Letters to the Editor are short articles generally written in response to something recently published with which you want to strongly agree or which you believe is slanted or inaccurate. 

1. Respond Immediately.  If an article published in your newspaper triggers a response in you email a letter to the editor within 24-48 hours following the articles original appearance.  Newspapers typically publish letters two to three days after the original article appears so waiting longer than this may prevent your letter from being published.  

2. Establish Authority.  Editors want to publish letters from experts.  Identify yourself as a physician and describe how your work as a clinician or researcher makes you qualified to write on the topic of your letter.  

3. Reiterate the point.  Before you begin your own argument, reiterate the point in the piece that you are criticizing or supporting. 

4. Focus.    You only have 150-200 words to clearly present your argument.  The New York Times limit is 150.  The Washington post limit is 200.  Carefully select the focus of your letter.  You can only make one argument effectively in 150-200 words.

5. Tell a Story.  Stories are more memorable than statistics.  Write a story about your experiences with patients that people will remember. 

6. Demonstrate Impact.  How is this issue relevant to the editor’s readers?  Make sure the reader can see the human impact of your argument.  

7. Reward Positive Efforts.  Don't forget to write letters to praise good coverage of health topics in addition to refuting the bad ones.