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A spirit that is not afraid

EDITORIAL | Why you should submit a letter to the editor

Housed in the opinion section, letters to the editor are articles written by citizens who want to share their perspectives on various subjects. There are no requirements, prerequisites or specific qualifications needed to write one.

Letters to the editor bridge the gap between the general public and those who work in the media by providing a source of communication between the two. Whether you work in construction, engineering, art or finance, you can write and submit a letter.

According to the national nonprofit Free Speech for People, “The letters sections of newspapers and magazines present great opportunities for getting your message to a wide audience. In local and regional papers, letters to the editor are read by local activists, government officials, legislators and many community members.”

Writing a letter to the editor is a quick and easy way to express your personal opinions, respond to various news items or articles and share information about important issues with a broad array of people at one time—all without actually working for a news publication. 

Additionally, it is a great way to get published in print. In the next month, The Plainsman will publish a special social issues print edition, which will include feature stories of prominent figures on campus fighting to fix a wide array of social issues and more. If there is a social issue that means a lot to you, take this time to submit a letter to the editor. We want to hear from you. 

In “How to Write a Letter to the Editor,” Liberty Partners Press states that the key to a successful letter to the editor is “a passion for the topic and awareness of the audience you are writing for. If you can meet these two criteria, then you can write a successful letter to the editor.” 

All you have to do is choose your topic, write the letter, compose an email to the editor consisting of the letter and a brief description of its contents and yourself and press send. 

Don’t let a lack of experience or confidence keep you from taking advantage of the opportunity to express your thoughts with a wide audience. If you have something to say, allow The Plainsman to assist you in sharing it.

If you are interested in writing a letter to the editor to be published by The Plainsman or have any questions, you can email opinion@theplainsman.com.


Editorials represent the majority view of The Plainsman's editorial board and do not necessarily represent that of the entire newsroom. 


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