West River Eagle

Submitting letters to the editor


Letters to the editor of a newspaper are a great way to publically express concerns about an issue, offer ideas for solutions to issues, and highlight events that may have been overlooked or not covered in the newspaper.

While letters to the editor are printed on the opinion page, they are not just an expression of an opinion; they are a call to action.

As with editorials by seasoned writers, letters to the editor need to follow a simple structure be applicable to the general public, and contain supporting evidence to legitimize the argument.

For an editor to decide to print your letter to the editor in the West River Eagle, the writers of the letters need to follow these guidelines:

1. Keep the letter short, 150 to 250 words.

2. Respond to a recent article or editorial, or an issue that impacts the public and serves the public interest. For example, if an individual wants to write a letter raising the concern that police reports by the local police department are not filed in a timely manner, and provide evidence that this is a concern not just with one incident or officer, but with reports for other citizens as well, then that constitutes an issue of public concern or interest.

3. In the first paragraph or two of the letter, introduce the issue, concern or subject and why are you are writing about it.

4. In the next paragraph or two, state facts or statistics from trustworthy or reliable sources to legitimize your concern and provide the audience with evidence that your concern is important and should be a concern of the general public or a portion of the general public.

5. In the last paragraph or two, close the letter with a call to action, addressing the person, people or organization with the power to act on the issue you address in the letter.

Letters to the editor provide individuals with a voice to raise public awareness and offer suggested solutions to issues that concern more than just a select few.

The West River Eagle invites your letters, carefully constructed and with a pointed focus and audience.

If you have questions about how to construct your letter to the editor so that it can be published, please contact the managing editor at jody@westrivereagle.com.

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