facts. When writing an op-ed article, therefore, look for great examples that will bring your argument to
life.
Embrace your personal voice. The best of these examples will come from your own experience.
Academics tend to avoid first-person exposition in professional journals, which rarely begin with phrases
like “You won't believe what I found when I was working i n my lab last month.” When it comes to op -eds,
however, you should embrace your own voice whenever possible. If you are a physician, describe the plight
of one of your patients, and then tell us how this made you feel personally. If you’ve worked with poor
families, tell a story about one of them to help argue your point. In other words, come down from Mt.
Olympus and share details that will reveal your humanity. In so doing, your words will ring truer and the
reader will care more about what you are saying. If you are a student or someone else without a fancy
degree or title, your personal voice becomes even more important.
Play up your personal connection to the readers. Daily newspapers in many cities are struggling to
survive. As they compete with national publications, television, blogs and others, they are playing up their
local roots and coverage. Op-ed editors at these papers increasingly prefer authors who live locally or have
other local connections. If you’re submitting an article to your local pap er, this will work in your favor. If
you’re submitting it in a city where you once lived or worked, be sure to mention this in your cover note
and byline. Likewise, if you’re writing for a publication that serves a particular profession, ethnic group or
other cohort, let them know how you connect personally to their audience.
Use short sentences and paragraphs. Look at some op-ed articles and count the number of words per
sentence. You’ll probably find the sentences to be quite short. You should use the sam e style, relying
mainly on simple declarative sentences. Cut long paragraphs into two or more shorter ones.
Avoid jargon. If a technical detail is not essential to your argument, don’t use it. When in doubt, leave it
out. Simple language doesn’t mean simple thinking; it means you are being considerate of readers who lack
your expertise and are sitting half-awake at their breakfast table or computer screen.
Use the active voice. Don't write: “It is hoped that [or: One would hope that] the government will …”
Instead, say “I hope the government will …” Active voice is nearly always better than passive voice. It’s
easier to read, and it leaves no doubt about who is doing the hoping, recommending or other action.
Avoid tedious rebuttals. If you’ve written your article in response to an earlier piece that made your blood
boil, avoid the temptation to prepare a point-by-point rebuttal. It makes you look petty. It’s likely that
readers didn’t see the earlier article and, if they did, they’ve probably forgotten it. So , just take a deep
breath, mention the earlier article once and argue your own case. If you really need to rebut the article,
forego an op-ed article and instead write a letter to the editor, which is more appropriate for this purpose.
Acknowledge the other side. People writing op-ed articles sometimes make the mistake of piling on one
reason after another why they’re right and their opponents are wrong, if not idiots. They’d probably appear
more credible, and almost certainly more humble and appealing, if they took a moment to acknowledge the
ways in which their opponents are right. When you see experienced op-ed authors saying “to be sure,”
that’s what they’re doing.
Make your ending a winner. As noted, you need a strong opening paragraph, or “lead,” to ho ok readers.
When writing for the op-ed page, it’s also important to summarize your argument in a strong final
paragraph. That’s because many casual readers scan the headline, skim the opening and then read the final
paragraph and byline. In fact, one trick many columnists use is to conclude with a phrase or thought that
appeared in the opening, thereby closing the circle.
Relax and have fun. Many authors, particularly academics, approach an op-ed article as an exercise in
solemnity. Frankly, they’d improve their chances if they’d lighten up, have some fun and entertain the