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Top Tips for Writing Readers' Letters for Profit and Pleasure You do not need to be a skilled writer to be published regularly, and this can, in fact, be one of the very best ways to start your writing career, allowing you to develop your writing skills while generating a useful income.
Tips
* Market study is very important. Read published letters, look for obvious editorial preferences, study length, viewpoint, notice whether photographs and illustrations frequently appear with readers' letters.
* Take time to study the 'average' reader. Look at the advertisements, read other people's letters, study articles and features in your target magazine. Then write your letters with the average reader firmly in mind. To illustrate: an up-market business magazine for women is likely to feature business topics and matters of interest to the liberated women.
* With some exceptions, that paper is unlikely to print too many stories about children, or what to serve for supper. Conversely, a magazine targeted at young mothers would certainly like to hear about the funny things your children said or did at breakfast this morning.
* Notice whether the editor makes comments after letters. If yes, it's usually a good idea to follow up on these, agreeing or disagreeing with the editor and/or writer.
* Notice whether the editor favours letters commenting on past features in your target magazine. Some publications prefer comments on previous issues; others use very few.
* Unlike other shorter manuscripts, letters should start 'Dear Editor'.
* Be different. Look for an unusual angle or viewpoint. Or write in verse, make your letter funny, include a photograph or line drawing. Anything to make your letter stand out from the crowd.
* Never copy someone else's letter. This is plagiarism and wrong. Ideas, however, can be borrowed.
* Look for anniversaries and seasonal material to include in your letters. Christmas issues are filled with seasonal anecdotes, festive memories, comments on the year so far. Make sure you get your work in ahead of competitors and yours is likely to be the one that gets published.
* Make sure your handwriting is legible. If the editor can't read it, how can you hope to have it printed?
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