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Letter to the Editor

Here are some tips designed to help you write an effective letter to the editor:

Your letter should always be addressed to the editor of the “editorial page” of the newspaper.  If no editor for that specific page is listed, address your letter to the main editor.  For instance, if you’re sending a letter to the Union Leader, you would address it to:

Andrew Cline
Editorial Page Editor
The Union Leader
100 William Loeb Drive
P.O. Box 9555
Manchester , N.H. 03108

The basic letter should follow this format:

Dear (Insert Editor’s Name Here):

The first sentence or two should tell the editor why you’re writing.  You’re concerned about the conditions of roads and bridges in New Hampshire .  You think that appropriate investments in our roads and bridges should be a priority.  Follow this up with one or two interesting facts that support your statement.  For example:  Did you know that the rate of fatalities in New Hampshire is 34 percent higher than its more heavily populated neighbor, Massachusetts ?  Or did you know that every $1 spend on road and highway improvement results in $5.40 in economic benefits? Make sure to attribute your facts, which will lend more credibility.  The above facts come from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

Finish your letter on a strong note, possibly with one more fact, and then a call to action.  Ask people to write or call their congressman or senator to encourage their support in making safe roads and bridges a priority in legislation, for example.

Make sure you hand-sign your letter (unless you’re submitting it on the Internet), and include your full address, phone number, and an e-mail address, so the editor can contact you if they have any questions.

More Helpful Hints:

Ö         Make your letter timely. If you are not addressing a specific article, editorial or letter that recently appeared in the paper you are writing to, then try to tie the issue you want to write about to a recent event.

Ö         Familiarize yourself with the coverage and editorial position of the paper to which you are writing. Refute or support specific statements, address relevant facts that are ignored, but do avoid blanket attacks on the media in general or the newspaper in particular.

Ö         Support your facts. If the topic you address is controversial, consider sending documentation along with your letter. But don't overload the editors with too much info. There are a number of excellent, documented facts located on our Web site under the FACTS button.

Ö         Most importantly, keep it clean, free of libel and slander, and keep it in good taste.  Keep the letter brief, 250-300 words maximum. Letters, especially lengthy ones, are subject to editing because of space availability.

Click here for the addresses of New Hampshire's Daily Newspapers!

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