When you've got a clear focus on what your group hopes to accomplish, then it's a good time to begin writing your local, state, and federal governments. Letters that have a solution included with your statement that you feel something is wrong pack the biggest punch. With the mail situation as it is now, possibly faxed letters will replace snail mail as the best to send. This is good news/bad news for us cash-poor activists! While we save stationery and postage costs, we still pay for the phone call, since most people have their fax on their computer, and it dials the number direct. Some links to free online fax services: http://www.zipfax.com/ (be prepared for music!) You've got more leeway writing letters to your legislators. You don't need to be as concerned about length, so go ahead and include whatever facts and figures you have to back up your statements. They're also not as picky about getting group communications. But it's better to focus on your local guys first--there's a better chance of the letter being seriously considered and starting a dialogue for some serious lawmaking. If your group has a national focus, then get somebody in each state to keep in touch with their locals. If you're lucky, this person might be a local phone call away from your senator or congressman's office, which is always a help. Before you do any of this, determine whether your issue is a state one or a federal one. Are the laws that govern your issue state or federal, or even local? Don't waste your time and theirs by addressing something that is a federal issue with state politicos, or vice versa. |
Activism for Newbies |
Effective Letters to the Editor |
A lot of people who had never thought of writing a Letter to the Editor of their local paper are now sending in their commentary. Sometimes we hear the frustration and even anger from those whose letters are never printed. It is blamed on everything from the 'liberal media' to the feminists, but many times the reason a letter doesn't appear is because it doesn't follow the rules. I've compiled a set of guidelines that may be helpful in getting your work out to the public. 1. Check the paper's policy. If they say there is a limit of 250 words, they mean it. If they don't allow publication more than once a month, they mean that, too. Large newspapers such as the New York Times get hundreds of letters a day, and in print, their space is limited. Some also have policies that only allow e-mail, or only allow fax. 2. Make sure your letter is free of spelling and grammar errors. Make your point clear enough that anyone can understand it. Acronyms, such as CPS, or GAL must be explained. It's OK if you spell out an acronym once and then use the letters later in the letter. 3. Avoid terms like, 'fembot,' feminazi,' and other terms frequently used by people of the movement. The general public doesn't understand them, since they have no meaning on their own. At worst, you may be thought of as not thinking for yourself and parroting Rush Limbaugh, which pretty much blows your chance of making a point. 4. Faxed letters have the best chance of publication.at the moment, though e-mail may win out. Make sure you are sending to the appropriate department, and never send the same letter to everyone at the paper. This only makes them mad. 5. If you intend to send the same letter to several publications, do not send a group e-mail or group fax. Send individually, always. It's actually kind of sneaky to send to more than one paper, and risky for the author if two papers in the same market print the same letter. It will most likely guarantee you never get published again, because print editors are rather jealous of having exclusive content. ;>) 6. Never insult an editor by saying, "I know you'll never print this, because..." An experienced editor will not feel he has anything to prove, and you've just labeled yourself as someone who doesn't understand the purpose of the Letters to the Editor section. Editors frequently print letters whose ideas they don't agree with. This is their job. 7. If you write fairly often, make intelligent, clear points on timely issues and seem convincing, your letters have a much better chance of publication. Even if the first one or two don't make it for whatever reason, perhaps the third or fourth (all on slightly different subjects, of course) will. 8. Include your real name, address and phone number with your signature. I've only had an editor phone me once or twice over 15 years of writing letters, but this information is an indication of your sincerity, and for all you know it may be good enough, and interesting enough for the editor to assign a reporter to write an actual article! (No, a letter to the editor is not considered to be an article.) |
When you've got a clear focus on what your group hopes to accomplish, then it's a good time to begin writing your local, state, and federal governments. Letters that have a solution included with your statement that you feel something is wrong pack the biggest punch. With the mail situation as it is now, possibly faxed letters will replace snail mail as the best to send. This is good news/bad news for us cash-poor activists! While we save stationery and postage costs, we still pay for the phone call, since most people have their fax on their computer, and it dials the number direct. Some links to free online fax services: http://www.zipfax.com/ (be prepared for music!) You've got more leeway writing letters to your legislators. You don't need to be as concerned about length, so go ahead and include whatever facts and figures you have to back up your statements. They're also not as picky about getting group communications. But it's better to focus on your local guys first--there's a better chance of the letter being seriously considered and starting a dialogue for some serious lawmaking. If your group has a national focus, then get somebody in each state to keep in touch with their locals. If you're lucky, this person might be a local phone call away from your senator or congressman's office, which is always a help. Before you do any of this, determine whether your issue is a state one or a federal one. Are the laws that govern your issue state or federal, or even local? Don't waste your time and theirs by addressing something that is a federal issue with state politicos, or vice versa. |
Letters to the Government |
The DesertLight Journal |
Copyright 2001 TW Schuett All rights reserved |