Pen a letter to the editor

How to write a letter to the editor

The first thing to keep in mind is keeping it short. Usually these are less than 250 words, so you’ll need to make your point quickly and concisely.

Try to find an interesting ‘hook’ to capture the attention of your reader, and then be as convincing as you can when you make your point. Have our key asks on hand and weave these in where possible. Back up what you have to say with evidence.

Think of finishing with a question that prompts your reader to think. Such as ‘how much fairer would it be if communities hosting clean energy also received upgraded poles and wires?’ or ‘how much better off will farmers be with affordable, secure energy?’.

When signing off use your full name and include your contact details.

Tips

• If you’re writing in response to an article or another letter, make sure you mention its title and the date it was published.
• Include a little about who you are, such as what you farm and how long you have been farming.
  

An example

To the editor of the National Newspaper

My name is John Smith and I am a beef farmer near Geelong.

I’m one of more than 8400 farmer members of Farmers for Climate Action, a farmer-led organisation advocating for ambitious climate action both on and off-farm.

We are calling on our federal politicians to get behind policy changes that will support farmers and regional communities to make sure they continue to benefit from the energy shift. These changes will make farm businesses more resilient in a changing climate and reduce pressure on the grid.

One simple change is to stop preventing farmers from using the energy they generate across their whole property, including across different property titles. With access to land, rooftops, sunlight, and wind, farmers have enormous potential to create clean energy for their own use. Let’s stop getting in the way.

How much better off would farmers be using their own energy they produced on their own land?

Sincerely,

John Smith

[email protected]