LetterAgent
Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.
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Send a short letter to the editor to the address on the paper's letters page, keep it within the paper's word limit, and include your full name, town, and phone number for verification. Most papers will not print a letter they cannot verify, no matter how well written it is.
Look for the letters page, usually near the opinion section, which prints the mailing address and the rules. Many papers still accept mailed letters even though most submissions now arrive by email, and some smaller weeklies prefer post because it signals a local reader. Address the letter to "Letters to the Editor" at the paper's office address. If the paper belongs to a chain, use the local office address, not the corporate headquarters, or the letter may be routed to the wrong desk and miss the week's edition.
Shorter than you think. Most local papers cap letters at a few hundred words, and many set the limit around 200 to 300 words. Editors cut overlong letters without asking, and a cut letter can lose its punchline. Aim for one point, made in the first two sentences, with one concrete local detail: a street, a council vote, a school event. A letter about a pothole on a named road beats a letter about infrastructure in general, because readers recognize the place and editors recognize a local voice. If your argument needs more room, that is an op-ed pitch, not a letter, and it goes through a different editor.
| Element | Do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | State your point in sentence one | A long preamble about why you are writing |
| Length | Stay under the paper's stated limit | Attaching extra pages or articles |
| Identity | Full name, town, phone number | A pen name, unless the paper allows it |
| Tone | Firm and specific | Personal attacks on named individuals |
For verification, not for publication. Before printing, an editor or assistant usually calls the sender to confirm authorship. That call is the main defence against fake letters, campaign form letters, and pranks. Your phone number is not printed, but your name and town usually are. Some papers also limit how often one person can appear, such as once a month, so a second letter sent too soon may be held even if it is good. If you use a pen name, say so and give your real name for verification; most papers will only print a pen name in special cases, such as safety concerns.
Four common reasons cover most rejections. First, libel risk: unproven claims about a named person or business. Second, length: well over the limit with no easy cut. Third, duplication: the same point the paper printed last week, or a form letter sent to many papers at once, which editors spot quickly. Fourth, timing: a letter about an event that has already passed or a vote already taken. A polite, specific, timely letter from a verifiable local resident is the easiest kind of letter to print, which is why editors say they receive far more publishable letters than they have space for, and choose the shortest strong ones first.
Yes, to any US or Canadian address: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is printed on standard 8.5 by 11 inch paper and mailed in a double-window envelope. Note one detail: the sender address shown through the window acts as the return address, so use an address where you can receive a reply or a verification call note. Keep a copy of the letter, because papers rarely confirm receipt, and you may want to follow up if it does not appear within a couple of editions.
Ready to mail it? Send your letter with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is printed and mailed.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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