Resource Sep 6, 2019

How To Write a Letter to the Editor

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Writing a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper or news outlet is a powerful way to voice your concerns about current challenges impacting our national parks. Here are some best practices to successfully voice your opinion.

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Interested volunteers sign up and take action at a NPCA-hosted event along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.

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Support Local News

Read the news regularly and use your letter to respond to a timely park-related topic you care about, within a week of the news hitting.

Keep It Short and To the Point

Most Letters to the Editor accept 150-300 words – that’s it. Each news outlet offers its own guidelines, which are important to review before you begin responding.

Make It Timely

Your letter should respond to news recently published in the outlet. (i.e., Dear Editor: I strongly disagree with your recent article, titled ____). Doing so often improves your chances for getting your letter placed.

Make it Personal

Share your personal connection to the issue. Include a call to action, such as “call your elected official.” End your letter strongly so that your message is clear.

Be Patient

LTE Example

Click on the image to see an annotated example of a letter to the editor. 

There is no guarantee that your letter will run and you may not hear back from the Editor to confirm when it does. Keep an eye out for your letter and share it with family and friends on your social media channels when you see it.

If your letter does not get published in one news outlet, customize for a similar news story and resubmit to another outlet for consideration. Good Luck!

Have questions? Reach out to NPCA’s Communications Team – we’re happy to help!

Updated: March 6, 2026

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