Tips for Writing Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor

• Keep it current.
• Keep it short.
• Have one point on one issue.
• Don’t water down your message on multiple issues.
• If possible, reference a specific story or a specific reporter.
• Make your personal “relevance” clear.
• What are your credentials or your experiences that make you credible?
• Stick with the facts and not emotional arguments.
• Do not use industry slang or jargon.
• Write for the paper’s circulation.
• A letter or an Op-Ed sent to the Plain Dealer or the Dispatch shouldn’t be the same as one sent to the Lima News or the Ripley Bee.
• Make it relevant for the paper’s circulation.
• If submitting an Op-Ed, it is perfectly acceptable to call and ensure it arrived and the staff doesn’t have any questions. Make sure to leave contact information.
Tips for Writing Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor