Toolkit for Change: Ten Tips for Publishing a Killer Op-ed

In the vast Serengeti of public debate, the species of media are as distinct as safari animals. Over there, news releases hurry like cheetahs after their prey, but only for a brief burst (unless they have a senator or prime minister on the run). Nearby, newspaper editorials languish like tired lions in the shade of a tree, mosquito-like letters-to-the-editor darning the air around their backsides. The tiny birds on that hippopotamus, the federal government news conference? Opposition party tweets. And those elephants, with blunted tusks? Those are the venerable newspaper opinion pieces, a.k.a. commentaries or op-eds.

The op-ed was, until recently, the favourite media hit of most social-change agents and citizen-groups. But in this age of fragmented media -- with audiences spread out across numerous news platforms, and everybody blogging and tweeting their views -- do op-eds matter anymore? The short answer is Yes, somewhat, sometimes, if your target is opinion-leaders or government or corporate decision-makers -- those who shape the news or receive an official news digest each morning in their mailbox.

The op-ed refers to an opinion piece that was found traditionally on the page opposite the editorials, hence the name. Often penned by ordinary citizens or experts on certain topics, including prime ministers on occasion, they are to be distinguished from "columns," which also may appear on the same page, though these carry the byline of a regular staff contributor.

Sometimes op-eds share the same page as letters to the editor, which is appropriate as they have much in common. Letters, first of all, come from readers of the publication. Most often they respond to something published, and the best are short, pithy and sharp-edged. If they manage to be humorous, too, they may warrant a headline or larger type. They allow newspapers to showcase the variety of their readership, give voice to a diversity of views, and are among the most closely read sections.

Why? Because like letters, op-eds offer one of the few, relatively unmediated opportunities for concerned citizens and experts to publish their views in a digestible format, watched by not only decision-makers (or their minions) but also one's allies and enemies, and media opinion-leaders. Carefully crafted, with a good photo, they can catapult your issues onto the public agenda, grab the attention of government leaders, and even demand a response. Though not as influential as they once were, pre-Internet, they still have clout in official circles (and, when shared digitally, can boost your Klout Score).

As a former desk editor, responsible for the op-ed and letters pages of the Montreal Gazette, as well as writer of op-eds, I will cap this series of Tools for Change columns with 10 tips on how to place and make the most of your op-ed.

Tip 1. Plan your attack: Figure out what you want to say and to whom. Readers of the paper or digital site is not sufficiently specific. The deputy minister of Natural Resources Canada, and CEO of Suncor, is more on the mark.

Tip 2. Find an author: No, it doesn't need to go under your name. Choose the most prominent person in your organization, or somebody of interest to readers. If your organization is not well liked by your targeted newspaper, or your group gets too much exposure, find a sympathetic and prominent spokesperson or two (at most) who is willing to put her name on the piece. Surprising combinations are good: e.g. a leading business figure and a combative First Nations leader.

Tip 3. Time your attack: If your issue is often in the news, or momentous (climate change), or a pet topic of your targeted paper (dog parks), you can pitch your piece whenever. Otherwise, tie your op-ed to a recent news item or publication or development, related to the issue. People are more inclined to read about what they already know, and newspapers appreciate this.

Tip 4. Pitch perfectly: Begin with a briefly worded proposal -- less than a screen -- sent via email to the editor handling your story. If necessary, call the publication to get this person's name and email. Aim for the message to land at the top of your editor's mailbox early in the morning. Editors often select the day's pieces in the morning, and cue up others for days to come at this time. Editors also have story meetings mid-morning, and need material for that. If you are pitching a piece that you have ghost-written, don't broadcast this detail.

Tip 5. Wait, but not long: Don't be pushy. Editors get hundreds of emails per day and need time to get through them. But if you don't hear back within, say, 48 hours, follow up with a quick phone call to the gatekeeper. Be polite, but if the editor has not seen or read your pitch, insist that she does, making the case, briefly, as to why readers would break down the doors of the publication and stampede that editor underfoot if they did not get the opportunity to read your excellent op-ed.

Tip 6. Argue: Once you have got the go-ahead, draft your op-ed. Make it no more than 750 words, with a poignant opening paragraph, followed by a short paragraph outlining your argument and ask (your nutgraph). Hit your main points briefly with strong, measured language and be argumentative. This is the place in the newspaper, or digital site, where you are encouraged to skewer your opponents, and even editors ideologically opposed to your point of view will delight in your cut and thrust. My time at the Gazette began the day after the near-disastrous 1995 Quebec referendum, so I heaved a lot of vitriol onto the page, which made for some lively reading.

Tip 7. Be artful: If you have a strong image to go with your article, submit it. It will make your editor's job easier and help your piece gain top spot on the page -- printed or digital.

Tip 8. Be available: When you place your story, ask the editor which day she plans to run it. And make sure she has a phone number and email that you will be answering the day she is putting it on the page (the day before it appears, usually; or Friday, if your piece is to run over the weekend or Monday). If the editor finds you friendly and easy to connect with, your chances of placing another op-ed are helped.

Tip 9. Follow-up: Once your op-ed is published, make sure you share it widely, and milk it to the max. You might have a week to a month after placement to grab the attention of your targets. It can be a calling card for meetings with authorities and decision-makers, who may wish to learn more about your issue, possibly even seek a solution. And for fundraising, you can use it to open doors.

Tip 10. Don't fret: If your op-ed is rejected, try again (way more are rejected than accepted). And if it appears and is greeted by a deafening silence, remember what my first editor told me: within days of publication, newspaper copy is often forgotten and/or lining a birdcage.

Still the best journalism lives on, and the elephantine op-ed isn't dead yet; so ride it whenever you can.