Letter Writing Tips
Some tips on writing a letter:
- Consider what you want your reader to take away from your letter and stay focused on delivering that message.
- Your letter should carry its most important message in the first paragraph.
- Localize and personalize your letter – explain how the health care crisis has affected you or your community.
- Make your letter timely – Has the paper recently printed a story or column about the issue of health care that you can use as a springboard for your letter? If not, then you should try to tie the issue to a recent or upcoming event.
- Look at the letters that appear in your paper – is a certain type of letter usually printed?
- Keep your letter short and to the point – 150 to 250 words at the most.
- Include your name, address and daytime phone number – editors like to call to confirm that the letter was actually written by you.
- Limit the number of points you make and stay on the same subject.
- Say “I’m a Health Care Voter!”