Op-eds (opinion editorials) are longer than letters to the editor, and there is more competition for space. You may want to call the paper for length requirements (usually 600–800 words).
- Try to write on a controversial issue being covered at that time. If you can use a professional title that suggests authority, do so. If you work for an organization, get permission to sign the op-ed as a representative of that organization.
- Feel free to send it to papers far from where you live, but avoid sending it to two newspapers in the same "market." National newspapers like the National Post and Globe and Mail generally do not accept op-eds that are also being offered to other papers. But you can easily submit the same piece to five or ten local dailies in different regions—greatly increasing your chances of being published.
- Assure the op-ed editor in your cover letter that the piece has not been submitted to any other paper in their market. If, on the other hand, you sent it to only one paper, let that paper know you are offering them an exclusive.
- In writing op-eds, avoid excessive rhetoric. State the subject under controversy clearly. You are trying to persuade a middle-of-the-road readership. If you rely on facts not commonly found in mainstream media, cite your sources.
- Try to think of a catchy title. If you don't, the paper will be more likely to run its own—which may not emphasize your central message. (Even if you do write your own headline, don't be surprised if it appears under a different one.)
Be prepared to shorten and re-submit your article as a letter to the editor in case it does not get accepted as an op-ed.
Source: From FAIR's Media Activism Kit. Republished with permission. Originally posted on the
FAIR web site.
