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How to Write an Open Letter: A Guide to Our Opinion Contest

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How to Write an Open Letter: A Guide to Our Opinion Contest

Now think about how this might work in an open letter. Some employ that same kind of insider knowledge. For instance, many of the open letters to Taylor Swift on the internet riff off the titles of her songs, allude to moments from her past or scatter the kinds of “Easter eggs” — or secret messages — that Ms. Swift is known for herself. If the writer’s stated audience is Ms. Swift, and his or her unstated audience is fans of hers, that works well; the readers understand the references.

But what if your audience isn’t that specialized, and you can’t predict what they will know? That is the case with most Times pieces, which are written for a general reader. They assume some background knowledge, but tend to detail anything crucial the reader needs to know. In fact, the way the writer explains those details can be a big part of making their case.

The opening lines of Kurt Streeter’s open letter to Brittney Griner in a 2022 Sports of The Times column are a good example. How do they show that the writer is addressing an audience well beyond Griner, the basketball star?

Welcome home, Brittney. At long last, welcome home.

Like so many others, I wondered if this day would ever come.

Now you are home and safe after nearly 10 months of brutal uncertainty and fear.

Home and safe after isolating imprisonment in a Russia that has cast aside international norms.

Home and safe after getting trapped in a web of geopolitics that grew thicker each day as the war in Ukraine dragged on.

What you endured over the last 10 months is nearly unfathomable. As a Black, openly gay woman, you were in particular danger as a prisoner in a country with dangerous, retrograde views on race and sexuality.

What background information do these opening lines supply for those who may not remember all the details of Ms. Griner’s imprisonment? How does Mr. Streeter’s description of this history and context encourage the reader’s sympathy and respect for Ms. Griner?

Continue reading. How does Mr. Streeter weave in details, facts and quotes to build context and background, and to further his case? Mark all the places where he does that effectively.

To focus on just one example, note how elegantly he includes a quote from an important and relevant person, and how he makes sure, we, his Times audience, know who this person is. Yet he doesn’t do it by citing his source, as you would in an academic essay. Instead, he weaves it in as one would if they were writing a personal letter — as if he’s just letting Ms. Griner know what someone had to say about her:

When I spoke to Vince Kozar, the Mercury’s president, this week, he mentioned the letters you exchanged over the last several months. “At all times, she was asking about other people,” said Kozar, your boss and friend. “Her concern was about other people. First and foremost, she asked how her teammates were doing, asking us to ensure we were taking care of her wife.”

Choose any of the essays from the list at the top of this article that you have already read. This time, focus on how they impart background information. What does the writer let you, the general reader, know that the stated recipient would probably already know? How do they do this well, with strategies you might use in your own writing?

How Did the Covid-19 Pandemic Affect You, Your Family and Your Community?

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How Did the Covid-19 Pandemic Affect You, Your Family and Your Community?

It has been four years since the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The New York Times writes of the anniversary:

Four years ago today, society began to shut down.

Shortly after noon Eastern on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared Covid — or “the coronavirus,” then the more popular term — to be a global pandemic. Stocks plummeted in the afternoon. In the span of a single hour that night, President Donald Trump delivered an Oval Office address about Covid, Tom Hanks posted on Instagram that he had the virus and the N.B.A. announced it had canceled the rest of its season.

It was a Wednesday, and thousands of schools would shut by the end of the week. Workplaces closed, too. People washed their hands frequently and touched elbows instead of shaking hands (although the C.D.C. continued to discourage widespread mask wearing for several more weeks).

The worst pandemic in a century had begun.

For some people, the earliest days of the pandemic may feel like a lifetime ago; for others, it may feel like just yesterday. But for all of us Covid has indelibly changed our lives and the world. What do you remember about the earliest days of the pandemic? When did it first hit home for you? How did it affect you, your family and your community? What lessons did you learn about yourself and the world?

In “Four Years On, Covid Has Reshaped Life for Many Americans,” Julie Bosman writes that while the threat of severe illness and death has faded for many people, the pandemic’s effects still linger:

Jessie Thompson, a 36-year-old mother of two in Chicago, is reminded of the Covid-19 pandemic every day.

Sometimes it happens when she picks up her children from day care and then lets them romp around at a neighborhood park on the way home. Other times, it’s when she gets out the shower at 7 a.m. after a weekday workout.

“I always think: In my past life, I’d have to be on the train in 15 minutes,” said Ms. Thompson, a manager at United Airlines.

A hybrid work schedule has replaced her daily commute to the company headquarters in downtown Chicago, giving Ms. Thompson more time with her children and a deeper connection to her neighbors. “The pandemic is such a negative memory,” she said. “But I have this bright spot of goodness from it.”

For much of the United States, the pandemic is now firmly in the past, four years to the day that the Trump administration declared a national emergency as the virus spread uncontrollably. But for many Americans, the pandemic’s effects are still a prominent part of their daily lives.

In interviews, some people said that the changes are subtle but unmistakable: Their world feels a little smaller, with less socializing and fewer crowds. Parents who began to home-school their children never stopped. Many people are continuing to mourn relatives and spouses who died of Covid or of complications from the coronavirus.

The World Health Organization dropped its global health emergency designation in May 2023, but millions of people who survived the virus are suffering from long Covid, a mysterious and frequently debilitating condition that causes fatigue, muscle pain and cognitive decline.

One common sentiment has emerged. The changes brought on by the pandemic now feel lasting, a shift that may have permanently reshaped American life.

As part of our coverage of the pandemic’s anniversary, The Times asked readers how Covid has changed their attitudes toward life. Here is what they said:

“I’m a much more grateful person. Life is precious, and I see the beauty in all the little miracles that happen all around me. I’m a humbled human being now. I have more empathy and compassion towards everyone.” — Gil Gallegos, 59, Las Vegas, N.M.

“The pandemic has completely changed my approach to educating my child. My spouse and I had never seriously considered home-schooling until March 2020. Now, we wouldn’t have it any other way.” — Kim Harper, 47, Clinton, Md.

“I had contamination O.C.D. before the pandemic began. The last four years have been a steady string of my worst fears coming true. I never feel safe anymore. I know very well now that my body can betray me at any time.” — Adelia Brown, 23, Madison, Wis.

“I don’t take for granted the pleasure of being around people. Going to a show, a road trip, a restaurant, people watching at the opera. I love it.” — Philip Gunnels, 66, Sugar Land, Texas

“My remaining years are limited. On the one hand, I feel cheated out of many experiences I was looking forward to; on the other hand, I do not want to live my remaining years with long Covid. It’s hard.” — Sandra Wulach, 77, Edison, N.J.

Students, read one or both of the articles and then tell us:

  • How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect you, your family and your community? How did it reshape your life and the world? What are your most lasting memories of this difficult period? What do you want to remember most? What do you want to forget?

  • How did you change during this time? What did you learn about yourself and about life? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

  • Ms. Bosman writes that some of the people she interviewed revealed that four years after the global pandemic began, “Their world feels a little smaller, with less socializing and fewer crowds.” However, Gil Gallegos told The Times: “I’m a much more grateful person. Life is precious, and I see the beauty in all the little miracles that happen all around me. I’m a humbled human being now. I have more empathy and compassion towards everyone.” Which of the experiences shared in the two articles reminded you the most of your own experiences during and after the pandemic and why? How did Covid change your overall outlook on life?

  • “The last normal day of school.” “The nursing home shut its doors.” “The bride wore Lululemon.” These are just a few quotes from “When the Pandemic Hit Home,” an article in which The Times asked readers to share their memories of the world shutting down. Read the article and then tell us about a time when the pandemic hit home for you.

  • In the last four years, scientists have unraveled some of the biggest mysteries about Covid. In another article, The Times explores many remaining questions about the coronavirus: Are superdodgers real? Is Covid seasonal? And what’s behind its strangest symptoms? Read the article and then tell us what questions you still have about the virus and its effects.

  • How do you think history books will tell the story of the pandemic? If you were to put together a time capsule of artifacts from this era to show people 100 years from now, what would you include and why? What will you tell your grandchildren about what it was like to live during this time?

Hidden Doorway

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Hidden Doorway

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this video or, describe a memory from your own life that this video makes you think of.

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

Word of the Day: tarnish

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Word of the Day: tarnish

The word tarnish has appeared in 60 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 25 in “Spanish Women’s Squad Refuses to Play Until Soccer Chief Resigns” by Rachel Chaundler:

Only hours after the head of the Spanish soccer federation insisted he would not step down for grabbing and kissing a member of Spain’s championship team at the Women’s World Cup medals ceremony last weekend in Australia, players on the squad announced on Friday that they would refuse to play until he was gone.

… The players concluded their statement calling for “real changes, both sporting and structural, that help the National Team to continue growing,” and added, “It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable event is managing to tarnish the greatest sporting success of Spanish women’s football.”

Can you correctly use the word tarnish in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how tarnish can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

Interview with Instructional Design Pioneer, Dean Pichee

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Interview with Instructional Design Pioneer, Dean Pichee

It is often a challenge to find the pioneers of instructional design for not only e-learning, but also the days of CBT (Computer-Based Training) and before that when we had LANs and WANs with text driven content that went out to the masses. Anyone who grew up during those days, remembers when office computers, and even home, had a monochrome screen. In the mid 80’s, modems showed up, with a whopping 2.2Kbs (Prodigy) and you might be lucky to have a color screen. We are talking floppy disks (5 and a quarter inch) and no hard drive.

I had one for grad school. It was the latest with dual floppy drives, a dot matrix printer, and a color screen (not what you are thinking of today – it was a CGA). Whoo-hoo. Earl Weaver baseball though was amazing. What? You thought I only used my computer for things like my thesis?

Think about how you would have to create courses for such endeavors? And that was on the PC side. Apple was a completely different monster.

I couldn’t even imagine what it had to be like. When CBT rumbled in, those 640mb CD-ROMS definitely was a game changer. Then at some point, WBT appeared (now referred to as elearning courses and content by way too many vendors – when it actually was devised as an umbrella term and spelled e-learning). The modem speeds, and yes I am saying modem, was 12.2Kbs, then it went up, and in 2000, a whopping 56.6Kbs. Speed demons!

The point of bringing all of this up, is that Dean Pichee, was at the forefront for computer learning, then CBT, and now WBT. I consider him to be one of the early pioneers who saw the possibilities and made it happen.

I’ve been fortunate to know Dean for many years, and my respect for what he provided and did for our industry is nothing short of spectacular. Today, Dean is the CEO and Founder of Biz Library, a 3rd party course and content publisher (whose content IMO is elite, with sound instructional design techniques), along with a learning system, BizLMS, plus BizSkills and BizAcademy (you can get each separate or have them all included – I recommend the total inclusion).

The focus on this interview is to learn more about what you should look for when deciding what 3rd party content/course publisher you should choose/consider, how you can go from only PowerPoint (that so many folks use) to a different method, even if you are new to course building (and yes, a lot of folks are), plus a few other items.

My questions will be italicized, bolded and green.

Q: Let’s say I am creating a course for the very first time. I do not have any knowledge around instructional design, nor how to build a good course.  What would be the important items to remember, and some best practices?

Dean: This is a great question for course developers.  We (Biz Library) believe that there are four key components for effective learning…..

  • Spacing – spreading out learning over time improves learning. For example, people will learn and retain more if they study 5-10 minutes for 10 days rather than 1-2 hours all on one day. 
  • Retrieval practice – learning improves when learners are asked to bring information to mind from memory by taking practice tests or quizzes.  The key is that they should bring the information to mind from memory. 
  • Dual coding  – learning content is best when verbal representations of information (words) are combined with visual representations of information (videos/pictures/diagrams). When we combine these, it is easier for us to understand the information being presented. 
  • Elaboration – asking “how” and “why” questions about a specific topic, and then trying to find the answers to those questions. The act of trying to describe and explain how and why things work helps learners truly understand and learn. 

Importantly, all of these instructional design components have a couple of very important things in common:

They are all difficult. Research consistently shows that this difficulty is a good thing; the strategies that feel easy are the ones that do not promote learning in the long-run.

They all promote long-term learning. This is important and is probably due to the difficulty.  Instructional design that feels easy promotes “learning” that is almost immediately forgotten (even by the next day).  That is not our objective… it long-term knowledge and behavior change.  

Q: Keeping on creating courses, many people are creating courses either with PowerPoint or all text, neither of which I see as an effective way to retain knowledge. What do you think about this?

Dean: I do not think that a single learning experience (regardless of how thorough or good) is an effective way to retain knowledge.  Micro-learning, space out over time, and reinforced with a series of opportunities to recall information and elaborate works best in my opinion.

Q: I am looking to purchase 3rd party content from a publisher.  When deciding whom to purchase, what should I look for or focus on specifically, regardless of the topic to make an informed decision to buy content from that publisher?

Dean: Wow.  A little bit a loaded question here… I would always suggest looking for a wide selection of quality courses or lessons, the ability to customize to meet your organization’s specific needs, and for a bundling or mapping of the content to your specific needs.

Q: You have been around the industry for a long time, a pioneer in creating and launching courses when WBT (now referred to as online learning or e-learning content/courses) was introduced. What have you seen as the core differences and changes in the course development side of the house (from someone creating courses to even publishers building them and selling them)?

Dean: I’ve seen a lot of changes in our industry over the past three decades… very positive changes.  Today we see learning content that is shorter in length (5 minutes vs. 2 hours in some cases), more video-based content vs power point slide presentation refitted as stand-alone courses, and over the quality and quantity of learning content has increased substantially.  There are many options for organizations today, and that choice has made us all better.

Q: What concerns you as an expert in these three areas:

  • Course authoring tools using only AI (generative AI)
  • Creating content for the next generation of learners – regardless of if they are employees or customers
  • Where the industry is heading

Dean:

Course Authoring tools using only AI (generative AI)

  • AI is everywhere today and its helping course creation and curation in some important ways.  But generative AI alone would not be an effective learning experience today, in my opinion.  We still feel strongly that there is a need for human contributions in terms of instructional design, editing, and publishing to get the best outcomes.

Creating content for the next generation of learners – regardless of if they are employees or customers

  • For the next generation of learners we are seeing a few trends that I think are important… one is micro learning is becoming more micro… we used to think of 10-15 minutes  for course length… now we’re thinking 1 minute or less in some cases.  Also we (Biz Library) see that the next generation of workers are 100% digital natives, and they are sometimes more comfortable talking with the computer rather than their manager… I’m very intrigued by AI-powered coaching as a result.  

Where the industry is heading?

  • My crystal ball is a bit cloudy at the moment but I think we are headed for some very interesting and challenging times as we navigate the technological and demographic changes going forward.  My advice to newcomers is to buckle up!

To learn more about Biz Library and the content services they offer, click here. To view their content library, click here.

I’d like to thank Dean for providing insightful information with this interview. Look for future interviews, with other leading experts in the instructional design field, as we continue to navigate how it is changing and it’s impact on the current generation of learners, and those to come.

Bonus Content – Wanted Instructional Designer

How to Create an online course regardless of an authoring tool or lack thereof

E-Learning 24/7

Texting Styles

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Texting Styles

Imagine someone messages you at a quarter to 1 on a Saturday night after not answering your last message two days ago. How are you responding?

And if someone triple texts you in the middle of a busy day and calls you out for your slow reply: What then? Does it matter who it is and why?

These are some questions a Times article asks at the beginning of a piece about how mismatched texting styles can take a toll on a new romance, but we’re applying them to all your texting relationships — whether with romantic partners, friends, parents, relatives, coaches, bosses or anyone else.

What’s your texting style? How much does it vary depending on who you’re communicating with? What ways of texting are real mismatches for your own? Have you had any issues as a result? How have you handled it?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

Word of the Day: gauzy

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Word of the Day: gauzy

The word gauzy has appeared in 46 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 30 in “In the Faroe Islands, Art, Food and Fashion Take a Cue From Nature” by Jeanine Barone:

Huddled in the North Atlantic between Iceland, Scotland and Norway, the Faroes — an 18-island archipelago and self-governing nation within the Kingdom of Denmark — captivates visitors the instant they land at the airport on the island of Vágar. Silence saturates the emerald green slopes and basalt cliffs. Sheep roam the grassy expanses that are sliced vertically by dark rocky threads caused by the erosion of streams. It’s hard to keep your eyes focused on the road as you behold a gauzy mist swirling around the mountains, veiling deep gorges, wide fjords, occasional turf-roofed dwellings and waterfalls.

Can you correctly use the word gauzy in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how gauzy can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest

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Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest

What’s bothering you? Who could do something about it? What could you say to them that would persuade them to care, or to make change?

And … what if we all read your letter? How could you make us care too?

These are some of the questions we’re asking you to ponder for our new Open Letter Contest. An open letter is a published letter of protest or appeal usually addressed to an individual, group or institution but intended for the general public. Think of the many “Dear Taylor Swift” open letters you can find online and on social media: Sure, they’re addressed to Ms. Swift, but they’re really a way for the writer to share opinions and feelings on feminism, or ticket sales, or the music industry, or … the list goes on.

As you might already know if you’ve read Martin Luther King’s famous Letter From Birmingham Jail, an open letter is a literary device. Though it seems on the surface to be intended for just one individual or group, and therefore usually reads like a personal letter (and can make readers feel they are somehow “listening in” on private thoughts), it is really a persuasive essay addressed to the public. This recent letter signed by over 1,000 tech leaders about the dangers of A.I., this funny 2020 letter addressed to Harry and Meghan, and this video letter from young Asian-Americans to their families about Black Lives Matter are all examples of the tradition.

Now we’re inviting you to try it yourself. Write your own open letter, to anyone you like on any issue you care about, as long as it is also appropriate and meaningful for a general Times audience.

Whom should you write to? What should you say? How do open letters work?

The rules and FAQ below, along with our forthcoming how-to guide and Student Opinion forum, can walk you through ways to get started.

Because this is a new contest, we expect questions. Please ask any you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com.

Write an open letter to a specific audience that calls attention to an issue or problem and prompts reflection or action on it.

Whether you choose to write to your parents, teachers, school board members or mayor; a member of Congress; the head of a corporation; an artist or entertainer; or a metonym like “Silicon Valley” or “The Kremlin,” ask yourself, What do I care about? Who can make changes, big or small, local or global, to address my issue or problem? What specifically do I want my audience to understand or do? And how can I write this as an “open letter,” compelling not just to me and the recipient, but to the general audience who will be reading my words?

The Times has published numerous open letters over the years, to both famous and ordinary people. You can find a long list of free examples in our forthcoming guide.

This contest invites students to express themselves and imagine that their words can lead to real change.

  • Focus on an issue you care about and with which you have some experience. You can write about almost anything you like, whether it’s a serious issue like bullying, or something more lighthearted like why bugs deserve respect, but we have found over the years that the most interesting student writing grows out of personal experience. Our related Student Opinion forum and how-to guide can help you come up with ideas.

  • Address a specific audience relevant to the issue. Choose an individual, group, organization or institution who is in a position to make change or promote understanding about your topic.

  • Call for action, whether the change you seek is something tangible, like asking Congress to enact a law or demanding a company stop a harmful practice, or something more abstract, like inviting your audience to understand or reflect on something they may have never considered.

  • Be suitable and compelling for a wide general audience. An open letter simultaneously addresses an explicit recipient — Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin or your gym teacher — as well as us, the general public, your implicit audience. Though your letter might seem to be meant just for one person, it is really trying to persuade a general reader. Make sure you write it in such a way that it is relevant, understandable, appropriate and meaningful for any New York Times reader. (Again, our related guide can help.)

  • Be written as a letter, in a voice and tone that is appropriate for both your audience and purpose. Are you simply taking an argumentative essay you’ve written for school already and slapping a “Dear X” on top of it and a “Sincerely, Y” on the bottom? No.

    A letter — even an open letter — is different from a formal essay, and your writing should reflect that. Can you be informal? Even funny? If that makes sense for your purpose and audience, then yes, please. Our related guide, and the many examples we link to, can help you think about this, but we hope the format of a letter will let you loosen up a bit and express yourself in your natural voice. (For example, you’ll be writing as “I” and addressing your letter’s recipient as “you.”)

  • Also attempt to persuade a general audience. Though it is written in the form of a letter, it is an opinion piece, and you are trying to make a case and support it with evidence, as you would any argument. Remember that you are trying to change hearts and minds, so you’ll be drawing on the same rhetorical strategies as you might have for our editorial contest. (Again, more on this in the forthcoming guide.)

  • Make your case in 460 words or fewer. Your title and sources are not part of the word count.

  • Inform with evidence from at least two sources, including one from The Times and one from outside The Times. We hope this contest encourages you to deepen your understanding of your topic by using multiple sources, ideally ones that offer a range of perspectives. Just make sure those sources are trustworthy.

    Because this is a letter, not a formal essay, we are not asking you to provide in-text citations, but we will be asking you to list the sources you used — as many as you like — in a separate field that does not contribute to your word count. Keep in mind, however, that if you include evidence from those sources, our readers (and judges) should always be able to tell where it came from. Be careful to put quotations around any direct quotes you use, and cite the source of anything you paraphrase.

In addition to the guidelines above, here are a few more details:

  • You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle school or high school to participate, and all students must have parent or guardian permission to enter. Please see the F.A.Q. section for additional eligibility details.

  • Your open letter should be original for this contest. That means it should not already have been published at the time of submission, whether in a school newspaper, for another contest or anywhere else.

  • Keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

  • You may work alone or in groups, but students should submit only one entry each.

  • You must also submit a short, informal “artist’s statement” as part of your submission, that describes your writing and research process. These statements, which will not be used to choose finalists, help us to design and refine our contests. See the F.A.Q. to learn more.

  • All entries must be submitted by May 1, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time using the electronic form at the bottom of this page.

Use these resources to help you write your open letter:

  • Our forthcoming step-by-step guide.

  • A long list of free examples of open letters published in The New York Times, which you will be able to find in our step-by-step guide.

  • A writing prompt: To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter? This prompt offers students a “rehearsal space” for thinking about to whom they’d like to write an open letter, the reason they’re writing and why they think that issue is important not only for the recipient but also for a wider audience.

  • Argumentative writing prompts: We publish new argumentative writing prompts for students each week in our Student Opinion and Picture Prompt columns. You can find them all, as they publish, here, or many of them, organized by topic, in our forthcoming collection of over 300 prompts.

  • Argumentative writing unit: This unit includes writing prompts, lesson plans, webinars and mentor texts. While it was originally written to support our Student Editorial Contest, many of the resources can help students form compelling arguments, cite reliable evidence and write engagingly for an open letter, as well.

  • Our contest rubric: This is the rubric judges will use to judge this contest.

Below are answers to your questions about writing, judging, the rules and teaching with this contest. Please read these thoroughly and, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, post your query in the comments or write to us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com.

Questions About Writing

How is this contest different from your long-running Editorial Contest? Can we still use those materials?

For a decade we ran an editorial contest, and the students who participated wrote passionately about all kinds of things — A.I., fast fashion, race, trans rights, college admissions, parental incarceration, fan fiction, snow days, memes, being messy and so much more. You can still write about the issues and ideas that fire you up — it’s just that this time around you’ll be doing it as a letter to a person who has the power to make change on or bring understanding to that issue.

Our related guide has more about the differences between a traditional opinion essay and an open letter, but the many materials we developed for that earlier contest are also woven into the guide, since concepts like ethos, logos and pathos are still very much relevant to this challenge.

I have no idea what to write about. Where should I start?

Our Student Opinion forum can help via its many questions that encourage you to brainstorm both the audience you might write to and the topics you’d like to address.

Can I actually send my open letter?

You can! Just wait until after you have submitted your work to us to do so since we have a rule that nothing can be published prior to submission. (As always for our contests, you retain the copyright to the piece you submit, and can do whatever you like with it.)

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Questions About Judging

How will my open letter be judged?

Your work will be read by New York Times journalists, as well as by Learning Network staff members and educators from around the United States. We will use this rubric to judge entries.

What’s the “prize”?

Having your work published on The Learning Network and being eligible to have your work published in the print New York Times.

When will the winners be announced?

About 8-10 weeks after the contest has closed.

My piece wasn’t selected as a winner. Can you tell me why?

We typically receive thousands of entries for our contests, so unfortunately, our team does not have the capacity to provide individual feedback on each student’s work.

_________

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

This contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school around the world. College students cannot submit an entry. However, high school students (including high school postgraduate students) who are taking one or more college classes can participate. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province can also participate. In addition, students age 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate.

The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter this contest. Nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.

Can I have someone else check my work?

We understand that students will often revise their work based on feedback from teachers and peers. That is allowed for this contest. However, be sure that the final submission reflects the ideas, voice and writing ability of the student, not someone else.

Do I need a Works Cited page?

Yes. We provide you with a separate field to list the sources you used to inform or write your open letter. You’re allowed to format your list however you want; we will not judge your entry based on formatting in this section. Internal citations in your letter are not necessary.

Why are you asking for an Artist’s Statement about our process? What will you do with it?

All of us who work on The Learning Network are former teachers. One of the many things we miss, now that we work in a newsroom rather than a classroom, is being able to see how students are reacting to our “assignments” in real time — and to offer help, or tweaks, to make those assignments better. We’re asking you to reflect on what you did and why, and what was hard or easy about it, in large part so that we can improve our contests and the curriculum we create to support them. This is especially important for new contests, like this one.

Another reason? We have heard from many teachers that writing these statements is immensely helpful to students. Stepping back from a piece and trying to put into words what you wanted to express, and why and how you made artistic choices to do that, can help you see your piece anew and figure out how to make it stronger. For our staff, they offer important context that help us understand individual students and submissions, and learn more about the conditions under which students around the world create.

Whom can I contact if I have questions about this contest or am having issues submitting my entry?

Leave a comment on this post or write to us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com.

_________

QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING WITH THIS CONTEST

Do my students need a New York Times subscription to access these resources?

No. All of the resources on The Learning Network are free.

If your students don’t have a subscription to The New York Times, they can also get access to Times pieces through The Learning Network. All the activities for students on our site, including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for articles using the search tool on our home page.

How do my students prove to me that they entered this contest?

After they press “Submit” on the form below, they will see a “Thank you for your submission.” line appear. They can take a screenshot of this message. Please note: Our system does not currently send confirmation emails.

We will post the submission form here on the day the contest opens.

To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter?

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onlinefreecourse
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To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter?

For instance, sometimes an open letter is intended to call someone out publicly, like this one written to Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook (now Meta), by the screenwriter Aaron Sorkin in 2019. Here is how it begins:

Mark,

In 2010, I wrote “The Social Network” and I know you wish I hadn’t. You protested that the film was inaccurate and that Hollywood didn’t understand that some people build things just for the sake of building them. (We do understand that — we do it every day.)

I didn’t push back on your public accusation that the movie was a lie because I’d had my say in the theaters, but you and I both know that the screenplay was vetted to within an inch of its life by a team of studio lawyers with one client and one goal: Don’t get sued by Mark Zuckerberg.

It was hard not to feel the irony while I was reading excerpts from your recent speech at Georgetown University, in which you defended — on free speech grounds — Facebook’s practice of posting demonstrably false ads from political candidates. I admire your deep belief in free speech. I get a lot of use out of the First Amendment. Most important, it’s a bedrock of our democracy and it needs to be kept strong.

But this can’t possibly be the outcome you and I want, to have crazy lies pumped into the water supply that corrupt the most important decisions we make together. Lies that have a very real and incredibly dangerous effect on our elections and our lives and our children’s lives.

But an open letter doesn’t have to be written by someone famous to someone famous. In An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China, the journalist Michael Luo addresses an anonymous woman on the street. It begins:

Dear Madam:

Maybe I should have let it go. Turned the other cheek. We had just gotten out of church, and I was with my family and some friends on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We were going to lunch, trying to see if there was room in the Korean restaurant down the street. You were in a rush. It was raining. Our stroller and a gaggle of Asians were in your way.

But I was, honestly, stunned when you yelled at us from down the block, “Go back to China!”

Open letters can also honor and thank someone, and call attention to the continued importance of their work. In 2017, at the end of Barack Obama’s tenure as president, the rapper T.I. wrote him an open letter:

You entered humbly into our worlds from the streets of the South Side of Chicago and galvanized a generation. You resonated from the barbershops to the airwaves to the streets of every hood across America. Many of US did not know your name, nor did we truly understand the impact you would have on the world in the years, months and days that followed.

As I reflect, I am filled with gratitude, outrage, grief, anger, humility and appreciation, both for the things you helped bring to light and the many things we still have yet to realize.

Or they can inspire and motivate, as the columnist Timothy Egan’s letter “Dear Graduate,” from 2009, does. Here’s an excerpt:

Eat a hot dog. With lots of mustard. The kind you can get for two dollars from street vendors just outside the ballpark, a trick I picked up from Ash Green, gentleman editor at Alfred A. Knopf. He passed this wisdom on before the recession.

While we’re on the subject: Learn to cook, something they don’t teach at fancy-pants colleges. Millions for quantum physics and deconstructing Dostoevsky, nothing on how to make enchiladas for 20 people.

At times, your life will have moments, days, even weeks of despair. Trust me: there is no bout of blues that a rich Bolognese sauce, filling every cubic inch of kitchen air, cannot cure.

And that brings me to: Take risks. I don’t mean ski the double diamond runs, ask for a card in blackjack with 15 showing and the dealer holding a king, or hit a high note in a karaoke bar, while sober. That goes without saying.

Students, read the open letters above, and then tell us: To whom would you most like to write an open letter?

Here are some questions that can help you brainstorm which audience you might want to address:

  • Is there someone famous who has made you mad, or has intrigued or impressed you? Or someone to whom you’d like to offer your expertise, advice or opinion? Like a politician, an athlete, a leader of a corporation, an artist or an entertainer?

  • Is there a powerful person or institution that you’d like to call out publicly? Someone who you believe needs to be held accountable in some way? What have they done that you think others need to know about?

  • Is there a person or group you would like to inspire or motivate to take action? What is it that you want them to consider, reflect on or do?

  • Is there someone closer to home, like a parent, a friend, a teacher or a neighbor, you’d like to address? What would you say to this person that would be meaningful, important and appropriate for a general audience to hear?

  • Is there a person or group you would like to address because you want to honor or thank them or to reflect on their contribution to society, as T.I. did in his letter to Mr. Obama? What has this person or institution done, and what effect has it had on you and others? Why do you think it’s worth acknowledging publicly?

If no one person or group comes to mind, perhaps a cause or issue inspires you.

For a decade we ran an editorial contest, and the students who participated in it wrote passionately about all kinds of things: artificial intelligence, fast fashion, race, transgender rights, college admissions, parental incarceration, fan fiction, snow days, memes, being messy and so much more. You can still write about the issues and ideas that fire you up — but this time around you’ll be writing a letter to a person who has the power to bring change or understanding to that issue. Here are some questions that might help you brainstorm:

  • What causes or issues do you care about? Why are they important to you? What experiences do you have with them?

  • What would you like to see change? Why? How would that change be meaningful to you or to the communities you care about?

  • What do you wish more people understood? What is something you know a great deal about that you think others would benefit from understanding better?

Once you have a sense of your issue, ask yourself:

  • Who can make a change, big or small, local or global, to address this issue?

In the comments, tell us to whom you’d like to write an open letter, the reason you’re writing and why you think that issue is important not only for the recipient but also for a wider audience.

Then, if you’re so inspired, you can turn your comment into an open letter and submit it to our contest. Find out more about how to write your letter in our forthcoming guide.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Color Love | Classic Black & Gold

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onlinefreecourse
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Color Love | Classic Black & Gold

The Black & Gold Color Palette is one of my all-time favorites. It’s no surprise that it’s the color scheme used for Designer Blogs. I love how versatile it is. If you use more black with just small gold accents, you can achieve a heavier look. Alternatively, you can use mostly white and grey for a really fresh and bright look. In both cases, the gold accents add a touch of elegance.

Classic Black & Gold Color Palette

This color palette is absolutely perfect for any project where you want to showcase your content in a stylish and eye-catching way! It’s great for things like wedding-related materials and photography portfolios that have a more neutral vibe.

I have used it to create CLARA, our new WordPress Theme, so make sure to check it!

Gold & Black Clara WordPress Theme

As always, I have put together a mood board with some inspiration. It is in perfect Pinterest format, so feel free to pin it for later.

Classic Black & Gold Color Palette perfect for stylish website designs, invitations and logotypes

See our collection of other gorgeous color palettes by visiting our color palette section.

What do you think about this Black & Gold Color Palette? I’d love to see how you incorporate these colors into your designs! Don’t hesitate to share your creations in the comments or on social media. Let’s inspire each other!

Make sure you take a look at our blog post about the importance of using color in blog design. It’s a really interesting read and will show you just how big of a role colors can play in your projects.

Looking for more inspiration?

Browse other color palettes. There are so many beautiful combinations out there to choose from!

Gold & Black WordPress Theme

Our brand new WordPress Theme – Clara – was created using color palette from this post. Make sure to check it!

Gold & Black Clara Stylish WordPress Theme

If you create something using today’s color palette, don’t forget to share it with me!

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