Conscious Collective: Tools for Peace

These short submissions are generally in response to a previous item in the newspaper, but can be related to other business, social or political developments.

Read the tips below on effective letter writing or open Canadian newspaper email links and send a letter right now.

Tips for writing letters to the editor

Try to link your letter to the date and title of a story previously appearing in the paper.
Deal with one topic and have one major message.
Put the main point at the beginning and progressively less important details towards the end.
Be brief (350 words max) and specific.
Use a straightforward, factual approach - not sarcasm.
Include your name, address and day phone number - staff may call if they're interested.
Try to submit within 48 hours (for dailies) of the article you're responding to.
Get your mother (or anyone who cares about your reputation) to check the letter.

Open List of Newspaper Email Contacts

Opinion editorials and call-in radio

Known as op-eds, these short, persuasive essays generally examine timely or topical issues. Although more challenging to get published, they can have a powerful impact. Contact information and writing guidelines are usually available on newspaper websites.

Writing tips

Narrow your topic and be brief (700 words maximum).

Support your position with references to expert studies and reports.

Make sure your submission is relevant to the readers.

Try an unusual angle or localize the issue.

You can contact your paper first to see if they like your angle.

Include your name, address and day phone number - staff will likely call you if they're interested.

Newspapers prefer to feature prominent people or experts in the community - approach someone like this to see if they would like to co-author or even write a submission.

Call-In Shows
Call in radio and TV shows are growing in popularity, and while they tend to be conservative, their following comes from their often-confrontational dynamic. Callers who contribute to this fiery flavour in a substantive, not personal, way can make an important contribution to these debates.

Keep tabs on these shows and look for opportunities to make contributions, often recasting the simple questions that are asked. For example, the main question could be: "Should the government compensate prairie farmers for a natural disaster as serious as the Quebec ice storm or Red River flood?" You could say: "While this is an important question, an even bigger one is: Why is the Canadian government not doing anything to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which are contributing to climate change and increasing the intensity of these costly weather events?"

Phone the producer of these shows to suggest good topics and potential guests.

Other media opportunities
Don't underestimate other media in your area: community papers, arts & entertainment weeklies, various magazines, professional or trade papers, church and union newsletters, club and organizational bulletins, student radio and newspapers, cultural papers, community cable and alternative media.

Phoning a journalist, editor or producer can also be useful. Suggest different angles for covering a story, provide meaningful information they may not have, encourage them to make connections to climate change and commend them for good coverage. Sometimes they will then encourage YOU to submit a guest editorial, write a letter or even make an appearance.