How To Write a Letter to the Editor - And Get Published

Editors of major news publications receive thousands or letters each week.  Here are tips on how to get your letter to the top of the pile. To get started, you can use our Sample Letter to the Editor.

• Be compelling, brief, and clear.
• The first sentence of your letter should state your purpose for writing.
• News publishers are businesses. Your letter should offer a reason why the editor should consider your request (i.e., tie World Diabetes Day into local events or your own state’s diabetes statistics).
• Do not include photos of yourself or family unless you are telling your own personal story.  Remember, stories with mass appeal are more likely to be picked up by major news sources than are local human interest pieces.
• The focus of spreading the word about World Diabetes Day is that it is a global concern, not a human interest story (but an editor might be interested in how diabetes has affected your life and ask you more personal questions in a follow-up).
• Do not use "teasers" -- be sure to provide enough relevant information that an editor can make an instant decision about whether your story idea is interesting.
• Do not assume the editor knows what you know: if you mention hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia briefly explain what they are.  Avoid using acronyms like DKA, BG, Dx’d, and other common terms an abbreviations familiar to people in the diabetes community.
• Keep your letter to one page.  If possible, keep your letter between 300-400 words.
• In closing, thank the editor for their time and consideration and tell them they can find more information at http://www.wddusa.org/.
• Be sure to include complete contact information in case the editor wishes to run your letter or assign a feature article to a staff reporter.

Points to Highlight:

• November 14th is World Diabetes Day! It was introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the alarming rise in diabetes around the world. In 2007, the United Nations marked the Day for the first time with the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution in December 2006, which made the existing World Diabetes Day an official United Nations World Health Day.
• There are 23.6 million people in the United States, or nearly 8% of the population, who have diabetes. The total prevalence of diabetes increased 13.5% from 2005-2007. Only 24% of diabetes is undiagnosed, down from 30% in 2005 and from 50% ten years ago.
• Every 30 seconds someone else is diagnosed with diabetes.
• Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of deaths in the United States each year.
• Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney failure, blindness, and amputation.
• Pre-diabetes is a serious metabolic condition. The CDC estimates nearly 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes and most will develop full onset type 2 diabetes within ten years.
• For local emphasis, you can include your own state’s diabetes statistics.
• Why World Diabetes Day is important to you, your family, your community, or others.

How to Contact an Editor at the New York Times

• Send Letters to the Editor: letters@nytimes.com
• Contact the Editors at the New York Times:  executive-editor@nytimes.com or managing-editor@nytimes.com.  To reach Clark Hoyt, the Public Editor who represents the readers, e-mail public@nytimes.com or call (212) 556-7652.

How to Contact an Editor at the Los Angeles Times

• Letters to the Editor (Main): letters@latimes.com
• Orange County Issues: ocletters@latimes.com
• Guidelines for Letters to the Editor
• Editorial Directory

How to Contact an Editor at the Washington Post
Submissions can be sent via e-mail to letters@washpost.com or by surface mail to:

Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20071

To be considered for publication, letters must be exclusive to The Washington Post, must be signed, and include the writer's home address and home and business telephone numbers.

Lalhe A Wolfe is Founder of iPump.org, a 501(c)3 non-profit that distributes pump supplies to those in need.