Jan 21, 2017 3 min read

The year is just three weeks old, but there’s a new administration in Washington, D.C., that seems certain to generate controversy, and a host of issues in Washington and Greene counties that have gotten people talking, like the property reassessment or library funding.

We welcome letters on these and other issues. Writing a letter to the editor is a way to make your views known and help shape the dialogue within the community. You would also be participating in a long and august tradition – letters to the editor go back to at least the 18th century in American newspapers.

However, we do ask that you follow certain guidelines.

While there isn’t a specific word limit, be concise. Keeping the letters to within 400 words or fewer is best. And proofread your letter before submitting it, doing your best to make sure it is grammatically correct and everything is spelled correctly. Even though you won’t be getting a letter grade, imagine it’s an assignment you are going to turn in for a class.

A letter should also stick to one topic. Letters that bounce from one issue to another, without a focus or unifying idea, will be rejected. Also, make an argument. Don’t rant. Letters that largely consist of ill-tempered venting will also be rejected.

Like a term paper, the ideas you express in your letter should be your own, and you should not lift the work of others. Plaigiarism is easy to spot. So are “astroturf” letters, which are generated by advocacy groups and allow supporters of one cause or another to simply affix their name. If you feel strongly enough about something, research the subject and outline your thoughts on it in your own words.

A letter to the editor is not a means to thank someone for a service rendered, whether it was exemplary care in a medical setting, or a cup of coffee purchased. Thank these individuals in person or send a note. They will surely appreciate it. On the flip side of that, a letter to the editor is also not a way to settle personal scores, complain about businesses, refight court cases or rebut criminal charges.

Letters submitted anonymously will not be published, and we reserve the right to edit letters for, among other things, length and clarity. You must also provide your mailing address and phone number for verification purposes.

So send in those letters, either to Letters to the Editor, 122 S. Main St., Washington, PA 15301, or online at orletters@observer-reporter.com.