Letter to the Editor

What is a Letter to the Editor?

The purpose of letters to the editor pages in newspapers is to give everyday people an opportunity to publish their views, comment on a recent article, and respond to the issues of the day. This makes writing a letter to the editor one of the easiest ways to get your message across to thousands of readers.

When you write a letter to the editor, you feel strongly about an issue, and you want to let people know what you think.

Requirements:

Write a Letter to the Editor that takes a position on the selected theme of Macbeth.

The letter should be no more than 200 words, not including in-text citations.

The Letter to the Editor should include the following elements:

- - At least 5 relevant, essential quotes or paraphrases from the text(s) to support an analysis of a specific theme.
  - Use of evidence is advanced and accounts for the complexities of the theme.
  - Evidence goes beyond what was explicitly taught in class.
  - All evidence (quotes and paraphrases) are accurately cited.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR?

OPEN THE LETTER WITH A SIMPLE SALUTATION

Don't worry if you don't know the editor's name. A simple "To the Editor of the Daily Sun," or just “To the Editor:” is sufficient. If you have the editor's name, however, you should use it to increase the possibilities of your letter being read.

GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION

Your opening sentence is very important. It should tell readers what you’re writing about, and make them want to read more.

EXPLAIN WHAT THE LETTER IS ABOUT AT THE START

Throughout your letter, remember the rule:

Be quick,
Be concise, and then
Be quiet.

Don't make the editor or the general public wait to find out what you want to say. Tell them your key point at the beginning.

EXPLAIN WHY THE ISSUE IS IMPORTANT

If you are motivated enough to write a letter to a newspaper or magazine, the importance of your topic may seem clear to you. Remember, though, that the general public probably doesn't share your background or the interest. Explain the issue and its importance simply. Use plain language that most people will understand

GIVE EVIDENCE FOR ANY PRAISE OR CRITICISM

If you are writing a letter discussing a past or pending action, be clear in showing why this will have good or bad results.

STATE YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

You can write a letter just to ''vent," or to support or criticize a certain action or policy, but you may also have suggestions about what could be done to improve the situation. If so, be sure to add these as well. Be specific. And the more good reasons you can give to back up your suggestions, the better.

KEEP IT BRIEF

Generally, shorter letters have a better chance of being published. So go back over your letter and see if anything can be cut or condensed. If you have a lot to say and it can't be easily made short, you may want to check with the editor to see if you could write a longer opinion feature or guest column.

SIGN THE LETTER

Be sure to write your full name (and title, if relevant) and to include your address, phone number, and e-mail address. Newspapers won't print anonymous letters, though in some cases they may withhold your name on request. They may also call you to confirm that you wrote the letter before they publish it.

CHECK YOUR LETTER TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR AND TO THE POINT

A newspaper may not print every letter it receives, but clear, well-written letters are likely to be given more serious consideration.

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