The LTE: a response to stories

The Letter to the Editor or LTE is a tried and true strategy used by political movements to get the word out about an issue. Letters are successful because they are personal, short, and share an opinion. These are also a highly read and highly commented on section of both print and online editions of newspapers. A good letter can ignite a debate in a house or online about a particular issue.

Good letters have a few key elements:

The Lead-In
The first part of the letter should be eye catching and make a bold statement.

The Body
This is the main part of the letter. Convey your point and your opinion here.

The Conclusion
This is where you wrap it up. Repeat your positive message and really bring home the point.

The Tobacco Control Resource Center has great information about how to write excellent LTEs!

A recent example of an LTE is out of Oshkosh.

So get out there and write an LTE- a smooth transition to a Smoke-Free Wisconsin depends on it!