Calling time on writing Fletters
According to my (not particularly accurate) Wiki entry I’m a ‘prolific letter writer to the British press’.
That bit at least is true. I write much less these days but I haven’t stopped, despite occasional suggestions that I have.
I started in the mid-1980s writing to the Guardian (which I still do)with the aim of trying to provide some historical perspectives to a media that seemed even then to be obsessed with out of context for the moment reports.
The letters don’t and never have covered just that though. Beer, beards, cricket, cheese and of course socialist politics all feature.
Now however I’ve decided after 40 plus years to call it a day.
While I still see the value of the edited (in effect moderated) letters page compared to social media and below the line commentary, the sad reality is that the audience for letters to the editor has diminished over the years. So too have the publications that one can write to, as many either go on-line only or close altogether.
What’s Brewing, the monthly paper of the Campaign for Real Ale, has been on-line only for a while now. I used to write letters regularly, but no more. Beer discussion has moved almost entirely on-line some time since.
I comment on Twitter etc and Facebook and run a blog. All excite considerable comment on occasion. I’m afraid published Fletters mostly pass by more or less un-noticed by comparison. Those that ask me, for example, if I’ve stopped writing to the Guardian I suspect mostly don’t read the print edition anymore (nor do I) where the letters are prominent in the comment section. The letters appear in the various Guardian digital versions (which I subscribe to) but you have to search them out.
If you do actually want to read what I’m saying a good point of entry is on twitter. If you don’t you won’t come across me inadvertently as you’re flicking through a paper or magazine anymore
Truly the end of an era and quite a reflection on the huge change brought by digitisation of newspapers. I can imagine us running a feature to mark this moment at the Indy on Sunday, itself victim to the changes.
[…] Calling time on writing Fletters […]
That’s a great shame. I’ll miss your letters in the print version of the Guardian. I have had a few letters published myself, and note that other more regular contributors are Pete Dorey, Les Bright, Margaret Squires, not forgetting Ian Grieve on the Gordon Bennett!
All the best, Deirdre Burrell
I have only just stumbled across this. I noted your absence and even googled you to make sure you hadn’t logged out for good. It used to be a sideways sort of ambition to have as many letters to The Guardian published as you (Keith Flett). I soon learned I was no competition. I now compete agains myself, hoping to get as many letters to The Guardian published each year as Weather Watchers Editors’Picks on the National (not local) BBC forecast.
Im still writing to the Guardian & getting published on occasion. The print circulation is low now & while the letters are on-line I think they got lost in the amount of on-line commentary mine included