Write an Outstanding Op-Ed

Chris Birk reports with six tips:

"The phrase 'op-ed' refers to the page opposite a newspaper’s editorial page. Traditionally, the op-ed page has served as a public forum for various viewpoints and opinions on the news of the day, from political and social commentators to community members at large...Generating compelling and truly newsworthy opinion pieces that enhance your reputation and instill authority take significant time, investment, and nuance. But the rewards are usually handsome...[H]aving a solid time peg makes you instantly more attractive. News is, well, new. Business owners should look for ways to inject their opinion, product, or expertise into a current hot-button issue. Media outlets don’t care about your latest innovation or a new product line -- seek to latch onto a more generalized issue or trend...You need to show readers [via a 'nut graf'] (not to mention editors) why they should care. What’s the point? The impact?...Make sure this paragraph is up high in the piece. Once you finish writing, ask yourself: What’s the point? If you can’t provide a simple, one-sentence answer, you’re not ready to start pitching. Editors love writers who can make the same point in a lean 500 words. Get to the point immediately and use short sentences with active verbs...Drill down into a core aspect of your topic and focus on that...Focus on clearly and concisely making a single point by using examples, anecdotes, and data...[O]ffer specific solutions to the problems or issues you’ve raised...[Finish strong but] [a]void snarky and [clichéd] finishing strokes. Consider circling back to your opening paragraph and bringing the piece full circle with a tie-back paragraph."