Writing
to Elected Officials and
Writing
Letters to the Editor
For
Ecological Agriculture
(from Nancy
A. Parkes, faculty)
Letters to Editor:
 | What do you want? |
| How clearly can you define the issue? |
| Can you build a realistic scenario that makes
your readers care? |
| Who is your audience, and what are its views? |
| Who 'in this audience are you trying to reach? |
| How can you motivate positively? |
| Who are the stakeholders? |
| What do they want? |
| How can their needs be addressed? |
| What, specifically, can readers do? |
| Who are your elected officials? |
| What do they have the capacity to do? |
| What committees do they serve on? |
| Do they play a major/minor role? |
| Who is their constituency? |
| What do you want? |
| Why do you matter to this elected official? |
| How clearly, and uniquely, can you define the
issue (avoid template postcards unless you just want to be counted)?
|
| Can you build a "win" scenario for this official
considering his or her views and past actions? |
| Are there other elected officials you would like
your elected official to contact? |
| How will you follow up? |
| Attempts to ask and answer the right questions |
| Is specific and focused |
| Is user friendly and easily understood by the
broadest audience |
| Engages the public in meaningful examination and
debate |
| Tolerates innovation |
| Addresses the needs and values of stakeholders |
| Can adapt to changing needs and knowledge |
| Works across significant differences |
| Is based on long‑term as well as short‑term
goals |
| Provides the necessary dollars, structure and
training to be effective |
| Has the political support it needs from
formulation through implementation |
