An opinion piece is a short article that shares an author’s viewpoint or commentary on a specific topic. It is intended to convince readers to adopt an opinion or stance, and can be about anything from science and the environment, to political issues, culture, literature and historical topics. An op-ed reaches a broader audience than research articles (which are typically read only by other scholars in the field) and has the potential to influence major decisions.
If possible, build your op-ed off recent news (i.e., a recent court decision, a public trial outcome or an election). This makes your op-ed more relevant to today’s readership and can increase its chances of getting published.
You can also use a particular day as your “peg” – for example, Valentine’s Day or Christmas – to help drive interest in the piece. Using a personal story or human case study can also pique readers’ interest, and it allows you to take an opinion that is different from the one your media outlet may normally publish on their op-ed page.
Clearly state your stance at the beginning of the piece. Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb and make bold statements; after all, this is your opinion piece and you are the expert. Then back up your opinion with facts, as well as the personal experiences and knowledge you have gathered through years of reading, researching and talking to others in your subject area.
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