How To Write a Letter to the Editor Because many people read letters-to-the-editor (LTEs), they are a quick, effective and continuing means of communicating your campaign message to a wide audience. They can be used to correct and clarify facts in a news story, editorial or op-ed piece, oppose or support actions of an official agency, direct attention to a problem, spur news editors to cover an issue that is being overlooked, and urge readers to support your cause. See links for Washington papers below. PICK A TIMELY TOPIC — Newspapers rarely publish letters about topics that are not being covered in the news. Referring to a previously published article or column will increase your letter's chances of being published. RESEARCH THE GUIDELINES — Most papers' length limit on LTEs is around 250 words. Stick to this so that an editor does not cut out the important points of your letter. Some papers require a typed letter. Others may want it sent via e-mail. Often newspapers want your address and phone number so they can verify that you wrote the letter. You can usually find a paper's guidelines on the letters page. If not, call the paper directly or visit its Web site. ASSUME NOTHING — Do not assume that your readers are informed on your topic. Give a concise but informative background before plunging into the main issue. Refer to any newspaper article or editorial by date and title. Also include any relevant credentials that prove you are informed about your topic. BE BRIEF — State your position as succinctly as possible without eliminating necessary detail. Keep your paragraphs short. Long rambling sentences and digressions will cause people to lose interest quickly. Stick to one subject. MAINTAIN COMPOSURE — It is okay to express outrage, but it should be kept under control. Avoid personal attacks and focus instead on criticizing specific policies or ideas. FIND A LOCAL ANGLE — Readers are more interested in an issue when they see how it affects their lives and communities. Find a way to show how budget cuts or environmental policies will affect this particular readership. INVOLVE YOUR VOLUNTEERS — You can generate a lot of letters by distributing outlines of sample letters to your campaign volunteers. Stagger mailings a few days apart for a current topic or weeks apart to spur general interest. Be sure letter writers have their facts straight. Letters by Sierra Club members that argue for competing interests or include inconsistent facts do not reflect well on the organization. AVOID FORM LETTERS — Do not send the same letter to two competing papers in the same circulation area. A form letter sent to papers in different markets should look like an original and all letters should be signed individually. _________________________________________________________________________ Washington State newspaper contact information Seattle Post-Intelligencer (300 words)
Letters to the Editor
P.O. Box 1909
Seattle, WA 98111-1909
Fax: 206-448-8184, or
Editpage@seattle-pi.com
Seattle Times (250 word limit)
Letters to the Editor
P.O. Box 70
Seattle, WA 98111
Fax: 206-382-6760, or
opinion@seattletimes.com
The Bremerton Sun
PO Box 259
Bremerton, WA 98337
(360) 415-2681
letters@thesunlink.com Bainbridge Review PO Box 10817
Bainbridge Island WA 98110 editor@bainbridgereview.com West Seattle Herald 3500 SW Alaska Seattle, WA 98126 206/932-0300 fax: 206/937-1223 wsherald@wolfenet.com Northshore Citizen P.O. Box 647 Bothell, WA 98041 425/486-1231 fax: 425/483-3286 news@northshorecitizen.com Edmonds Enterprise/Lynnwood Enterprise P.O. Box 977 Lynnwood, WA 98046 425/673-6500 fax: 425/774-8622 Edmonds@heraldnet.com lynnwood@heraldnet.com Edmonds Journal/ Northgate Journal 4610 200th St. SW Ste. F Lynnwood, WA 98036-6606 425/775-2400 425/670-0511 journalnews@worldnet.att.net The Everett Herald Letters Section P.O. Box 930 Everett, WA 98206 fax: 425/339-3458 letters@heraldnet.com Shoreline Enterprise
7300 196th SW
Lynnwood, WA 98036
Fax: (206) 774-8622
Editor: Jim Hills entopinion@heraldnet.com The Issaquah Press P.O. Box 1328 Issaquah, WA 98027 425/392-6434 fax: 425/391-1541 isspress@accessone.com The Kirkland Courier 733 7th Ave. Ste. 204 Kirkland, WA 98033 425/822-9166 fax: 425/827-7716 Lakewood Journal 9105 Bridgeport Way, SW Tacoma, WA 98499 253/584-8080 fax: 253/584-6098 jounr@aol.com Marysville Globe P.O. Box 145 Marysville, WA 98270 360/659-1300 fax: 360/658-0350 mglobe@premier1.net Mercer Island Reporter 7845 SE 30th St. Mercer Island, WA 98040 fax: 206/232-1284 mireprtr@horvitz.com The Olympian P.O. Box 1219 Olympia, WA 98507 fax: 360/754-5408 http://www.theolympian.com/forms/lettrfrm.shtml Tri-City Herald P.O. Box 2608 Pasco, WA 99302 509/582-1500 fax: 509/582-1453 krobertson@tri-cityherald.com Renton Reporter 723 SW 10th Ste. 275 Renton, WA 98055 425/271-6673 fax: 425/271-6788 The Spokesman-Review P.O. Box 2160 Spokane, WA 99210 509/459-5000 fax: 509/459-5234 editor@spokesman.com Tacoma News Tribune P.O. Box 11000 Tacoma, WA 98411 253/597-8742 fax: 253/597-8764 letters@mail.tribnet.com The Columbian P.O. Box 180 Vancouver, WA 98666 360/694-3391 fax: 360/699-6022 letters@columbian.com The Wenatchee World P.O. Box 1511 Wenatchee, WA 98807 509/663-5161 fax: 509/663-9110 newsroom@wenworld.com Peninsula Daily News P.O. Box 1330 Port Angeles, WA 98362 fax: 360/417-3521 news@peninsuladailynews.com
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