To help you compose an opinion piece of your own, we’ve created this guide with some background information and rules of thumb to keep in mind as you plan.
Traditionally, op-eds are articles that appear opposite the editorial page in a newspaper—hence the name. Today, you’ll find entire publications featuring opinion pieces, as well as dedicated opinion sections in publications such as the New York Times (their op-ed submissions are now referred to as “Opinion Guest essays.”)
Unlike research papers, which generally avoid positioning the writer in text, opinion pieces are transparent in including their author’s perspective and background. As the name implies, the piece should be grounded in your opinion, which means as a writer you have to state clearly your specific stance and background regarding the topic. You are best poised to write an op-ed when you have a unique perspective (as a young person, as a student, as a member of a particular minority group, etc.)
To successfully compose an opinion piece of your own, here are some key bits of advice to keep in mind:
Unlike traditional journalism, which seeks to present unbiased reporting of facts, opinion pieces are grounded in the author’s individual perspective. This means there is room for personality and emotion in op-eds in a way that other analytical writing does not encourage.
The best opinion pieces come from a strong, emotional investment. This will feel a bit counterintuitive if you’re accustomed to writing more traditional academic papers, which avoid stating opinions and rely on allowing facts to speak for themselves. While you must include facts that substantiate your opinion, you should absolutely share your convictions and use those facts to back up why you believe what you believe in.
Everyone has their own opinion: an op-ed is your chance to share your specific perspective with others. To really understand your position on a subject, a reader must know who you are and your relationship to the subject matter. Therefore, make sure to introduce yourself and your background within the first paragraphs of your article. Think about a topic that you are uniquely qualified to write about and why.
Stylistically, this is best achieved if done in a way that integrates with whatever opinion you are presenting. For example, if I’m a high school student and I’m writing about food insecurity, I might include a sentence explaining how I came to my interest in the subject: “A native New Yorker, I’ve been volunteering at my local food pantry since middle school, but saw an astonishing influx of new visitors during the pandemic.”
Emotional investment is key to making opinion pieces sing, and the deepest emotions come from topics that have impacted our lives personally. As a student, you are likely discounting your experience as “not yet relevant”—but that’s far from true. Climate change, gun control, voting rights, and myriad social, political, and cultural issues impact your life as much as that of any adult. Instead of masquerading as an adult expert, situate yourself within your argument as a member of the next generation stepping into a world where this issue is a problem you’ll have to deal with. Your passion and concern will stand out to editors, and will give you increased chances of getting published.
Think of the impact student marches like March of our Lives have had on the conversation around gun violence. Young people are directly impacted by current events: it only makes sense that opinion pieces commenting on such issues include your voice. If you write a compelling, well researched opinion piece on something timely that directly affects your generation, you absolutely should make sure to put your personal relationship and experience front and center in your writing.
Opinion sections are looking for ideas and perspectives related to current topics and issues. Try to tie your piece to subjects that are in the news. Tying to a recent research report or top trending news story when relevant can increase your chances of your submission being accepted. But don’t make it too far a stretch. An editor gave an example of a submission which tried to tie the current war in the middle east to the “war” occuring for shelf space of beauty products - this was viewed as a bad analogy and in poor taste.
Now that we’ve established the importance of emotional pathos and personal investment, let’s not forget about the importance of backing up your claims with good, solid evidence. A powerful opinion piece will start with a personal appeal and thesis statement, which is then backed up with supporting paragraphs establishing the problem and possible solutions.
So if we are writing about gun violence, we might start with something establishing our own experience with the issue:
Since 4th grade, I’ve been practicing safety drills for active shooters. My classmates and I know to barricade our doors and hide under desks. I’ve thought about the texts I’d send to my parents. To me, gun violence isn’t an abstract political concept: it’s a constant threat.
Then for the next paragraph, we’d establish the context and research that grounds the issue in facts:
In the United States, gun violence is the number one cause of death among children aged 4-15. According to TK, the average number of shootings since 2019 has increased to…
Once you’ve established the context of the problem, state your solution and the evidence that backs up your position. For example, if writing on gun violence in schools, if you believe a three-pronged approach of community-based interventions, robust gun laws, and stronger mental health services is necessary, you would put forward your argument, then break down each section with the evidence backing up that this could work.
As a rule of thumb, make sure whenever you’re citing a fact or figure that you back it up with your own context or opinion. This will ensure that your voice is still the predominant one in the piece, which is what you want in an op-ed. You don’t want to end up block-quoting another author or turning your opinion piece into a book report of other people’s research. If you find you’ve quoted or paraphrased three people in a row without adding in your own take on the subject or context as to why this is important, consider revising. Remember: these facts are to support your opinion and stance, not to subsume it.
While some publications might accept “rants,” the best opinion pieces shine a light on an issue, offer evidence to back up claims, and then conclude with action items or solutions. So if you’re writing about a political issue, what do you think should change? What should be done? Even if it’s just a hopeful addition you add to your conclusion, you should include this reflection. This final piece is an important step in offering a work that might actually encourage change or positive action, rather than simply complaining for the sake of it.
Lastly, the best first step towards writing a successful opinion piece is to read them! Make sure you’ve looked at your aspirational targets for publication and that you’re reading what they’ve published. If writing about a local issue, check out your local newspaper and see what kind of opinion pieces they’ve published: what is the common word count? The tone? Are there special guidelines on their website? Try to match their standards and you’ll have a better chance of being published.
Ultimately, remember to trust yourself throughout this writing process! Odds are, if you’ve embarked on a mentorship to research a subject, you’ll have plenty of opinions and passion surrounding the topic. Remember to trust that your opinion is worth sharing: all you have to do now is sit down and write!
If you are stuck, think about using the below outline from The OpEd Project:
