WR 121 Connor F25: Open Letters
Open Letters
This guide provides resources and tips for finding the evidence needed to support your open letter. Learn more about open letters below, and use the tabs to assist with steps in the process.
From your assignment: "For this writing project, you’ll write an open letter of 750-1000 words addressing an issue of significance to you and the broader community. An open letter is a piece of evidence-based, persuasive writing that is timely and has value to the public. A writer generally uses this genre to communicate ideas to a broader audience with the intention of persuading the reader and often concludes with a specific call-to-action."
- You should use primary and secondary sources to describe the problem and make a request or call-to-action based on your research.
- You should cite at least three carefully-chosen sources using MLA format.
- Your sources may include a mix of both primary and secondary sources.
- Depending on the audience and issue, you’ll need to decide the ideal ratio of ethos, logos, and pathos in your letter.
Image source: mozillafoundation.org/pt-BR/campaigns/sign-letter-AICOA/
How to: Open Letter
An open letter is one written to a specific individual or group, but that is published and intended to be read by a wider audience. Two of the most famous open letters are Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 letter from a Birmingham jail and Emile Zola's 1898 letter to the president of the French Republic accusing the government of antisemitism.
Here's another example of an open letter, from the Western States Center to the White House, urging action on hate-fueled violence.
The Art of the Open Letter explains how an open letter works, gives tips for what it should contain, and includes a couple of unusual examples.
This website also talks about the art of the open letter. It starts with interesting examples and gives a few tips at the end.
Open Letters to People or Entities Who Are Unlikely to Respond. This is from McSweeny's which is a humorous publication, and while these letters do mostly incorporate a kind of tongue in cheek kind of humor, they're also good examples of open letters on a wide variety of topics.
How to and examples: Editorials/opinion
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ACLU open letter in support of Jimmy KimmelSigned by over 400 celebrities and other artists, Sept. 22, 2025
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How to write an editorial7 tips for writing an editorial from the NY times.
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New York Times EditorialsThis is the New York Times editorial page where you can read multiple editorials to get an idea of how to write one.
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School board elections could make (or break) our democracyHere's another example from the Seattle Times.
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Shattering glass ceilings’ from the White House to spaceThis is an example editorial about a current issue from Indian Country Today.