
Write Letters To The Editor
Writing and Submitting a Letter to the Editor: It’s Easy!
Process
- Identify which paper you’d like to submit your letter to (see below for a partial list).
- Google the paper’s letter-to-the-editor policies to confirm the length requirements and submission process
- Write up your response to a current event.
- Sign your name, and provide your location and contact information. Sometimes they call to clarify/confirm.
- Send it off!
Best practices
- Reference a recent article
- Stay within word count; brief is better anyway
- Specify a desired outcome
- Incorporate why you care: your story
- Stay within the general tone of the publication and editor
Submitting an Op-Ed is a bit more complex.
Op-Eds are deeper dives, more about education, and provide an authoritative voice beyond the newspapers’ regular journalists. Op-Eds usually start with a pitch which presents a story idea and establishes the writer’s credibility. Stay tuned for a link with more detail about writing an Op-Ed and getting it published.
Submission Links and Guidelines:
News Source
How to Submit
Twitter Handle
Berkeleyside
Topics should be Berkeley-related, local authors are preferred and anonymity is not allowed. The recommended length is 500-600 words, and at least 72 hours’ notice is required. Please send Word or Google docs, not PDFs. Send your name, phone number and a one-line bio with all relevant disclosures to editors@berkeleyside.org.
East Bay Times
Submission Form (up to 150 words): https://www.eastbaytimes.com/letters-to-the-editor/
Mercury News
Submission Form (up to 150 words): https://www.mercurynews.com/letters-to-the-editor/
San Mateo Daily Journal
Submission Form (up to 250 words): https://www.smdailyjournal.com/site/forms/online_services/letter_editor/
Press Democrat
Email letters of no more than 200 words to letters@pressdemocrat.com . Include your full name, home address and phone number
Napa Register
Submission Form (up to 800 words):
https://napavalleyregister.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor/
Benicia Herald
Email letters of no more than 500 words to beniciaherald@gmail.com
More guidelines here: https://beniciaheraldonline.com/letter-guidelines/
Marin Independent Journal
Email letters of no more than 300 words to: opinion@marinij.com
More guidelines here: https://www.marinij.com/2013/07/18/how-to-submit-a-letter-to-the-editor/