Elements of Political Communication/Traditional media guidelines/Op-eds and letters to the editor

A letter to the editor is a short (~200 words) piece that addresses a particular article or subject from a recent edition of the publication. An op-ed, by the strictest definition, is a medium-length piece (~500 words) solicited by the publication to oppose the position of the editorial board. This is where the term “op-ed” comes from: the “opposite of the editorial”, not “opinion-editorial”. That said, the lines in today’s media are blurry. A letter to the editor can be much longer in some instances and an op-ed need not be solicited or be the opposite opinion of the editorial board. Your situation will determine how you structure your piece. The editor may change it anyway.

Content
Know your audience and what they can do to help your cause. Do not just express an opinion; advocate a position and give the reader the tools needed to take the next step. Advocating a position involves expressing your opinion and suggesting what the reader should do about it. If Problem X exists, advocate how to correct it. If Candidate X is the best person for the job, suggest ways to support that person. Examples of support include visiting a campaign or issue website, volunteering, or just by voting a particular way. Address the readership of the publication, not an individual or niche. Each publication has its own demographics, so don’t submit the same piece to multiple places. Writing to The New York Times regarding a local election is obviously a waste of time, but so is writing a partisan piece on a national issue for the local newspaper. Editors typically favor the expression of individual ideas over general talking points, and they are more likely to publish letters that include a story involving self-interest. Introduce a personal perspective to relate to the audience why your opinion is valid. You may be tempted to create a laundry list of facts and statistics, but that is not the purpose of an op-ed or letter to an editor. Rhetorical devices such as metaphors, short anecdotes, or reasonable appeals to emotion are more effective at convincing people of your point of view than an assortment of statistics.

Format
Your piece should be between 200-500 words long. Shorter pieces are acceptable but will not take up as much space on the published page. Details like font, margins, and other formatting options are not important unless your document uses non-traditional or awkward markup. Making the process more difficult for the editor (such as submitting in .pdf format or via snail mail) makes it less likely your piece will be published. Paragraph breaks will be determined by the editor, as will the headline.

How-to
Begin writing an op-ed or letter to the editor by concisely expressing how you feel about the issue in one or two sentences. In a few more sentences, explain the importance of the issue, though this may not be necessary if you’re writing about a national issue currently in the spotlight. Then, in one or two short paragraphs, elaborate on your reasons for having this opinion. Express what you believe your audience can do to further this particular cause. This call to action is important; without it, readers may not feel propelled to do anything, even if they agree with your point of view, unless you guide them in the right direction.

Go back to the beginning of your piece and briefly explain who you are and explain any relevant details. If possible, find a unique perspective from which you can view the issue and include it the introduction to gain readers' attention. Write a very brief conclusion, preferably a one sentence zinger that calls back to the unique perspective in the introduction. Writers often express their frustration with creating effective introductions and conclusions, but this strategy makes writing these sections an easier task.

Before submitting your piece, check to see if it answers the following questions:
 * Who are you and how do you relate to X?
 * Why is X important?
 * What is your view on X?
 * Why do you think that about X?
 * What can we do about X?

This structure is not set in stone, but it will help the struggling writer reach 200-500 words. Experiment to find your voice.

Examples
This example is very generic, but this allows the writer to ensure he or she includes everything, and it allows for a broader application. Whenever possible, be specific about your positive points. For example, replace "many years" in the above letter with however many years of experience the candidate actually has (assuming the length is reasonable for the position sought).

This letter is less formal, but still concerns a serious subject in a respectful manner. The sentence beginning with "But" in the second paragraph signals a shift to a more serious tone, but the style remains consistent.