Have you ever wanted to express your opinions to a big audience? Writing a Letter to the Editor, whether it's in your local daily, a national paper, a church magazine, or an auto enthusiast digest, is an opportunity that is open to anyone. It's one of America's great ways to voice your opinion. And if you have an opinion about the urgency and solvability of the climate crisis and you like to write, a Letter to the Editor is a good way to express your concern, your passion, and your interest in protecting our climate.

You will be hard pressed to find publications that do not have a Letter to the Editor section. This is because publications want their readers' points of view and want to give voice to readers writing to other readers who share (and don't share) a similar point of view. Writing a letter to the editor is your way of influencing the publication, influencing the readers, and possibly influencing decision-makers who look to these letters as a way of gauging the public's concern about an issue.

Writing a letter to the editor to your favorite, or least favorite, publication is a breeze...but getting it published is not always that easy, and that's why we are here to help.

  • Write something that is credible, interesting, and expresses a point of view that the audience will find intriguing. For example, if you are writing to a fashion magazine in response to their latest article on green clothing (and yes, even fashion magazines have content about the climate) you want to write about issues and companies of interest to fashion-oriented readers. Maybe you want to talk about a prominent designer that the article didn't cover who is switching to more climate friendly materials and using only renewable electricity for sewing. That topic would have very little interest to the readers of Car and Driver but, in the appropriate fashion magazine, it will be of interest.
  • Before you start, go to the publication's website and check out the requirements for Letters to the Editor. If they say "letters should not exceed 150 words" do not send in a 20-page manifesto. They will not read it and certainly will not publish it. Stick to a single subject, and the shorter the better.
  • Invariably when people write it is because they have read or heard about something that incenses them. So take a deep breath before you write. Chances are pretty good that if you're over-the-top mean, your piece won't be published. Hyperbole doesn't really work and the more exclamation marks you use, the less the chance of publication!!!!
  • State your issues and points clearly and concisely in the opening sentences. If they are going to edit for length, they will probably cut from the end.
  • Share a new point of view. Support your beliefs with facts, figures, and expert testimony from credible sources.
  • Don't just complain; give solutions, particularly those that are local and not well-known.
  • If you have credentials, use them. The more you can use to buttress your credibility, the better the chance your piece will be published and the more people will respect your point of view.
  • Sign your name and provide a way to be contacted to verify that these are your thoughts and opinions.
  • Proof and edit your piece before you send it out. Publications rarely edit but do choose well-written and grammatically correct letters.
  • Most importantly - write. Your voice is important. You don't need to be a member of an organization or a group. You can do this on your own and even if it is not published the first time you try, just keep at it.

One last thing, don't forget to spll check. Spell check.