Writing an Open Letter

Writing an Open Letter

What is an open letter?

An open letter is a letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but is widely distributed

Poll

Why write an open letter?

• so that the author can convey his/her opinion to a wide audience

• to make political points

• to express an opinion on a social observation or current affairs issue

• for humorous purposes

Multiple Choice

"The internet has made open letters popular."

Is this statement true or false?

• TRUE

• FALSE

"The internet has made open letters popular."

Internet and social media have made the distribution of open letters much easier.

Anybody can now write an open letter and publish it in a blog, vlog, on a website, or social media site, and within days this letter can be viewed by thousands worldwide.

Multiple Choice

When writing an open letter...

• you can address it to a particular individual (such as the editor of a magazine, or a particular politician). However, they the letter is still intended to be read by a wider audience.

• you can also address it to a type of person or group (for example, letters to ‘teachers’ or ‘people who don’ t recycle’.)

• you can sign an open letter with your name, or you can might sign it from a group to which you belong, for example: from the lovely students in Ms. McKenzie's class

• All of the above

Poll

The open letter is a new concept. It was born when more people started using the internet.

• AGREE

• DISAGREE

Open letters are not a new concept. They've existed throughout history.

• There are open letters contained in the bible – letters from Saint Paul to other churches.

• Martin Luther King Jr. also famously wrote an open letter from jail, defending his strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism.

• A particularly famous open letter was one which appeared in a French newspaper in 1898, entitled “J’accuse...!” and written by Émile Zola.