Like it or not, the editors, senators and CEOs of the
world wield considerable power. As animal advocates, we are frequently
called on to write to these influential people to protest, inform, or,
on rare but happy occasions, to thank on the behalf of those who are not
able to communicate in the written form. Whether or not your letters are
published or responded to, they do make a difference, especially in the
aggregate: newspapers want subscribers, politicians want to be
re-elected, executives want consumers to buy their company's product. No
one's job is guaranteed, and most potential letter recipients are savvy
enough to not want to alienate a significant portion of the public. Not
only this, but if your letter is written with the intention of it being
printed, there are a lot of people who can be positively influenced and
informed.
Here are some pointers:
1. Focus on the issue at hand. If you are writing about
factory farming, don't launch into a diatribe against animal testing.
There are a lot of valid issues, but they should be kept separate in
order to -
2. Keep things concise. You may need to write several drafts of your
letter out in order to achieve this; conciseness lends a simple but
direct tone to your letter instead of a rambling and unfocused one. This
is especially important when one's goal is to have the letter printed:
not only are succinct letters more likely to be chosen, but if a
long-winded one does wind up being published, it's likely to be heavily
edited, and the intended message could get lost or blurred. Also,
precise sentences often have more of an emotional impact.
Here's an example on this last point: let's pretend that
Acme Corporation wants to bulldoze over part of a forest in order to
expand their corporate headquarters, and this is a letter intended to be
read by executives. Which example reads better?
A)... "Not only is Acme going to displace many animals
(not that you care, because even if you pretend that you do, your
actions tell the truth), but also you'll be adding to the problem of
overdevelopment and diminishing natural beauty in Palookaville, just
like you did five years ago when you first moved here, (despite the
protests from people who actually give a damn about this town and this
planet we live on) and we're sick and tired of you only following
corporate interests and ignoring the desires of the community at large."
B)... "I urge you to reconsider expanding Acme into the
forest that is the home to many different species of animals, as well as
countless varieties of trees, shrubs and plants. Once it has been
destroyed, it's gone forever; the citizens of Palookaville who enjoy the
natural beauty of our forest ask that Acme executives consider a more
responsible, compassionate alternative that will benefit the entire
community."
The message is essentially the same, but example B is
stronger and more coherent because it's focused. It's more likely to be
considered with the seriousness that the subject deserves.
3. Don't resort to name-calling. If you're writing a
letter with the hope of getting it published, people who read it will
have more acceptance of your message if you are viewed as a
compassionate and reasonable person. The danger of verbally attacking
those we oppose is that the sympathy pendulum might swing in their
favor. This doesn't mean being timid or overly mawkish in your
letters... it means making your point in a direct, assertive, but
nonviolent way. If your letter is written for an individual to read, you
will much more likely have that person's open-minded attention if they
are not feeling on the defensive. Try to remember that no matter how
rich, powerful or corrupt the recipient of your letter may be, this
person is ultimately a human being, not an impenetrable fortress or
institution. Having this in mind will not only empower you as an
activist, it will strengthen and humanize your letter.
4. Be accurate. Know your facts and figures. This is
especially important if this is a letter to a magazine or newspaper,
because if your facts are inaccurate, there could be a rebutting letter
which contradicts your information and undermines your entire message.
Also, while facts and figures can certainly add heft to an argument, use
them sparingly; too many statistics can make a letter seem cold, dull
and mechanical. At the same time, a letter that contains too many
emotional arguments can seem manipulative and lacking solidity. A good
thing to strive for in a letter intended for publication is a healthy
balance between reason and emotion that brings out the best qualities of
both.
5. Define your goals. Is your intention to educate,
inspire, or infuriate? What is the best way to get this response? In a
larger sense, what is your goal for your letter? The more these
questions have been answered before you write your letter, the likelier
you are going to have a quality of clarity and purpose that runs through
it. Your goals may change as you write the letter: don't be afraid to
let this happen. This is one of the reasons why it's best to write a few
drafts of your letter, so you can figure out the best way to communicate
your thoughts. If, in the process of drafting out your letter, your
focus or your tone begins to shift in unexpected ways, let it... be
fluid and let the true nature of your letter emerge. After you've found
it, then you can gently shape and mold your letter through editing to
suit your purposes, in effect, striking a kind of balance between
flexibility and discipline.
Now go out there and get riled up about something. Read
the paper, watch the news, talk to friends, daydream, whatever...Just
get those passionate letters out there, people!
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