If You Want To Make Noise, BE EFFECTIVE!

How To Write To Express Your Concerns

There ARE ways to be heard, by the politicians who are running amok in our world.

They still have to be elected. Since most of the local and state-level ones are not yet important enough to be included in the planned fraud-demic, they still need YOU to buy their act and vote for them when the time comes.

You have to be brief and effective. What follows is a “step-by-step'“, I wrote five years ago. This now includes online as well as print editors - anyone responsible for putting content to the public.

HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Your Topic: Have it clearly defined before you begin.

Your Personal Reason for Writing: Angry about an issue? Want to give public kudos, or correct a misstatement? (Positivity, when deserved, goes a LONG way to catching and holding attention).

The Rules: Check for word limits, forbidden topics. Paucity of words often magnifies the impact.

The Mechanics:

1. Include your name, or nickname, and contact info if you want to hear back. Here, the rules differ by recipient. If local, say who you are. If online, use your own discretion. When I wrote this, there was not the incredible loss of first amendment rights that we have today. Be careful, but do it.

2. State any requests for anonymity if in a local publication. Be aware that, unless your issue is a real hot-button one, you will not be published if you do try to hide.

3. If you are responding to a recent article, do so within 2-3 days of its appearance on the site or in the publication.

4. State your topic in the first sentence. Focus on ONE major point, and make it, up front. Keep it concise. Eliminate superfluous words like, “it appears obvious” or “I think”. Make a statement.

5. Provide evidence to verify your point.

6. Add a brief personal story, if you have one. It adds veracity to your words.

7. Say what you believe should be done: actions readers can take themselves, websites to check for more information. Instruct readers directly to contact congressmen, vote, volunteer, etc.

8. Name names of local officials from whom you are requesting action. Their staffs will catch this, and bring it to their attention.

9. Summarize and close. Keep it simple; e.g., “in support of our Constitution”, and sign off.

10. Edit and proofread. This is your job, not solely the publisher’s. (This is my Achilles heel…and I don’t have an editor to clean up after my hastiness.)

In short, keep it: SHORT, SWEET, UNEMOTIONAL AND ACCURATE. Instead of saying someone “acted stupidly” (or worse), say “his actions were obviously uninformed” Doing this gets more and more difficult as world insanity increases, II know.

Avoid jargon, acronyms and abbreviations; you want to appeal to the most possible. Use commonly understood terms, not last week’s ‘tag of the day” from some Tik-Toker.

Retain a copy of your work and send it elsewhere if the first location tosses it. Don’t forget radio stations and bloggers.

Even with a decrease in print media, letters to editors are a powerful way to reach a lot of people. Don’t give up. Our republic is worth every effort.

Blessings,

Kat