How to Write an Op-Ed Article

In this guest post, author John McLain offers an often overlooked way for businesses to gain credibility and visibility through writing and submitting opinion articles to major news sources.

A good way to gain credible visibility for your small or home-based business is to submit an opinion piece to your local newspaper and have it published.

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What is Op-Ed?

By crafting a fiery opinion on a hot topic, which must be supported by facts to make your case, you establish your presence in the community, and can gain publicity for your business. That said, it’s important to pick a sizzling subject but not one likely to be so controversial that it alienates you. There are plenty of good causes to get behind; pick one of those.

An op-ed is not an essay, something that slowly unrolls like a carpet, building momentum to some point or conclusion. It’s quite the opposite.

In an op-ed, you essentially state your conclusion first. You make your strongest point up front, then spend the rest of the op-ed making your case, or back-filling with the facts. Done right, it’s persuasive writing at its best. You can help your business win converts, gain high-quality publicity, and you will be reaching an elite audience of opinion-makers (potential customers) who regularly read the op-ed pages.

Checklist to Keep Your Op-Ed on Track

• Focus tightly on one issue or idea — in your first paragraph. Be brief.

• Express your opinion, then base it on factual, researched or first-hand information.

• Be timely, controversial, but not outrageous. Be the voice of reason.

• Be personal and conversational; it can help you make your point. No one likes a stuffed shirt.

• Be humorous, provided that your topic lends itself to humor.

• Have a clear editorial viewpoint – come down hard on one side of the issue. Don’t equivocate.

• Provide insight, understanding: educate your reader without being preachy.

• Near the end, clearly re-state your position and issue a call to action. Don’t philosophize.

• Have verve, and “fire in the gut” indignation to accompany your logical analysis.

• Don’t ramble or let your op-ed unfold slowly, as in an essay.

• Use clear, powerful, direct language.

• Emphasize active verbs, forget the adjectives and adverbs, which only weaken writing.

• Avoid cliches and jargon.

• Appeal to the average reader. Clarity is paramount.

• Write 750 double-spaced words or less (fewer is always better).

• Include a brief bio, along with your phone number, email address, and mailing address at the bottom.

Many major newspapers today accept timely op-eds by email. Check your paper’s website first to be sure what its policy is. While it’s tempting to fire off your op-ed to The New York Times, remember that there are many other major newspapers to consider.

The New York Times receives more op-eds daily than any other paper in the US, so competition there is fierce. It’s better to be published in another excellent paper than to be not published in The New York Times.

BIO:

John McLain is author of the newly published book, HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR HOME BUSINESS, available on Amazon.com or through his New York publisher at: Strategic Book Publishing

For the past 18 years he’s been a national media consultant, pitching stories to major media for a New Hampshire PR firm serving 55 colleges in 28 states, and pitching stories with a Kansas City PR firm for large corporate clients. He has been a newspaper reporter on major dailies, an ad copywriter, a magazine editor, author of a novel titled The Reckoning, and author of a screenplay, which was a finalist in the Writer’s Digest International Writing Competition.

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