Letters to the Editor

Thank you for writing a letter to the editor of your local paper. If at first you dont get published, we urge you not to get discouraged and to keep trying. Typically speaking, if your letter doesn't get published in the first two to three days after you submit it, it would be good to try again, maybe with a variation on the theme.

Letters to the editor should be 250 words or less. Every editorial page is different, and some ask for no less than 200 words, some as many as 300. Check your local papers website for submission requirements to be sure.

The most successful letters to the editor are clear, concise, personal and timely. You want to be able to write about your experiences, and why transparency matters to you. If you can wrap your personal story about something the newspapers are writing about that day or the day before, even better.

Localize your letters as much as possible. Make it about your community, and try to avoid making it about Congress or the President.

Finally, we have provided you these sample letters to the editor to help you refine your transparency language. These letters are here to provide you extra information and suggestions, it would be wise not to use these letters verbatim. If you have a version of the letter you would like to share with us please add it to the Wiki. Also if you have any other topics you would like to write a letter about put it on the Wiki and we can help you write it.

Once again, thank you for writing letters to the editor about government transparency. We are truly lucky to have you as an active participant in the transparency movement.

Sample Letters:
 * Sample: Letter About General Transparency
 * Sample: Letter About Disclosure
 * Sample: Letter about Data
 * Sample: Letter About State Issues
 * Sample: Letter About Cities and Towns