Know Your Audience Familiarize yourself with the coverage and editorial position of the paper. Be professional this is not a letter to a friend. Maximize Use of the Letter Send the letter to neighborhood, alternative, high school, and college papers the smaller the publication the more likely it will get published. Get others to write letters if your letter does not get published, perhaps someone else s letter on the same topic will. Logistics Check and adhere to the newspaper s letter specifications, especially regarding word limits.
Press releases help editors write an article.
The first paragraph is the lead. The lead must grab the editor s attention. The second paragraph is the bridge. It provides the source and a transition for the more detailed information. The third paragraph is the body.