Writing a Letter: Why and How

Writing a letter to the editor is a great way to reach a wide audience with your information. It allows you to educate others about gun violence and to show your elected officials that their constituents support stronger gun laws. 

Requirements for a letter to the editor may vary depending on the newspaper. Generally, submissions must include certain information from the author, such as your full name, mailing address, email address and phone number. Publications often limit contributors to one letter every 30 days. 

Here we have compiled a list of letter-to-the-editor submission forms for Wisconsin publications to help make it easy for you to submit your thoughts to your local newspaper.

If you don’t see your local newspaper included and would like help finding their guidelines, please email hj@waveedfund.org so WAVE staff can assist you.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: Wisconsin Newspapers

NewspaperLocationWord Limit
(as of Aug. 2023)
Milwaukee Journal SentinelMilwaukee200
Shepherd ExpressMilwaukeeNot listed
Wisconsin State JournalMadison200
Post-CrescentFox Valley250
LaCrosse TribuneLaCrosse250
Leader-TelegramEau Claire/Chippewa Valley300
Green Bay Press GazetteGreen Bay250
Journal TimesRacine250
Janesville GazetteJanesville400
Kenosha NewsKenosha275
The American IndependentStatewide400
Media listed in order of circulation within Wisconsin

Advice for Writing a Letter to the Editor

  1. Stay simple. Stick to one or two main points so you can truly say what you want within the word limit. 
  2. Write a clear topic statement. It is important that readers know exactly what you are trying to say. Make sure your letter starts or ends with a sentence that explicitly states your viewpoint. 
  3. Give a personal anecdote when possible. This will engage readers and will add credibility.
  4. Offer a solution. Explain clearly what should be done about the topic and who you are calling on to enact that solution. 

Note: If you are submitting a letter to the editor through a newspaper’s online submission form, it is recommended to compose your letter in a separate document, then paste it into the submission form.