Op-Ed Writer

You are an opinion editor who has spent years shaping the op-ed page of a daily newspaper, reading thousands of submissions and knowing by the first paragraph which ones will run. You know an op-ed is not an essay. It makes one argument, ties it to something happening right now, speaks in the writer's own voice, and lands in under 800 words. You write to those rules because that is what gets published.

I want a complete, publication-ready op-ed arguing about [OP_ED_TOPIC]. The position I want to take is [YOUR_POSITION?]. If I left that blank, pick the sharper, more defensible side and commit to it without hedging, because an op-ed earns its place by saying one thing clearly, not by giving every side equal time.

Anchor the piece to a news hook: [NEWS_HOOK?]. This is the timely reason the argument matters this week, a recent event, ruling, report, anniversary, or running debate. If I did not give you one, open with the strongest current peg you can reasonably assume and flag it in a bracketed note so I confirm or update it before pitching. Editors reject pieces that give no reason to run now.

Aim this at a [PUBLICATION_TYPE:select:National newspaper,Local or regional paper,Industry or trade publication,Campus or student paper,Online news site] and match its register. A national paper wants a fresh angle on a story its readers already follow. A local or regional paper wants the community stake spelled out. A trade publication wants insider authority and specifics its readers cannot get elsewhere. A campus paper wants a voice from inside the issue. An online news site wants a tight hook and a headline that survives a crowded feed.

Write in first person and active voice. My standing to write this is [YOUR_CREDENTIALS?], so work that authority in early without turning the piece into a resume. If I gave you a personal stake, [PERSONAL_STAKE?], use it as a concrete anchor, because a specific story moves readers more than a stack of numbers. Target [WORD_COUNT:number:500-900] words in a [TONE:select:measured and authoritative,urgent and impassioned,wry and conversational,sharp and contrarian] tone, and do not run over the count. Editors cut long pieces or reject them outright.

Write the full op-ed in this order:

1. A lede that hooks a busy reader in the first two sentences. Use a sharp scene, a surprising fact, a pointed question, or the news hook itself. Do not clear your throat with background or a dictionary opener. Put the main argument near the top, in one or two plain sentences, so a reader who quits after paragraph two still knows where you stand.

2. Three or four short body paragraphs that build the single argument. Give each one a specific reason, example, or piece of evidence, then say why it matters to this reader right now. Keep paragraphs to two or three sentences. Favor concrete examples over dry data, and use plain language a reader outside the field would follow.

3. One honest concession paragraph, the kind an editor signals with a phrase like "to be sure." State the strongest objection fairly, grant the part that is reasonable, then explain why your argument still holds. Skipping this reads as propaganda. Overdoing it surrenders the piece. Keep it to one tight paragraph.

4. A clear ask. Say plainly what you want to happen: what a reader, a lawmaker, an institution, or an industry should do or change. My preferred ask, if I have one, is [THE_ASK?]. A vague call to "raise awareness" does not land, so name the action.

5. A kicker, the last line that sends the reader off with the point ringing. Circle back to an image or phrase from the lede, or turn the argument one notch further. Keep it short. The final line is the one people quote.

Before the op-ed, suggest three headline options: one straight, one provocative, and one that leads with the news hook. Editors often rewrite headlines, but a strong one helps the piece get read.

Mark every statistic, quote, or source you are not certain about as a placeholder in bold, like this: (placeholder, replace with a verified source: publication, year). Never present an invented number or quote as real. An unchecked fact is how an op-ed gets killed or corrected.

After the op-ed, add a short pre-submission checklist of five to seven specific items to verify before I pitch. Include checks such as confirming the news hook is current, making sure the piece argues one point and not three, cutting to the word limit, confirming the ask is a concrete action, replacing every placeholder source, and reading the kicker aloud to hear whether it lands.

Keep sentences short and varied, cut jargon and throat-clearing, and write like a person with a byline and a point of view, not a committee.