Sending a Letter to the Editor

Timing Your Letter to the Editor

When submitting a letter to the editor, consider both the publication cycle of the chosen outlet (e.g. daily/weekly/monthly, etc.) and the timeliness of your topic (e.g. when legislation is introduced, as elected officials are preparing to vote on an issue, etc.).

Keep in mind, larger publications receive numerous submissions, intensifying the competition for space. Therefore, your letter should stand out to secure publication. The following tips will assist in crafting an impactful letter that resonates with editorial teams.

Your Checklist

• Ensure your letter addresses a timely topic
• Use "To the Editor" to address your letter
• Be concise (150-300 words)
• Letter should be exclusive to the publication
• Include your address and phone number (this information won't be published, it is just to verify your identity)
• Mention that you are an RDN in your signature or in the body of your letter. This will lend additional credibility to your argument!

Submitting Your Letter to the Editor

1. Visit your local newspaper’s website and find their Letters to the Editor submission instructions.
2. Go through your Letter to the Editor checklist and make sure you stick to the newspaper’s word limit.
3. Paste your letter into the body of an email or use the submission form on the newspaper’s website. Editors will typically disregard emails that contain attachments, so avoid sending your Letter to the Editor as an email attachment.
4. To have a better chance of having your Letter to the Editor published, consider submitting to a smaller local paper, not just the nearest big city paper. (The Library of Congress and National Endowment for the Humanities maintains a directory of U.S. Newspapers in American Libraries, which can be filtered by location and date.)
5. If your Letter to the Editor gets published, contact the Academy’s Grassroots team and let us know!