letters to the editor
Published reader responses
Letters to the editor are messages from readers submitted to a publication for potential printing.
They typically respond to recent articles, express opinions on current events, or raise issues the writer believes deserve attention.
Newspapers traditionally print selected letters in a dedicated section: The paper received dozens of letters to the editor about the proposed development.
The format remains a way for ordinary people to participate in public discourse.
- opinionSubjective personal belief
- viewpointWay of seeing things
- op-ed pageSection for opinion essays
- editorial boardPublication's governing writers
- citizen journalismNon-professionals reporting news
headline · public forum · feedback · sound off · commentary · press · news · press freedom · writing · word count · article · reader · local news · published · newspaper · submitted · agenda-setting · media literacy
- articlesarticle, magazine article, features, feature stories, columns
- opinion piecesop-ed, op-eds, opinion piece, editorial column, staff editorial
- newspapersnewspaper, headlines, headline, news, articles
- local newscommunity news, local reporter, local politics, local events, city council
- journalismreporters, interview, editors, student editors, school paper
- correspondencemissives, emails, memoranda, mail, postcards
letters to the editoreditorial
Publication's official viewpoint article
op-ed · staff editorial · column · syndicated column · news article
letters to the editorprivate correspondence
Confidential written communication
personal letter · internal memo · confidential communication · private message · sealed letter