Writing to Newspaper Editors

A good letter to the editor is one that gets published in your local paper. The following are a few tips on crafting a response to current events that will capture an editor's attention.

• Follow the newspaper's submission guidelines. Include your name, address, and phone number. They will call to verify that you wrote the letter.
• Be as brief as possible. Check the paper's Op/Ed page or website for allowable number of words in a Letter to the Editor. Be sure to meet those space requirements - long letters will rarely be printed at all.
• Make one point clearly. Use simple, direct language.
• Be positive. Avoid angry, combative language. Explain what personal experience led to your point of view.

Editors Note on writing to editors: Radwaste Solutions Editor, Nancy Zacha, comments on what the nuclear professional can do to promote clear thinking on nuclear issues.