Effective Letter Writing Tips

When writing a letter, keep these points in mind:

1. email doesn’t work as well as a written letter sent via regular mail.  You must commit to writing real letters and mailing them. email is too easy to create and send and generally does not get a response. To send a letter now, go to our Legislative Action Center now.

2. Don’t expect politicians outside your district to care about you (i.e. respond to your mail). Don’t let this prevent you from writing members of various committees, expressing your opinions and offering solutions - but the one thing politicians care about most is their job. It’s always nice to let them know you’re watching.

3. Your letter should never exceed 1 page. You may enclose additional pages as reference material, but keep your letter focused.

4. Always type (and spell check) your correspondence.

5. Always include a return address, even if you have to use ANCPR’s.

6. Keep your letters professional and to-the-point.

7. Sample letter structure:

• Opening paragraph (1 or 2 sentences) - states the problem; why you are writing this letter.
• Second paragraph (4-6 sentences ) - usually explains why you feel this is a problem.
• Third paragraph (4-6 sentences ) - gives suggestions and solutions for the problem described above.
• Closing paragraph (1 or 2 sentences) - asks for the recipient for a specific action at a specific time.

8. Keep the number of issues down to a maximum of 3 (fewer is better) in your letter. To address other issues, write separate letters.

9. Always keep copies of your letters - they come in very handy later on down the line.

10. For important letters (or legal purposes) where you want a response, send them Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested. Across the top line of your letter, type the words "Certified Mail" along with the number, centered.

Please use the ANCPR name, address and website - let them know you’re an active ANCPR member.

Good luck in your letter writing campaign.

To send a letter now, go to our Legislative Action Center now.