and stick to it.
3. Be concise and focused.  Write your letter in pithy, clever statements.
4. Proof read your letter.  Editors will ignore letters that contain bad grammar and poorly written rants.
5. Convey your frustration without being overly emotional.  Avoid insulting language.
6. Use your personal experience to express concern about the issue in your own way.
7. Sample outline:
   1. State the problem/topic (why you are personally concerned, and be sure to reference the story your letter is responding to.
   2. Sum up your objection.  Describe the problem in a way that makes it more real for the reader.
   3. State the solution, both generally and specifically.
   4. Wrap it up with the final why - A single, well-written sentence wins your audience.
8. Send the letter in to a local newspaper.  Follow up with the editor of the letters page to make sure s/he received your letter, that it meets their requirements, and to ask when they are planning to print it.

Sample LTE

Click here to submit a letter to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Write and Op-Ed

Op-Ed lie opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, which is how they got their name.  They are longer pieces than a letter to the editor or editorial, and they give you the chance to defend a persuasive and legitimizing position.

1. Read the paper.  Closely monitor opinion pages to get a sense of article run by the editor, and pay close attention to any pieces on your issue or by your peers.
2. Get to know the process for submission.  The normal process usually is to submit a typed article (average length of 500-800 words) with a cover letter to the Editorial Page Editor.  Keep in mind the usual protocol for submitting to sets of papers (i.e., in California, the LA Times is the first priority to receive the piece.  If they run it, others will also run it.  On the other hand, if it is being run by other lesser known papers, they won't).
3. Writing the Op-Ed:
   1. Find an interesting angle from which to approach the underlying theme.  This is usually the most difficult part of the effort.  Editors are looking for topic immediacy, name recognition, or creative angles on a topic.
   2. Getting a coalition partner, VIP, or legislator to co-sign can definitely help get coverage.
   3. Here are a set of tips when writing an op-ed:
      1. You've got to woo the reader in the first couple of paragraphs, whether it's by beginning with an interesting anecdote or question, a provocative statement, or a colorful quote.
      2. Make ample use of anecdotes and quotes.  They keep the reader going.
      3. Wherever possible, show rather than tell.  It's more convincing.
      4. If you can do it naturally, tie the end of the article to the beginning.
      5. Scrupulously maintain the focus of your theme.  Don't digress.
      6. Back up assertions with facts, and double check them.  Make sure your quotations are accurate, both the actual words and context in which they are used.
      7. Don't overstate anything; overstatement creates distrust in the reader's mind.
      8. Anticipate questions a reader might have, and try to answer them.
   4. Follow up ruthlessly.  Did they get it?  Will they print it (and when)?  Can you adjust it to their specifications, etc?

 Contact Your Legislator

Legislators receive one of four typical points of direct contact from constituents.  Below, they are ranked in order of importance:

1. A direct meeting
2. A phone call
3. A written letter
4. An email

When it is obvious that your contact with them is the result of a combined advocacy effort, the difference in importance between these options (with the exception of 1) is much less.  While they would never admit to it, most offices simply begin to record the total number of calls/emails/letters on a specific issue.  In those situations, do not worry so much about the type of contact you make; instead, ensure that it is timely from when you received the call to action.

Would you like talking points on one of our issues? We can help, contact us.

If you do not know who your legislator is, please fill out your address on the General Assembly's "Who's my Legislator?" page.

Write a Letter to Your Legislator

So you want to write a letter to your legislator to ask him or her to act swiftly on your issue? Your passion about the need for reform will be most effective if you follow these tips!

1.     The correct way to address your representative is:

Dear Senator Doe:

[Your purpose for writing to your elected official should be stated in the first paragraph. Be clear and concise and include your “ask,” whether it be general support or the call for a specific vote.]

2.     Explaining the issue in a compelling way will assure that your letter gets read and likely passed onto the legislator by the legislative aid, who reads everything first. Here are some more suggestions for the body of your letter:

• Be courteous and to the point. Never place blame, point fingers, or bring up irrelevant issues or unrelated past votes.
• Be sure to build a strong argument for your position by providing facts.
• Adding state-specific or regional references creates a more powerful and unique message.
• Be sure to address only one issue in your letter and make every effort to keep it to one page.

Cover several of the talking points that make most sense to you. Don’t try to counter argue everything, or your letter will become unwieldy.

3.     A strong closing will restate the problem, offer a solution and make a clear request so that the reader knows exactly what you’re asking.

4.     Be sure to include all of your contact information in case the legislator would like to follow up with further concerns or questions. You can also refer them to websites or research where you have received your information.

5.     Check with the office in a few weeks to make sure they received your letter and are processing your request. Timely follow up reinforces your credibility and lets them know that you truly are dedicated to the issue and determined to witness meaningful change.

Meet with your Legislator

Watch this brief tutorial about how to approach your legislator with policy concerns.

On this page, we provide you with numerous ways to get your voice heard on a particular issue.  Scroll down to learn how to take the following actions:

Contact us for more guidence, talking points on an issue, or help deciding which methods of advocacy are best for you.