How to Write a Letter to the Editor - A Mom's Guide
Have something you want to share with the world? Writing a letter to the editor of your local paper is an easy and effective way to make your voice heard. And, it doesn’t have to be intimidating!
Here are a few tips and tricks for writing an effective letter that will make a difference.
1. Know Your Audience
Before you start writing, think about who you are writing for. What kind of people read your local newspaper? What topics would they be interested in? Does the paper have any particular areas of focus or interest? These types of questions will help you hone in on what kind of content will resonate with your readers.
2. Be Concise
Letters to the editor are usually short and sweet - somewhere between 150-300 words ( about 3 paragraphs) is usually best. Get right to the point. Don’t waste any time with lengthy introductions or digressions. The goal here is clarity, not eloquence; stick to your main point from beginning to end and keep it concise!
3. Be Specific
If you can back up your opinion with facts and figures, do so! Include specific examples whenever possible to demonstrate why you feel strongly about a particular issue or situation. This will help make your letter more convincing and draw the reader in, especially if other readers share similar experiences or opinions. Share a quick personal example of why you feel this way.
4. Have a great headline
Grab attention by writing a headline that immediately hooks the reader. Make it short but straight to the point and speaks to your passion on the subject you are writing about.
5. Pay attention to tone
What is your tone of voice? Are you feeling angry, mindful, emotional, witty, funny, frustrated?
6. Good and bad news
No matter how frustrated or angry you may feel about the topic, try and share good news also. Be sure and thank the paper for including your letter and for shedding light on the topic.
7. Legislators often read them
Be mindful that your letter and opinion may be read by legislators. They often read local newspapers from across the State to see how their community members feel about issues which could then influence their legislation and votes on bills.
Writing letters to the editor doesn't have to be daunting - even for busy moms! By keeping these tips in mind, you can easily craft an effective letter that resonates with readers and helps get your message across in a clear and concise manner. So go ahead - write that letter! You never know what kind of impact it may have on those around you. Remember, your voice IS powerful and it is needed.
You've got this mama!
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Hey mama,
Is it pouring down rain today and the kids are going crazy? Your sanity is slipping and you just need some ideas that will help them have fun and also learn some new skills? Here are some!
1) Cook something..
Is there an easy recipe that has simple ingredients you could bring out where your kids could do it on their own? My son loves making mini pizzas using pita bread, shredded cheese, pepperoni and sauce. There are many great websites with kids recipes and we all know Pinterest is FULL of 'em! You can also find great recipes for slime and playdough.
2) Build forts..
Blankets, pillows, tape, string, rugs, comforters, tables and chairs... these all can be used to build forts. Make tunnels into different rooms! They might even bring a book in there and start reading. :)
3) Dance..
Throw on some silly music and dance. Make up your own dances! It'll get those wiggles out, get them to laugh, help them relax and maybe even lead to a nap. Even dancing to household chores makes them that much more fun.
4) Play games..
There are so many great games. Or why not make your own game? Use what you have! Obstacle courses, hopscotch, craft stuff, make costumes with the clothing they have and really get creative. It doesn't take much to throw a makeshift game together :)
5) Bring out all the toys and decide what you can sell or purge. This can be a family effort and the money they can make they get to spend on something they want. Win, win! Who has the most toys they are selling or donating? Make it a contest!
6) 10 questions: Ask them made up questions to get them thinking. What is their favorite... ?
They can draw pictures of their favorite things or create a mini magazine of all of their favorite things.
7) Gifts: They can get a jump start on holiday gifts by getting the craft supplies out! Paint, draw, write...
8) Backyard scavenger hunt: rainy days are perfect for exploring the backyard for rocks, leaves, worms, twigs.. you can make some neat projects out of these things. They can find a certain number of one item and practice their math skills too.
9) Popcorn and movie time: Is there a new release out that you haven't seen yet?
10) DIY craft videos: You can learn so many new fun crafts by watching quick DIY videos. Many of these crafts you can do with stuff around the house or dollar store items.
Have fun!
xo erika
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