Introduction to Op-ed Writingyoung-voices.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Op-ed-Presentation.p… · pigeonhole yourself. Anatomy of an op-ed. The introduction The hook ...

IntroductiontoOp-edWritingCASEYGIVEN

EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR,YOUNGVOICES

LetmeintroducemyselfCaseyGiven◦ B.A.Rhetoric,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,2012◦ PolicyAnalyst,AmericansforProsperityFoundation,2012-2013◦ Editor,YoungVoices,StudentsForLiberty2014-15◦ DirectorofCommunications,StudentsForLiberty,2015-16◦ ExecutiveDirector,YoungVoices,2016

LetmeintroduceYoungVoicesFounded2013asprojectofStudentsForLiberty◦ Builtsteadylistof75youngwriters(“Advocates”)◦ Hasaccumulated1,000+mediahits(i.e.print,radio,andTV)◦ GreatesthitsincludeTheGuardian,RollingStone,TIME,andChicagoTribune

Transitionedtoindependentnonprofitin2016◦ CertifiednonprofitcorporationinDistrictofColumbiaasofMay◦ Currentlyawaiting501c3tax-exemptionfromtheInternalRevenueService

Whatisanop-ed?“Opinion-editorial”or“oppositetheeditorialpage”◦ Shortopinionarticlecommentingoncurrentevents◦ Writtenbyoutsidecontributors,notpublicationstaff(i.e.columns,editorials)◦ Typically600-800words,dependingonthepublication

Threequestionstoaskbeforewriting…Who’syouraudience?◦ Whoareyoutryingtopersuade?Thegeneralpublic?Aparticularsubsection?

Whatpublicationsaddressthataudience?◦ Thereareprosandconsofaddressingageneralorspecificaudience

Areyousayingsomethingfreshandinteresting?◦ Editorsareunlikelytoacceptyourpitchunlessyourargumentisunique

GeneraltipsandtricksShootfor600-800words◦ Readershaveshortattentionspans,andeditorsevenshorter

Makeyourpiecetimely,butnottootimely◦ Thenewscyclemovesfast,andeditorsmoveslow

Keepsentencesasconciseandpreciseaspossible◦ Don’tbelieveme,takeitfromGeorgeOrwell…

“PoliticsandtheEnglishLanguage”◦ Neveruseametaphor,simile,orotherfigureofspeechwhichyouareusedtoseeinginprint

◦ Neverusealongwordwhereashortonewilldo◦ Ifitispossibletocutawordout,alwayscutitout◦ Neverusethepassivewhereyoucanusetheactive◦ Neveruseaforeignphrase,ascientificword,orajargonwordifyoucanthinkofaneverydayEnglishequivalent

◦ Breakanyoftheserulessoonerthansayanythingoutrightbarbarous

Casey’spetpeevesSemicolonsarethedevil,andKurtVonnegutagrees.◦ “Hereisalessonincreativewriting.Firstrule:Donotusesemicolons.Theyaretransvestitehermaphroditesrepresentingabsolutelynothing.Alltheydoisshowyou'vebeentocollege.”

Whichiswhich?“Which”vs.“That”◦ Restrictiveclauseuses“that”:“Gemsthatsparkleoftenelicitforgiveness.”◦ Nonrestrictiveclauseuses“which”:“Diamonds,whicharesparkly,oftenelicitforgiveness.”

Emdashesarecommas’(often)unnecessarycousin◦ Commascorrectlyseparateclauses:“Diamonds,asparklygem,oftenelicitforgiveness.”◦ Emdashesarebestforanafterthought:“Onesparklygemoftenelicitsforgiveness— namely,diamonds.”

Avoidthe“L”word(or“C”word)◦ Nobodycaresaboutyourpoliticalideology!Persuadeyouraudiencewithreason.Don’tpigeonholeyourself.

Anatomyofanop-ed

TheintroductionThehook—signaltoyourreaderswhatthetopicofthearticleis Thethesis—

stateyourargumentup

front

ThehookUsethenewsThisWednesdayeveningFrancesNewton,40,willbeputtodeathforthemurdersofherhusbandandtwochildren18yearsago…

UseananniversaryFiftyyearsaftertheSupremeCourtbannedschoolsegregation,thebattleovertheracialcompositionofAmerica'sschoolscontinuesincourtroomsacrossthecountry.

CiteamajornewstudyAccordingtoanewnation-widepoll,60%ofwomenhavecheatedontheirhusbandsatleastonce.

GetPersonalCollegeadmissionsofficersaroundthecountrywillbereadingmyapplicationsthismonth,essaysinwhichIdescribepersonalaspirations,academicgoals-- even,inonecase,abuddingpassionforthesitar.Whattheywon'tknowisthatIactuallygraduatedfromcollegemorethanayearago,andthatthenamesattachedtotheseessaysarethoseofmyduplicitousclients.

CitingevidenceCitestudies,statisticsexperts,andanecdotesthatsupportyourevidence

Providelinkstoyour

sources,evenifthe

publicationwon’tuse

them

GoodsourcesBureauofEconomicAnalysis(BEA)— bea.gov◦ GDP,personalincome,consumerspending

CensusBureau— census.gov◦ Population,stateandlocalrevenue,expenditures,anddebt

BureauofLaborStatistics—bls.gov◦ Unemploymentrate,stateandlocalemployment,ConsumerPriceIndex(CPI)

NationalCenterforEducationStatistics— nces.ed.gov◦ NAEPscores,graduationrates,schoolrevenueandexpenditures

GoodsourcesTaxFoundation◦ Stateandlocaltaxrates

StateBudgetSolutions◦ Stateunfundedliabilities

Gallup◦ Historicalpollingdata

TheUsualSuspects◦ Center-right:CatoInstitute,HeritageFoundation,AmericanEnterpriseInstitute,StatePolicyNetwork,etc.

◦ Center-left: CenterforBudget&PolicyPriorities,BrookingsInstitution,PewCharitableTrusts,RANDCorporation

Theconclusion

Summarizeyourargumentinoneparagraph

Let’smakeamatchWhatpublicationbestfitsthetoneofyourpiece?◦ Isithipandquirky?Wonkyandserious?

Whatistheirsubmissionprocess?◦ Whodoyouemail?Andhowlongshouldyouwaittohearback?

Whatistheformatofthewebsite?◦ Dopublishedauthorshaveabioandmugshot?

ContactYoungVoicesCheckoutourwebsite— youngvoicesadvocates.comContactme— [email protected]— youngvoicesadvocates.com/apply