Use humor, if appropriate. Use clean sentences. A few possibilities from real op-eds :. This Wednesday evening Frances Newton, 40, will be put to death for the murders of her husband and two children 18 years ago…. Ten years ago, I asked Bosnian civilians under siege in Sarjevo where they would go if they could escape…. Me, for one. Fifty years after the Supreme Court banned school segregation, the battle over the racial composition of America' s schools continues in courtrooms across the country.
College admissions officers around the country will be reading my applications this month, essays in which I describe personal aspirations, academic goals -- even, in one case, a budding passion for the sitar.
What they won't know is that I actually graduated from college more than a year ago, and that the names attached to these essays are those of my duplicitous clients. A: See a list of contact and submission information for major outlets here. Major outlets such as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal are obviously very selective when it comes to op-ed pieces, so instead of reaching only for those, take a moment to think about where your ideas will be of greatest contribution and will have the greatest odds of being published.
Remember, certain submissions work better for certain outlets, so be sure to research and understand your target publisher before submitting.
It's good to aim high. But don't stop there. You may have better odds at a smaller or local publication or an industry publication that specializes on your topic. And creating a track record of success at smaller outlets can eventually increase your odds at larger outlets. A: If you have plenty of time that is, if your idea is evergreen or, e.
However, if your idea has a very short shelf life pegged to breaking news or a news hook that will only be good for a few days you need to check in fairly quickly — with 48 hours, or perhaps even within 24 hours. The trick is to be appropriate, not demanding. The key is to be polite and not presumptuous — remember that editors are busy and juggling lots of ideas at once — you are not the center of their universe, but if your idea is timely and good for their readers, they will appreciate you checking in.
A: Most national newspapers will not consider your piece if you submit to more than one paper at the same time. A: At The OpEd Project we do everything we can to make it easy for you to succeed — but we don't do it for you. In fact, we think the lack of women and other under-represented experts submitting on their own is part of the problem.
Your reader is going to make a decision within the first few sentences whether or not the piece is worth reading. It's a good idea to start by introducing the issue along with a story that personalizes it. Be brief and make sure the hook is relevant to the issue. For example, if you have witnessed a violent crime, and the op-ed supports measures to reduce crimes, you could briefly tell a story about it to make it relatable. Be familiar with the audience —think of who reads the medium the article will be published on, and who reads about the issue you're addressing.
This might assist you in making decisions about the kinds of words you use e. Avoid industry-speak and jargon to reduce topic confusion and audience limitation. Explain concepts to broaden the understanding for readers that are not industry experts.
Opinions need evidence and support. Generally, data and statistics are used to reinforce the points being made. Historical facts and figures can be used to help bolster the case being made as well. It's important to follow the style guidelines and word count given by the publication the piece is going to be published in.
This reduces the amount of editing that may be needed to get the article up to par and reduces the time spent going back and forth between you, your client, and their publisher. Don't leave your readers wondering what comes next, or what they can do about a particular issue. You should leave them with a call to action, and give them some actions they can take. Track the news and jump at opportunities. Timing is critical. Whenever possible, link your issue explicitly to something happening in the news.
Or, look ahead to a holiday or anniversary a week from now that will provide a fresh news peg and enable editors to plan the story in advance. Make a single point, and do it well. Be satisfied with making a single point clearly and persuasively. Put your main point on top. Tell readers why they should care. Put yourself in the place of the busy person looking at your article. Who cares? Protect them from disease? Make their children happier? Explain why. Showing is better than discussing. Can you provide evidence of your expertise?
Can you back up what you say? Is your argument based on evidence—solid material and logical building blocks that will be acknowledged as credible even by those who may disagree with your interpretation? Is your argument different, particularly original in the way it is delivered, or is it backed up by substantially new information or reporting? What is compelling about its contribution to the conversation?
So what? Why should everyone else—including those of us who are not experts in your area—care? Does your language tend to write off the people who would disagree with you, or do you employ empathy and respect in the pursuit of changing minds?
How will your ideas and arguments contribute to the conversation, and be helpful to your audience? Do you see your knowledge and experience in terms of its potential value to others?
A news hook is what makes your piece timely, and often is part of the lede. Be bold, but incontrovertible. Tell an anecdote, if it illustrates your point. Use humor, if appropriate. Use clean sentences. Devote some extra time to wordsmithing this part.
Here are a few examples that we pulled from the real op-ed sections of newspapers around the country:. On Wednesday, the task force known as the Election Integrity Commission met for the first time.
Despite their claims of having no preconceived agenda, we know their end goals are clear: to perpetuate unsubstantiated myths of widespread voter fraud and to lay groundwork to suppress voting rights. Kansas City Star. A new Illinois law, about to be signed by Gov. Perhaps it will, to a point. But recidivism is a massive problem, and one largely created by the state. Responding to it with a free identification card is like using a tea spoon to bail water from a sinking ship.
Chicago Sun-Times. As an obstetrician and gynecologist, I am accustomed to waiting nine months; that's part of the reason I have been so shocked to see the U.
Senate try to push through a harmful health reform bill in just a few weeks. Cleveland Plain Dealer. Nearly five years ago, when I was just 23 years old, my mother was murdered while Christmas shopping at the Clackamas Town Center here in Oregon. The Oregonian. San Francisco Chronicle.
Baltimore Sun. Yet, the devil is in the details. The Hill. Fifty years after the Supreme Court banned school segregation, the battle over the racial composition of America's schools continues in courtrooms across the country. The New York Times. A group of economists released a paper recently suggesting young men are working fewer hours because they are spending so much time playing video games.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I am a wife, sister, friend, community volunteer and a tax-paying, small-business owner. I am a mother, with fond hopes of becoming a grandmother before too long. I am a member of the group that includes half of all American adults who have one or more chronic health conditions. Pre-Affordable Care Act, asthma made me ineligible for an individual insurance policy.
On my first deployment to Iraq in , an Iraqi named Kadum Jassup was assigned to my platoon as an interpreter. Denver Post. The trip felt wildly urgent to her. She was obsessed with our eating a healthy diet. Shortly thereafter, my siblings and I were sent to live in foster care. We never went back home. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lede Around a news hook. Thesis Statement of argument — either explicit or implied.
Argument : Based on evidence such as stats, news, reports from credible organizations, expert quotes, scholarship, history, first-hand experience. Conclusion often circling back to your lede. For more information, join an OpEd Project public programs open to all in one of our major cities. Details and registration is here.
How do you get someone to listen to you in the first place?
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