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IWN Staff
May 1, 2023 - 2 minutes
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How To: Write an Op/Ed

*Download the PDF

An opinion editorial can be written by anybody! It’s literally an article that expresses an opinion. If you have an opinion, you can write an editorial. But it’s important to follow a few rules and know how to get the op-ed placed for publication.

  1. Editors are most interested in something newsworthy locally or nationally. 
  2. Make your point concisely: the ideal length for an op-ed is typically 700 words or less. 
  3. We recommend following the TACT guidelines:
    • T: Thesis — What point are you making?
    • A: Address misperceptions — Are you debunking any misperceptions that stand in readers’ way on this topic?
    • C: Citations — Are you citing factual material from trusted sources to back up your point? Are you providing links to this material?
    • T: Target audience — Are you considering a target audience and using the right language and tone to reach them?
  4. Submit for publication:
    • Generally a newspaper or magazine will list the way to submit your opinion editorial to the paper (it’s usually a general email address). Some larger papers employ “opinion editors” who decide what editorials the publication will accept and print but generally these editors receive submissions through a separate email address which is usually listed on the paper’s masthead. If it’s a small town newspaper, you might know the owner or editor. Definitely use your personal connections to help ascertain the best way to submit your article.

Examples:

IWN Staff
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