Marriage Equality Rhode Island

Get Involved / Take Action

Write a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor are great advocacy tools. With one letter you can reach a large audience, reframe the debate on your own terms and bring up information that may have been omitted in a recent article.

Make it relevant

If possible, write your letter as a response to a recent article, op-ed, editorial or letter. Make reference back to the newspaper with a specific date and article title. The sooner you can submit your response letter, the higher the chance of it being published.

Be compelling

Use an active voice and illustrate your point with examples and facts. Be short and specific, but be careful not to use jargon the general public might not be familiar with. Don’t overburden your letter with too many statistics. Be humorous if that comes naturally to you, but be wary of attempting sarcasm or dry humor, which can backfire in print.

Stay on point

One topic per letter is best. Open your letter with a single, clear sentence that summarizes your point. Don’t feel the need to pack your letter with several different talking points. Instead, select one angle of discussion and back it up with a strong argument.

Keep it short

The shorter your letter is, the more likely it will get printed. Letters that can make their point in under 100 words have a higher than average chance of being printed. Letters over 250 words are less likely to be published, and if selected will most definitely be edited. Don’t take the chance that an editor will remove or dilute your most important points.

Avoid personal attacks

Critique the ideas expressed by the original article or letter — attacking the individual who wrote them is bad form.

Proofread

Use correct spelling, capitalization and punctuation. Typos can undermine your credibility. Run your letter through a spell or grammar checker.

Select a good subject line

If you choose to submit your letter via email, the email subject line should clearly summarize your main point.

Use your real contact information

Most newspapers will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his / her / hir identity and address. Newspapers will not give out that information and will usually only print your name and city should your letter be published.

Regional Papers

• Boston Globe »
• The Boston Herald »
• Hartford Courant »

Local Papers (high circulation)

• The Providence Journal »
• The Providence Phoenix »

Local Papers (local circulation)

• Barrington Times »
• Bristol Phoenix »
• The Chariho Times »
• The Coventry Courier »
• Cranston Herald »
• The East Greenwich Pendulum »
• East Providence Post »
• The Narragansett Times »
• Newport Daily News »
• Newpot Mercury »
• Newport This Week »
• The Pawtucket Times »
• Sakonnet Times »
• Seekonk Star »
• The Standard Times »
• Warwick Beacon »
• Warren Times-Gazette »
• The Westerly Sun »
• Westport Shorelines »