Please make sure that all of your correspondence is polite and business like. Feeling strongly about something is no excuse to be rude. A carefully considered and courteous letter is more likely to be taken seriously than a rant.

Amnesty International has a well-earned reputation for using letter writing campaigns very effectively. Many victims of human rights abuses have testified that they probably owe their lives to letters written on their behalf.

The following list is based on some of
Amnesty International's tips for effective letter writing:

• Always be polite. Always remember that your objective is to actually help someone (someone who may already be in serious trouble), not to blow off steam.
• Show the person you are writing to all due respect.
• Be reasonable. Let the facts speak for themselves, but don't pretend to be a lawyer¹.
• Don't use jargon, which may create the impression that you are writing to express a political point of view. Remember that your concern is for basic human rights, which apply to everyone, regardless of political or religious context.
• Express yourself. Letters that are obviously written by concerned individuals are much more effective than those which read like form letters.
• Be brief. Assume that whoever you are writing to has other demands on his or her time; so get to the point.