Hosting A Letter To the Editor Writing Party
Please note: CCL's Communications team also hosts a monthly letter-writing Zoom party on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm E.T. Any volunteer may attend and the RSVP page can be found on the "Events" section of CCL Community under the category "Workshops".
What do you bring to the party?
Anything climate-related you have spotted in a local newspaper, a notepad and pen if you’d like to write by hand, and a beverage of your choice (hey, it is a party after all!).
How is the party structured?
[10 minutes]
- Quick intros so party attendees can meet each other.
- A quick training to cover how to write effective letters to the editor. The party host can share this video or use these slides to guide participants.
[10 minutes]
- The host can share writing suggestions CCL’s timely LTE Topics document and opportunities compiled from local newspapers along with talking points.
- Volunteers are encouraged to share climate-related stories they’ve also spotted locally.
- A quick discussion. Which newspaper will volunteers write? What angle will they take?
[20 minutes]
- Participants have 20 minutes to write. They’re encouraged to mute and turn their cameras off and return at a specified time.
- The host is available via the chatbox to answer questions and can also share helpful links.
[20 minutes]
- Everyone reconvenes, unmuting and turning cameras back on.
- The host asks if anyone would like to read a letter out loud to the party.
- Open discussion with the option for feedback and advice – and of course, praise!
When the hour is through, everyone will have made good progress on their letter, which increases the likelihood that participants will submit a finished letter to the editor. We all know what it is like to have the best intentions to write a letter, but then life gets in the way. Giving people dedicated time to write during the session is a great way to motivate them to finish a letter.
Tips for fine-tuning your party plans:
- Consider providing an agenda (click here for a sample) featuring links to stories and newspaper submission pages that people can refer to during the session.
- Make a note of everyone who turned up for the session and draft a group email sharing and celebrating LTE successes in the following weeks.
- If you have time at the end of the session, encourage people to talk about other media outreach they can get started, such as writing an op-ed, sending a press release, or approaching an editorial board.
- Make it a monthly commitment. Choose one evening a month and create a recurring calendar invite for participants.
- Go statewide! Could you open up your LTE party to other chapters in your state? Ask other media managers and group leaders to share the event and encourage volunteers from around your state to attend.
Log your action(s)!
Whether you submit your letter or have it published, make sure to walk your group through how to use CCL's Action Tracker to get credit for their hard work!
(full video)
- Charlotte Ward
- View or download the Google Slides Presentation
- Download the video
Need some inspiration getting started with hosting a LTE writing party?
The Writer's Circle Action Team can help!