OutWire757 welcomes reader feedback and encourages members of the community to let us know how we can improve what we share or if you want to share your thoughts and viewpoints with fellow readers.
We have put together a set of basic guidelines to help you refine your message. We only accept Letters to the Editor via email and look forward to hearing from you!
A letter to the editor should be organized as follows:
- A brief reference to the news story, current trend or development which you want to address.
- A quick recitation of the argument you are opposing or correcting, followed by a statement of your own position. It is good to include an article title and date if you are responding to something specific.
- Present evidence to support your argument.
- Close with a short restatement of your position or a pithy comment.
Other tips:
- Short, concise letters are always more likely to be published than long ones. Please stay under 150 words.
- Stick to a single subject. Deal with one issue per letter.
- Be kind. We will not publish letters containing personal attacks on individuals.
- Use facts, figures and expert testimony whenever possible to support your opinion.
- Proofread carefully for errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. We will usually edit, but your piece is more likely to be published if it is needs very little editing.
- When you think you are finished, set the letter aside for while and revisit the next day. Rereading your letter with fresh eyes often helps spot errors.
- Try to view the letter from the reader’s perspective. Will the arguments make sense to someone without a special background on this issue? Did you use technical terms not familiar to the average reader?
- The letter should be addressed to the Editor. Always include your name, address, and day-time phone number. We will not publish anything other than your name, but we may use it to verify that you wrote the letter.
