Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 15:16:51 -0800
From: Jean Richter <richter@eecs.berkeley.edu>
Subject: 11/19/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news

1. Tips on writing letters to editors

======================================================

from BCS41@aol.com:
     A few thoughts about writing letters:
     A lot of it is common sense -- include your name, address and phone
number (you wouldn't believe how many people don't remember to do that).  A
pseudonym will work for those people who can't use their own name for whatever
reason or prefer to write additional letters under other names -- but it's
important to pick a fake name nobody else in your town has, and to provide a
real telephone number so that newspapers can confirm the letter (and remember
that name when they call to confirm...don't say "who??").
     Make the letter as brief as possible, because the shorter it is the more
papers will print the letter.  Don't ramble.  It helps to set a letter aside
for a half hour or hour and come back to it and re-read it fresh as though you
were a new reader.  Can the letter be misunderstood in any way?  Is your point
clear?  Could you eliminate a few more words and still have as good (or
better) argument?
     It's fine to write one basic letter and send it to many places.  In fact,
writing each and every letter from scratch really takes an impossible amount
of time.  It's usually not practical, although if you are rebutting a specific
letter or article it may be the only way to address your specific concerns
about it and you may then want to invest that time.  
     It helps to keep copies of your (and others') previous letters to refer
to.  If you've written letters for very long you realize that the same
arguments come up time and again.  Why reinvent the wheel each time?  You can
keep labeled file folders or save a computer file which is searchable by
keyword to easily find wording to rebut all the usual arguments.  I have a
200-page clip file; anyone who wants it can e-mail BCS41@aol.com and I'll send
it via e-mail as an attached text file.
      Sometimes I will personalize the opening of a letter to a specific paper
(ie, "I would like to respond to John Smith's November 2 letter "Religious
Right Not To Blame For Matthew's Death") because it does help the chances for
publication.  After the one-sentence personalized opening you can then paste
in the text of your basic or pre-written letter.  
     Stay calm when writing your letters.  Don't name call or let your
emotions lead you to write a letter that sounds shrill.  The most effective
letters are calm and reasoned.  You can express a strong opinion but do it in
a calm and reasoned way. 
     Remember this if you are responding to a mean, nasty, idiot, bigot
homophobe who just makes you fume:  The point of your response is not REALLY
to convince this person who made you mad -- he's just a means to educate the
general public.  You want to connect with the thousands and thousands of
readers who, by the time your letter appears days later, will really have
forgotten the tone of the first one anyway.  You may feel justified when
writing your letter in being furious, but 5 days later when it appears in
print you will just look shrill to the public.  STAY CALM AND REASONED.  Your
letter will be much more effective.
     Your chances for publication improve if your letter has a punchy opening
or close, a bit of humor, or something memorable about it.  
     Your chances for publication also improve - greatly - if your letter is
on a topic that is currently hot in the news, that helps.  If the issue of
gays in the military is making news everywhere, a letter on it will see print
more often than when it's not in the news.  Currently the issue of the
religious right's role in hate crimes is an issue of hot debate.
Summary:
1. Always include name, address, phone number.
2. Don't ramble - sharpen your point.
3. Stay calm and reasoned; don't lose your cool no matter what.
4. Send letters on topics that are "hot" in the news.
5. Keep copies of your (and others') letters for reference.

================================================================================

Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu
The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally)
CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT:
        http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/