Nicholas Kristof’s Ten Tips for Writing Op-Eds
from The New York Times Learning Network 1. Start out with a very clear idea in your own mind about the point you want to make. Related: Preventing Mass Shootings Like the Vegas Strip Attack 2. Don’t choose a topic, choose an argument. Related: On Death Row, but Is He Innocent? 3. Start with a bang. Related: If Americans Love Moms, Why Do We Let Them Die? 4. Personal stories are often very powerful to make a point. Related: This is What a Refugee Looks Like 5. If the platform allows it, use photos or video or music or whatever. Related: The Photos the U.S. and Saudi Arabia Don’t Want You to See 6. Don’t feel the need to be formal and stodgy. Related: Meet the World’s Leaders, in Hypocrisy 7. Acknowledge shortcomings in your arguments if the readers are likely to be aware of them, and address them openly. Related: A Solution When a Nation’s Schools Fail 8. It’s often useful to cite an example of what you’re criticizing, or quote from an antagonist, because it clarifies what you’re against. Related: Anne Frank Today Is a Syrian Girl 9. If you’re really trying to persuade people who are on the fence, remember that their way of thinking may not be yours. Related: We Don’t Deny Harvey, So Why Deny Climate Change? 10. When your work is published, spread the word through social media or emails or any other avenue you can think of.
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