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Learn to Craft Killer Commentary with an Op-ed Master

On May 14, James Boothroyd shares his rhetoric rules in this Tyee Master Class.

Jeanette Ageson 9 May 2016TheTyee.ca

Jeanette Ageson is director of community development for The Tyee.

Planning any kind of communications campaign these days can be daunting. Not only do you require a good story, but you also need to be fluent in a multitude of platforms that can get that story in front of your desired audience. Should you create an email campaign? A 30-second video for Facebook? Beautifully lit photos for Instagram? Or do whatever it is that people do on Snapchat?

With all of these options, it's easy to forget about an old stand-by: the op-ed. So-called because they typically appeared in print newspapers opposite the editorial page, these pieces are typically written by ordinary citizens or experts on a given topic, and they are one of the few places in a traditional news publication where people can deliver their message –- in some detail -- straight to readers.

So, are op-eds still effective? According to communications consultant and former Montreal Gazette opinions editor James Boothroyd, "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. 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."

Boothroyd, who has worked as a journalist for national media in the U.K. and Canada, as well as on global public health campaigns for international agencies and as director of communications and public engagement for the David Suzuki Foundation, will be leading a Tyee Master Class in Vancouver on Saturday, May 14 called Rhetoric Rules! Dos and Don'ts for Crafting Killer Commentary.

Participants will learn about the building blocks of a persuasive piece of commentary, and go through writing exercises to hone their argument. For more information and to register, go here.

Here, Boothroyd shares his top 10 tips for crafting a great piece of commentary (originally published on The Tyee in April 2015):

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, followup 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 op-ed isn't dead yet; so pitch, write and place them whenever you can.

Don't miss this great opportunity to learn how to craft a killer op-ed with communications pro James Boothroyd.

Registration includes coffee from Salt Spring Coffee, a catered lunch from Terra Breads, a glass of Howe Sound Brewing beer to share with classmates, plus $50 free drive time from our promotional partner Modo (new Modo customers only).

For information about Rhetoric Rules! Dos and Don'ts for Crafting Killer Commentary, go here.  [Tyee]

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