How To: Write and Submit an LTE

February 27th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

We’re doing our best to get you info on how to qualify for a chance at our Africa trip, but might not have the official announcement today due to some legal red-tape. Anyway we did want to give you a heads’ up that writing a Letter to the Editor (LTE) might, just might be on the list of individual action points we’ll be adding up to pick the 20 students invited to compete for the trip. Since a lot of you don’t have much experience with LTEs, and might not have a lot of time between when we announce the actions and when the deadline will be, here are some tips on LTE-writing from ONE’s Media Coordinator, Chandler Smith:

An LTE is a great way to educate your friends and neighbors about ONE and the issues we are working hard to address. Opportunities to write letters are endless, and if you read your newspaper with this in mind, you will begin to find ideas for an LTE. However, actually getting your letter published can be more challenging, so here are a few tips to give you the best chance.

First and foremost: think like a journalist. Newspaper editors, even at local levels, are bombarded with information daily. If you present an LTE that provides a relevant storyline for the newspaper, you will drastically increase your chances of being published. Bring your issue to the forefront and clearly explain why it is important to the newspaper’s readers. How does it relate to the audience? ONE is full of compelling messages, your job when writing an LTE is conveying that message to your specific readers.

You can do this by focusing on your local papers. Considering that you are a local, you know those newspapers and their readers best, so you can write a more persuasive LTE for that particular audience. In addition, stay relevant and timely by relating your LTE to an article, editorial, or another LTE that recently appeared in the paper you are writing to. It will never hurt to reference the paper in which you are trying to be published.

Second, but no less importantly, be polite and intelligent. The editor will be looking for both tone and substance when deciding which LTEs to publish. Therefore, take a stance, but avoid appearing shrill or insulting. Use solid facts and figures wherever possible, but be sure to cite them and use reliable sources (your field representative can help you with these). If you lack specific credentials, such as a related experience or degree, strong information can provide credibility. However, if you have related credentials, acknowledge them in addition to your facts. And of course, end strong. Finish the LTE with the idea that you most want readers to remember, such as the broader point that the specific details in your letter illustrate.

Finally, proofread and email your LTEs to the newspaper. Be sure to address them to the editor and to include your name, address, phone number and signature (the newspaper won’t publish this information, but they may want to contact you to verify information or inform you that your letter will be published). Check out the opinion page to find the correct email address. And don’t forget to have fun! This is your chance to spread ONE’s message across a larger audience. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have. Good luck, and send us your LTEs that get published!

-Chandler Smith, ONE Media Coordinator

You can get 1000 points for an LTE published in your campus paper, 1800 points for a local publication, and an amazing 10,000 points if you can clear a major publication such as The New York Times or the Washington Post. If you’re not sure which category your publication falls into, you can contact us.

Remember that your LTE must get published in order to count for OCC, so start submitting your letters now! And check back here on the OCC blog for more news about the Africa trip.

-Emily Stivers