To write a good opinion piece, open with a hook and a clear position, back up every argument with facts, stay on your side of the issue, offer a concrete solution, and keep the whole article short.
Newspaper articles are not always objective. Some writers voice their opinion and look at a topic from their own point of view. One part of a newspaper is always subjective: the opinion piece, often called an op-ed. When you have a strong opinion about a current issue, writing an opinion piece is one way to express it and get your voice heard.
How to write an opinion piece
So how do you write one? Here are 5 tips for aspiring opinion writers like you.
1. Start with a hook
Grab the reader's attention from the start and give them a reason to care about your article. You can do this by asking a question or by stating a fact that connects the issue to their interests. Then state where you stand on the matter, and be firm about it. This is your thesis, and the rest of the article expands on it.
2. Base your arguments on facts
Once your thesis is out, present your arguments one by one. A solid opinion rests on facts. Get your numbers right, and back up your claims with credible sources. Name your sources, so that readers can see you are not pulling numbers out of thin air.
3. Stick to your position
Everything in an opinion piece is your voice. You stand on one side of the issue, and all your arguments defend that position. Don't play it safe by standing in the middle: your persuasion falls flat when readers see you flip-flopping on the issue. What is persuasive writing? explains the techniques that make an argument convincing.
4. Offer concrete suggestions
Analyzing the issue and giving your opinion is not enough. You also need to offer a clear, concrete suggestion and persuade the reader to support it.
Say you oppose your city's plan to close the local library to save money. Writing that the city should value education more is not enough. Offer clear advice instead, such as sharing the building with a community center or cutting the opening hours rather than closing it.
5. Keep it short
Many publications ask for about 700 words or fewer, so check the guidelines of the one you write for. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short too. If your article ends up longer, trim the unnecessary parts before you submit it.
The best way to keep an opinion piece short is to focus on one issue only. If that issue relates to other important issues, save your opinion on them for other articles.
Also avoid a long, winding background story. You may think the story is interesting, but if it does not relate directly to the issue at hand, readers will roll their eyes, sigh, and skip your article.
Before you submit it
Before you submit your article for publication, do your best to remove every spelling and grammar mistake. Show it to friends or colleagues so they can check it too, and run it through the Spell Checker to find errors more easily. Few editors will publish an article that is riddled with errors.