Guidelines for Writing Letters to the Editor

• Try to refer to a specific article or editorial that has run recently.  See CRWA's list of media coverage for this issue, or link your letter to an article that has recently run.  Be creative - the article you refer to doesn't have to be about the Charles River or water resources.  It could be about environmental resources, political process or conservation measures.
• Keep your letters short!  Two hundred words is the ideal length.  Most newspapers have a limit, but it varies; for example, Community Newspaper Company newspapers will accept longer letters, whereas the Boston Globe is quite strict on length.
• Know your deadlines! We've included newspaper phone numbers and email addresses on the contact lists for your town.  Call ahead to make sure you are on deadline, especially if you refer to an article that was in a recent issue.
• Stick to the issue! 200 words is not a lot of space to get your message across, so don't digress.
• Keep your sentences short and your language simple.
• Humor helps! Water conservation (think: toilets) is ripe with possibilities for a good pun, so spend a little time on your phrasing.
• And, always, always, check your letters for spelling and grammar mistakes. Twice.