Media Toolkit: Letters to the Editor
Overview
As we continue efforts to promote freedom, equality, and democracy, our team has provided guidance for those interested in engaging with local or regional media through a letter to the editor (LTE) to raise awareness about the principles and civic values that are increasingly under threat today.
Identifying Opportunities to Write a Letter to the Editor
Monitor local and national news: As you read your news sources, from national outlets, local newspapers, to community newsletters, consider how a news article or opinion piece could connect to one of the truths. Examples of topics potentially connecting to the truths:
Personal freedoms (e.g. book bans, reproductive rights, free speech)
Equality (e.g. discrimination, voting access, economic justice)
Democracy and Elections (e.g. voter suppression, civic engagement)
Rule of Law (e.g. checks and balances, judicial independence)
Separation of Powers (e.g. executive overreach, government accountability)
If you see a connection, you may have an opportunity to submit an LTE.
Ask yourself if a relevant article offers an opportunity to react in a timely manner. Below are some sample situational tests to provide an LTE response to a relevant article.
Situation: A news story about a local school board that just banned a book or restricted curriculum.
Response examples: “As a parent and community member, I was disheartened to read that…”
Situation: A newspaper publishes an editorial that misses a key context or excludes a perspective about elections.
Response examples: “The paper’s recent editorial on election security and the announcement of the Department of Justice monitoring polling sites overlooked…”
Look for local entry points and national issue opportunities to highlight community voices: Events like city council actions, state legislation announcements, or school district debates are great opportunities to offer a community voice to ongoing public policy discourse.
Respond to trends, not just breaking news: Thoughtful LTEs don’t always need to be about recent events but can also connect to broader trends within your community.
Act fast and write clearly: LTEs should be submitted within 1-3 days of the item to which you are reacting.
Determining if This is Your Moment
To write an LTE, it’s important to make sure it will best fit your goals and purpose.
A LTE is best for responding quickly and concisely to a recent article, editorial, or event, often to convey public support or opposition, correct misinformation, or reinforce a key message from the article.
LTEs can come from any engaged/concerned citizen, local leader, or community member.
LTEs are typically 150-250 words (varies by outlet) and are short, focused arguments or statements conveying a main idea with a few supporting sentences. They should be submitted within 1-3 days of relevant/recent news or editorial coverage in the media.
Letter to the Editor Template
Example Subject (for email or submission to editorial staff):
Greeting:
Opening (One short paragraph):
[Preface with a recent news article/editorial/event or link to the article or editorial as appropriate]
Body (No more than two paragraphs):
[Paragraph 1: Explain why this matters right now.]
[Paragraph 2: Offer an example (local if relevant to the outlet’s region) to illustrate why the principle(s) or truth(s) is being threatened.]
Call to Action (A few sentences/half a paragraph):
Closing:
[Your Name]
[Your Title/Organization (If relevant)]
[City, State]
Sample Letter to the Editor
Subject: Defending our shared value of freedom of the press
Dear Editor,
Across the country, including right here in our community [link to a local news story], books about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, and Harvey Milk are being pulled from library shelves and local bookstores.
These book bans aren’t about protecting children, they’re about restricting ideas and silencing voices. And when we silence voices, we chip away at one of the most fundamental freedoms that define our nation: the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press.
The health of our democracy depends on our ability to read widely, think critically, and debate openly. When we allow fear or politics to dictate which books are “acceptable,” we lose sight of the very truths our nation was founded on.
That’s why I encourage everyone to support We Hold These Truths, which reminds us that personal freedoms – including the freedom to publish, read, and learn – make up the health cornerstones of our democracy.
Censorship anywhere threatens liberty everywhere.
Sincerely,
John Smith
Bookstore Owner
City, State
