Letters to the Editor
The op-ed page of your local newspaper is an easy opportunity to influence the opinion of citizens in your community. It may also be the only place in your newspaper where readers can learn the truth about certain issues, but only if you write about the truth. Writing a letter to the editor is a fast and easy way to affect change in your community.
A rule of thumb for writing letters to the editor: Don't stop at one. If you send a letter and it is not published, send another on a different topic. Keep sending a letter every month. Obviously, the editorial page has limited space so only so many letters can be printed. Don't become discouraged if your first letter isn't published. Just keep trying!
The following are some guidelines for writing a letter to the editor:
1. Be brief-no more than 200-300 typed words. Newspaper op-ed pages have
word limits, so check for that if possible.
2. Keep to the point.
3. Mention "In response to" or "In reference to your article dated _____."
4. State your views in an organized way.
5. Be informative, factual, and useful to readers.
6. Be Timely-dealing with a specified current issue.
7. Be Accurate and/or documented.
8. Be Original-composed by you.**
9. Be Polite.
10. Write as a draft, proofread, and rewritten, if necessary.
11. Type or handwritten legibly and neatly.
12. Address correctly: a. Current date, b. Title of the person to whom you
are sending the letter (Editor), c. Address of recipient.
13. Always include your name, address and telephone number. (Most editors
will phone you to verify your information before they publish your letter.)
**Many people ask The Family Foundation to provide the text of letters to be submitted to an editor or an elected official. It is our belief, however, that letters always have more impact when they are original to the writer. Talking points for many issues are available on our web site. Feel free to use information from those to assist in composing your letters.
The following is a list of contact information for the "Letters to the Editor" page of some of the larger newspapers in Virginia. For a comprehensive list of Virginia newspapers click here:
Richmond Times Dispatch
Letters to the Editor
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Box 85333
Richmond, Virginia 23293
Submit by Fax (include signature): (804) 819-1216.
Submit by E-mail: Send to letters@timesdispatch.com.
Roanoke Times
Letters to the Editor
201 W. Campbell Ave.
P.O. Box 2491
Roanoke, Virginia 24010-2491
Submit by E-mail: Send to karen.trout@roanoke.com
Daily News-Record
Letters to the Editor
Daily News Record
P.O. Box 193
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
Submit by Email: Send to letters@dnronline.com
Daily Progress
Letters
The Daily Progress
P.O. Box 9030
Charlottesville, Va. 22906
Submit by Fax: (434) 978-7252
Submit by Email: Send to ashelburne@dailyprogress.com
Virginian Pilot
Letters to the Editor
P.O. Box 449
Norfolk, Virginia 23501-0449
Submit by Fax: (757) 446-2051
Submit by Email: Send to letters@pilotonline.com
Free Lance Star
Letters to the Editor
The Free Lance-Star
616 Amelia St.
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
Submit by Fax: (540) 373-8455
Submit by Email: Send to letters@freelancestar.com
Potomac News
Letters to the Editor
Potomac News
14010 Smoketown Road
Woodbridge, Virginia 22192
Submit by Email: Send to opinion@potomacnews.com
Lynchburg News and Advance
Letters to the Editor
The News & Advance
Box 10129
Lynchburg, VA 24506
Submit by Fax: (434) 385-5538
Winchester Star
Letters to the Editor
Winchester Star
2 N. Kent St.
Winchester, Va. 22601
Submit by Fax: (540) 667-1649
Daily Press
Submit by Email: Send to letters@dailypress.com
Washington Post
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20071
Submit by Email: Send to letters@washpost.com
Washington Times
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Times
3600 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002-1947
Submit by Email: Click link - www.washtimes.com/contact-us/