Writing Letters to the Editor

Send a Letter to the Editor to: -------------- Addison County Independent Addison Eagle Bennington Banner Brandon-Pittsford Reporter Brattleboro Reformer / Vermont Observer Burlington Free Press Colchester Sun Connecticut Valley Spectator County Courier Deerfield Valley News Essex Reporter Journal Opinion (Bradford) Manchester Journal Milton Independent Montpelier Bridge Morrisville News and Citizen Mountain Times Northfield News Randolph Herald Rutland Herald St. Albans Messenger Seven Days Shelburne News Springfield Reporter Stowe Reporter Times Argus (Barre/Montpelier ) Valley Reporter (Mad River Valley) Valley Voice (Champlain Valley) Vermont Journal Vermont Standard (Woodstock) Williston Observer World (Washington County)

Structuring Your Letter

1. The “hook” that explains why your letter is relevant. Best is if you can relate your letter back to something that was recently printed in the paper, or something that is famous enough (e.g., the recent death of Pope John Paul II) that others will know the reference. This is the first sentence of your letter.
   
   Example: Three cheers for your editorial last Sunday against sprawl.

2. The point you’re trying to make. Your English teacher would have called this the “thesis sentence.” You make your point either in the first or second sentence of your letter, then repeat it in the last sentence.
   
   Example: One of the critical things we can be doing to fight sprawl is to preserve natural areas on our public lands as wilderness.

3. Your supporting argument(s) to back up the point you’re trying to make. Try to think of arguments that will be most persuasive to your audience (i.e., local opinion leaders and elected officials). It’s very effective to identify yourself as part of a group that elected officials care about: a business owner, person of faith, a hunter or angler, a long-time resident, a parent, a scientist. Don’t try to put too much into your letter—2-3 points at most.
   
   Example: As a member of a local snowmobile club, I really enjoy the network of trails across Vermont. However, I also want to make sure that some places remain quiet and free from the sounds of motors. As a devout Episcopalian, these are the places I feel closest to God. As my own town gets more and more built up, I rely on wilderness areas to experience what nature is supposed to look like.