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AFA Activism
The War of Words
Your voice can be heard with an effective "Letter to the Editor" of your local newspaper.
12/11/2000
You can consistently write letters to the editor that get results by folloiwng a few simple rules:
- Be Truthful. A letter cannot be libelous - falsely injure a person's reputation.
- Be Brief. Your letter should not exceed the papers recommended word limit, generally about 200-250 words.
- Be Consistent. Try to write at least one letter per month. Even one brief paragraph can affect a readers view or give a Christian perspective.
- Be Original. As much as possible, the content of the letter should be written in your own words. Do not send form letters to your paper.
- Be Complete.Include your name, signature, address, and phone number at the end.
- Be Discerning. Since you cannot fight on every front, choose your battles carefully. Write on matters that are essential to the battle for traditional values.
- Be Relevant. Develop a keen eye for news items of moral consequence. Then write your response without delay while the subject is still fresh in the public mind. In your first paragraph, refer to the news article or issue to which you are responding.
- Be Biblical. It is appropriate to express a biblical viewpoint on the issue, citing scripture when relevant. But do not be lengthy. It should be the "Gospel in a nutshell" - one sentence or verse. Avoid theological roadblocks by not naming a particular church or denomination.
- Be Positive. Write from a positive outlook, not a "doom and gloom" perspective. Do not grumble and complain, but give a Biblical solution to the program you're addressing. Write positive letters for good things in the news, and "amen" letters for other letters to the editor.
- Be interesting. Try to begin your letter with a "hook" - a thought-provoking question, quotation, or anecdote to grip the reader. You either capture of lost your audience in the first two or three sentences. Then, answer the question, "So what?" This is the readers reason to finish your letter.
- Be Convincing. Tackle only one topic per letter in a well-reasoned way. Try to anticipate questions and answer them. Short quotations or statistics from authoritative sources lend credibility.
- Be Likable. Be bold in your approach, but not harsh or inflammatory. Respect your readers, do not insult or threaten them. Your purpose is to win hearts, not harden hem. Take issue with issues, not person.
- Be Accurate. Handle the facts with integrity - do not exaggerate or guess. Have at least
one other person proofread your letter for content, style, grammar, and spelling.
- Be Mobilizing. Close by urging readers to take specific action in response to your letter.
Back to Letter Writing page
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