Same LTTE to more than one paper?

[More Than A Feeling]

Is it alright if I send the same letter to more than one paper? Or will that somehow lead to it not getting printed at all?

[NewJeffCT]

1. When I send them in & they call me back...

They will usually ask me if I sent the same letter to another publication... other than that, there is no problem unless more than 1 paper calls you back.

[BurtWorm]

2. You shouldn't really do that.

Most papers (except ones that are ALL about the advertising) expect that the letters they receive are original to them. This is why astroturfing (artificial grassroots campaigns that have activists cutting and pasting exactly the same message and sending it in to their local paper under their names) is so despised by newspaper editors. And rightly so, I would add.

[More Than A Feeling]

3. Don't worry, I haven't

Thanks to your advice, I wrote a different one to the Tribune. You can see them both in the activist thread.

[BurtWorm]

4. Excellent!

:toast:

[Jackpine Radical]

5. I have a different take.

As long as the papers don't have significantly overlapping readerships, and you are using your own name and address, I think it's OK. To be doubly sure, you can say in your cover letter that you have also sent the letter to other papers outside their area. If my Wisconsin paper publishes a letter from someone in Texas, I will likely assume that the Texan also sent the letter to other papers, but that my local paper has judged it to be of sufficient interest to print regardless of its origin.

The real problem arises when people send out these "astroturf" letters and people rework them a little & send them to their local papers under their own names. That's deceptive.

Incidentally, it is neither unethical or uncommon for a writer to sell the same article to more than one publication, but you have a responsibility to notify the publishers of what you're doing. If they think their readers aren't likely to have read the piece in the other pub, they are often very happy to run the article.

[Bouncy Ball]

6. I wouldn't do it.

They frown on it and once it is noticed, they DEFINITELY will not print them.

Although, I don't see the harm in sending it to one local paper and one big paper elsewhere. :shrug:

But a lot of them? Probably not.

[zbdent]

7. It's only allowed when it's Right-Wing astroturf

otherwise, they can it.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. I send original LTTE's to each paper

It may be the same topic but I try and approach it differently. If nothing else I figure it raises my chances of getting one that they will like.

[seabeyond]

9. another question: i CANT use my real name

too red/repug. my husband owns a business and people in this town will immediately identify with him. we are the only one with this last name. many will also know my father, and he owns business. though his people would probably just shake their head at that wacky calif daughter of his. but could.would hurt husbands business

so i havent sent any letter to editors

any suggestions

and thanks for the heads up on op question. was curious myself

[EFerrari]

10. No. If you get caught, they won't publish you again.

But, it is possible to write a good letter and then to rearrange it so you have more than one version to mail out. :)