WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

People need to learn about Balanced Choice. In your letter, please encourage people to find out more about Balanced Choice through www.BalancedChoiceHealthCare.org or by reading Balanced Choice: A Common Sense Cure for the U.S. Health Care Systems by Ivan J. Miller.

The letters section is one of the most highly read sections of a newspaper. A letter-to-the-editor is an effective means of educating the public, increasing awareness about issues, or correcting misinformation. Legislators, policy-makers and government officials are sensitive to public opinion expressed in these letters.

While each paper and the community it serves has individual goals and policies about letters-to-the-editor, the following tips are universal. Editors may have more letters than they have room to print on any given day and they tend to print varying (opposing) view points. Published letters are timely, brief and pointed.

Know the newspaper’s style. Follow the directions for submission and read several published letters.
Make it timely. Respond to an event, a recent news story or another letter-to-the-editor within hours if possible.
Make it brief. Two or three short paragraphs should start with the clear, concise message.
Keep it simple and personal. Stick to one topic. Identify yourself enough so readers know why you care. Mention specific people, local concerns or anecdotal experiences.
Be powerful and polite. Direct can be powerful. So can sarcasm, emotional intensity, humor and shocking facts. Avoid the nasty.
Follow-up.
If the letter is not printed, know that it served to educate the editor and it makes the issue more likely to be covered in the future.
If the letter is printed, send a copy to interested parties, including www.Balancedchoice.org
Write another letter to the same paper and to additional papers.