WRITING EFFECTIVE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (LTE’s)
My experience with the impact of LTE’s ,even in the smallest local newspaper
Positive solutions get the most press and have the best impact, not negative
Motivating people with positivity and hope, part of the solution, depression holds down proactivity
Tips for effective LTE’s per activist trainer:
Identify and rebut ideas in peoples’ heads, key to spawning proactivity (example: “Our voice won’t count”. The Iron Curtain fell as masses protested, Avvaz.org has many success stories based on millions of signatures, etc)
“My letter won’t be published, I am not a good enough writer” solution: House LTE parties, the group editing becomes feedback and assures a successful result
The SF Chronicle published something very controversial which I wrote, we might be surprised at what they might publish. Different points of view is key, not great penmanship or agendas
Mass hurls of LTE’s will put pressure on editorial boards to publish letters about a certain topic, Occupy movement can accomplish this by strength of numbers
Make sure the bigger newspapers are the first to get your letter, they don’t publish if your LTE is sent to a string of papers, a SF Chronicle editor told me this. They want to be the first (NY Times wants sole editorship, nothing you sent them to be posted even on the web or reprinted thereafter. SF Chronicle did say, at that time, that to republish later is okay. Check with them for current policy).
Politicians respond to things like being told an open letter, posted to the internet, is being carbon copied to the ACLU, journalists, others who will blow whistles on them
