Write a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor are short letters from readers published in the newspaper. If you write a letter to the editor, you will be able to educate your local newspaper’s readership about important issues surrounding kidney disease. These letters can also be useful in advocacy. Every morning, staffers in Congressional offices pick out newspaper articles to give to Members of Congress to read. Our hope is that your letter to the editor will make it in the stack and put this issue at the forefront of your legislator’s mind.

When you finish your letter, send it to us. We will review the piece with you and make sure it is polished and ready to submit. We will also work with you to craft an email to send to your newspaper along with your piece so we can maximize your chances of getting published.

Rules for Writing Letters to the Editor

1. Greet your reader. Open with a simple salutation, like you would a letter to your friend. This is a formal writing piece, so choose something on par with “Dear Editor…”
2. Be quick, be concise, and then be quiet. The whole letter should only be about 300 words, so state your opinion outright.
3. Why should readers care? It is up to you how you want to make the subject matter of your letter relevant to your readers. The angle you choose depends a great deal on your story and the opinion that you are sharing. If you are having trouble thinking of an angle, just let us know and we can help you.
4. Back it up. Use evidence to support your claims. If you want to know what kind of evidence is available, contact DPC and we will help you find the data you are looking for.
5. Wrap it up. Shorter letters have a better chance of being published, so keep your letter as short as possible.
6. Share with us. We are here to help you, so be sure to send your letter to DPC before you submit it. We will review your letter, offer any advice we might have, and send it back to you. At the bottom of this page, there is a form to attach your draft. We will make our edits and send it back to you.
7. Send it off. After that, you’ll be all set to send it to your newspaper. Just let us know if you need any help submitting it to the paper.