The chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Board is actively seeking an increase from last year's 54 editorial-writing entries and encouraging smaller media to enter.

Paul Tash's letter to "Dear Colleagues" via AOJ's president, Bob Davis, has been shared in full with members of the AOJ members' online discussion list and now becomes available to AOJ members who log in to the the AOJ website. (direct link to letter, with link to tips for preparing entries)

Here are some of the highlights:

"For 97 years," Tash wrote, "the Pulitzer Prizes have recognized excellence in American editorial writing. … vividly expressing the institutional opinion of publications large and small … [on issues] from Main Street to the White House....

"[W]e want to renew our dedication to high-quality editorial writing and to seek broader participation in the category, especially among small and medium-size newspapers and news sites."

He tried to dispell common misconceptions, such as a crowded field or a preference for a concerted campaign that got results. Rather, he said, the board wants thoughtful, well-crafted writing that inspires public discourse.

"We’ve been refining our rules to make that distinction more emphatic than ever to entrants and to jurors," he wrote.

Small media, he said, "can zero in on important community issues, drawing on your local expertise and insight."

He said the primary judging emphasis remains on the quality of the writing, but multimedia or other journalistic tools can help persuade the audience.

Entries of 2013 work are due digitally by Jan. 25, 2014.