Op-Eds 101

Martin Edwardsmartin.edwards@shu.edu

Some Uncomfortable Facts:

• Professional development is not always something that you pick up in a class.

• You are investing in your degree. You need to invest in skills as well.

• You will need professional experiences in addition to your degree to get noticed.

Some Good News:

• The blogosphere has now created a huge opportunity for students to get their writing out into the world

• It’s imperative that we create new voices to take part in the global conversation

Agenda

• What’s an Op-Ed?• Why would I want to do this?• How can I do this?

The term…

• Originally comes from a column that newspaper editors would commission that would run opposite of the editorial column.

• The editorial column is the newspaper’s own space.

• But the term does not only apply to newspapers anymore…

NOTE:

• Very few people would be interested in publishing in a class assignment.

• This is because no one would be interested in reading your class assignment.

• Academic writing has its own rules that are distinct.

Why do this?

• It’s a simple writing sample for employers.

• Helps you practice writing clearly.

• Allows you to leverage longer works (Senior/Master’s Research Project).

• Helps get your ideas into the public sphere.

Some Bad News

• Even with digital media, getting op-eds placed takes practice and patience.

• Even if it’s only server space instead of print, it’s still time in editing.

Two elements in every submission

• Pitch Letter• “Selling” summary of the submission

• Op-ed• Actual text of the submission

Some ABCs (and an H)

• A = Argument• B = Brevity• C = Current Events

• H = Humility

A is for ARGUMENT

• The “Op” is for OPINION.• So you need an argument!• And you need to put it simply in a

sentence.

• “I argue that….”• Make sure this is in your pitch letter. Make

life easy for an editor.

Note:

• “We should do something about Syria/Ebola/ISIS” is NOT an argument!

• We should create a no-fly zone and deploy troops to guard new refugee settlements east of Damascus IS an argument!

One more thing:

• Persuasive writing is often very hard for academics. We are trained to think in terms of nuance.

• Try very hard to avoid this pathology.

On “Voice”:

• Aim for an informed, but not expert audience.

• Keep in mind it’s your job to persuade, and you need to educate first!

• Need to explain your argument simply. There is NO SHAME in this.

B is for BREVITY

• Get to the point. Immediately.

• If you know the writer’s guidelines for the publication, you know that you have about 800-1000 words.

• Make darn sure your argument is in the FIRST paragraph, not the last!

Be aware of the market (1)

• Know the outlets and what they’re looking for.

• Washington Post: 5 Myths column.

• You might also to write a quick “explainer” on an event – though you’ll need to think about where you’re sending it.

For more on my obsession with 5:

• http://blogs.shu.edu/unstudies/2014/09/21/5-things-to-know-about-the-2014-nato-summit/

• http://blogs.shu.edu/unstudies/2014/09/16/5-things-to-know-about-the-new-high-commissioners-first-speech/

Be aware of the market (2)

• Get a feel for other columns in the journal/blog

• This will tell you a lot about what they’re looking for.

Be aware of the market (3)

• Know about arguments that others have made elsewhere

• This might be a good starting point for you!

• Here’s a list of potential places to submit:https://twitter.com/MartinSEdwards/lists/dipl-student-op-ed-sites

C is for Current Events

• It had better be about them!• Think about this broadly: • How much has been written on the 100th

anniversary of WWI?• How much is going to be written on the

UN at 70?

• Think about an “angle:” • What hasn’t been said about Ebola?

H is for Humility

• Remember that you are learning to do this.

• Accept rejection gracefully.

• Editors will make edits. Learn from them.

• Follow the rules about multiple submissions.

Things to do

• Use the pitch letter to SELL your argument.• Think about your target publications

CAREFULLY!• Read the submission guidelines.• Read other columns/posts in the

publication.• Read this good overview:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/writers_guidelines

If you’d like more advice

• This post by Michael Curtinhttp

://blogs.shu.edu/unstudies/2014/06/19/it-all-begins-with-an-idea-the-keys-to-writing-a-quality-op-ed-piece/

• More exampleshttp://reforminginternationalorganizations.w

ordpress.com/

http://fpinterrupted.com/

If you want to get started…

• I know a guy with a blog…..http://blogs.shu.edu/unstudies/

• But let’s talk about this before you write (much less send me) anything!

When you have questions…..

• Drop me a line! • martin.edwards@shu.edu

• Thanks!