while newspapers can very greatly in the kind of letters they print, letter columns carry a wide range of topics, especially about recent news and controversies.
The topics fall into two broad categories:
-current affairs in local, national or international life. Topics can range from comments on local by- lows and openions about current controversies to larger questions of philosophy and ideology.
- Personal experiences. The experiences can be humorous or instructive. They might relate to a larger issue (e.g. unemployment). This category includes letters appealing for money, help, volunteers or information.
in many papers, particular pages (e.g. sports; film and theatre; home and cookery) carry their own letters column. This frees the 'Letters to the Editor' column for more general topics.