Five Ways Writing Opinion Pieces Will Transform Your Writing

1. Developing Clear Arguments Opinion writing forces you to move beyond "I think" or "I feel" to "Here's why this matters and here's the evidence." You'll learn to craft clear, compelling arguments that persuade readers.
2. Finding Your Focus A good opinion piece requires a single, clear thesis. This discipline of focusing your argument will strengthen all your writing.
3. Connecting Personal to Political You'll learn to link your personal expertise to broader social issues, making your writing more relevant and impactful.
4. Building Writing Credibility Published opinion pieces establish you as a thoughtful voice in your field and can lead to broader writing opportunities.
5. Testing Ideas for Larger Projects Opinion pieces are perfect for testing arguments and ideas that might become chapters in books or longer works.

Write opinion pieces to impact your community and nation and to build your writing authority.

Personal Essays: The Natural Extension

Once you've mastered opinion writing, personal essays become a natural next step. While opinion pieces argue, personal essays explore. They allow you to:

• Dive deeper into personal experience
• Examine complex emotions and relationships
• Connect individual stories to universal themes
• Build intimate connections with readers
• Read our Series on Personal Essay Writing

Where to Publish

Today's writers have multiple platforms:

• Traditional newspaper op-ed pages
• Online news sites
• Substack newsletters
• Medium and other digital platforms
• Industry publications
• Regional media

Getting Started

1. Identify your areas of expertise
2. Follow current discussions in your field
3. Draft your argument clearly
4. Support with evidence and experience
5. Submit to appropriate venues

Remember: in a world drowning in unsupported opinions, thoughtful, well-reasoned arguments based on real expertise and experience are invaluable. Your informed perspective could help shape important conversations.

Start writing. Public discourse needs your voice.

Practical Tip: Begin by writing letters to the editor of your local paper. It's great practice for crafting concise, persuasive arguments and can lead to opportunities for longer opinion pieces.

WRITING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: YOUR FIRST STEP INTO OPINION WRITING

A letter to the editor (LTE) is the perfect entry point into opinion writing. Here's your comprehensive guide:

Basic Requirements

• Length: Usually 150-200 words
• Timeliness: Respond within 1-2 days of the triggering article
• Focus: One main point only
• Tone: Professional and courteous, even when disagreeing

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Choose Your Trigger

• Respond to a recently published article
• Address a current community issue
• React to recent editorial positions
• Highlight an overlooked local matter

1. Find Submission Guidelines

• Check newspaper's website
• Note word count limits
• Identify correct submission email/format
• Review their style preferences

1. Craft Your Opening

• Reference the original article immediately
• Format: "Re: [Article Title]" or "Your article about [topic] (date)..."
• State your position clearly in first sentence

1. Write Your Core Message

• Make one point strongly
• Include relevant credentials
• Use local examples when possible
• Provide specific evidence
• Keep paragraphs short

1. Create Strong Closing

• Suggest a solution if critiquing
• Call for specific action
• Restate main point briefly

1. Essential Elements to Include

• Your full name
• Address
• Phone number (for verification)
• Relevant credentials
• Any organizational affiliations

To the Editor:

 

Re: "[Article Title]" (date)

 

Your article about [topic] [made an important point/missed a crucial issue/requires additional context]. As a [your relevant credential], I've observed that [your main point].

 

[Supporting evidence or brief example]

 

[Solution or call to action]

 

[Your Name]

[Your City, State]

[Your relevant credential, if any]

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Writing when angry
• Personal attacks
• Multiple topics
• Wordiness
• Waiting too long after triggering article
• Forgetting to proofread

Pro Tips

1. Read recently published letters first
2. Write in active voice
3. Use concrete examples
4. Verify all facts
5. Keep a copy of your submission
6. Follow up if not published
7. Start local before trying national papers

Remember: A published letter to the editor can be your first clip as an opinion writer. It's valuable practice in concise argumentation and can lead to opportunities for longer op-eds. Many successful opinion writers started with letters to the editor.

The most effective letters combine:

• Personal experience
• Local relevance
• Clear writing
• Actionable solutions
• Professional tone

Start watching your local paper's opinion section and practice drafting responses. When you're ready, submit. Your voice matters to your community, and this is how you begin to share it.

WHY LETTERS GET REJECTED: COMMON PITFALLS TO AVOID

Most newspapers receive far more letters than they can publish. Here are the main reasons letters get rejected:

Timing Issues

• Responding too late to be relevant
• Writing about old news
• Missing submission deadlines
• Commenting on issues already extensively covered

Technical Problems

• Exceeding word limit
• Missing required contact information
• Not following submission guidelines
• Submitting in incorrect format
• Using all caps or unusual formatting

Content Problems

• Repeating points made in other published letters
• Making unsubstantiated claims
• Including factual errors
• Offering no new perspective
• Writing about topics too narrow for general readership
• Focusing on personal grievances
• Including libelous statements
• Using form letters or templates from organizations

Writing Quality Issues

• Rambling or unfocused arguments
• Poor grammar or spelling
• Overly emotional tone
• Hostile or aggressive language
• Too many topics in one letter
• Unclear main point
• Writing that requires too much editing

Priority Factors Many editors prioritize letters that:

• Respond to their paper's recent coverage
• Offer expert insight
• Present contrary views to published pieces
• Address timely local issues
• Come from local readers
• Demonstrate personal knowledge of the topic
• Present solutions, not just complaints

Pro Tip: If your letter isn't published, don't get discouraged. Study the letters that do get published in your target publication. What makes them effective? How do they differ from yours? Use this analysis to improve your next submission.

Remember: The goal is to add value to the public conversation. A rejection often means your letter needs refining, not that your opinion doesn't matter.

CLOSING THOUGHTS: OPINION WRITING AS A DEMOCRATIC IMPERATIVE

In our current media landscape, where artificial intelligence generates content and social media algorithms amplify extreme voices, thoughtful human perspective is more crucial than ever. Opinion pieces and personal essays serve as vital instruments of democracy, offering reasoned discourse in an age of polarization.

Why Your Voice Matters Now The health of a democratic society depends on the free exchange of ideas and the ability of citizens to:

• Challenge prevailing narratives with reasoned arguments
• Share lived experiences that illuminate policy impacts
• Offer expert perspectives from various fields
• Bridge divides through authentic storytelling
• Model critical thinking and civil discourse

Beyond Personal Expression When you write an opinion piece or personal essay, you're not just sharing your thoughts—you're:

• Contributing to the historical record
• Helping others process complex issues
• Building bridges between different experiences
• Preserving human perspective in an increasingly automated world
• Strengthening the fabric of civil society

Democracy's Toolkit, Opinion writing, serves democracy by:

• Keeping power accountable
• Illuminating blind spots in public policy
• Giving voice to underrepresented perspectives
• Creating space for reasonable disagreement
• Modeling how to think, not what to think

As Hannah Arendt noted, totalitarianism begins when people lose the ability to think independently and share their thoughts freely. Every well-crafted opinion piece, every honestly told personal story, helps preserve the space for independent thought and public discourse that democracy requires to survive.

Start Writing Your perspective matters and your story is valuable. In sharing them through careful, honest writing, you're not just expressing yourself—you're helping to maintain the thoughtful discourse essential to democratic society.

Begin with a letter to the editor. Work up to an op-ed. Write and share your personal essays. Join the conversation. Democracy needs your voice.

Remember: In times of uncertainty, the clearest voices are often not the loudest, but the most thoughtful. Be one of those voices. Start writing today.