OP-ED BASICS

1. “Op-ed” means “opposite the editorial page.” Most newspapers

reserve some space on that page for opinion columns by people who
don’t work for that newspaper and aren’t regular syndicated columnists.
(“Editorials” are unsigned opinion pieces written by the paper’s editors.
“Columns” usually refer to opinion pieces written by regular columnists.)
Some papers have a limit on the number of times per year particular
freelance authors can be published.
Op-eds are one of the most read parts of the paper and are a great
way to reach a broad audience.

2. Big papers have an op-ed editor who chooses what op-eds to run. At
smaller papers, the editorial page editor, or the one and only editor,
chooses the op-eds.

3. Most papers have word limits between 600 and 800 words.

4. Op-eds tend to appear in local daily newspapers, the five national

papers (USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington
Post and the LA Times), and African American weeklies. One wire
service circulates op-eds to newspapers all over the country,
McClatchy/Knight-Ridder, and the Progressive Media Project chooses a
few progressive op-eds that go out on that wire. Progressive op-eds
can be submitted to American Forum, which submits them to
newspapers mostly in the southeast, and to MinuteMan Media, a non-
profit that sends op-eds to 1500 papers, mostly local weeklies.

5. Sometimes spokespeople write and sign their own op-eds. Sometimes

someone “ghost-writes” for an author. In any case, it's always a group
endeavor, with feedback and proofreading and a “last pair of eyes”
before submitting it.

© Betsy Leondar­Wright and Holly Sklar. Created for United for a Fair Economy.
FACTORS IN OP-ED DECISIONS

1. POINT OF VIEW
Op­eds don’t directly answer a newspaper article (as letters to the editor do), but they do take a 
stand on an issue in the news. Viewpoints too repetitive of the paper’s editorial position are less 
likely to get in.
QUESTION FOR GROUP: Do we have an unusual take or fresh information on an issue now 
or soon to be in the news?

2. HOOK/TIMING
For breaking news, the best timing is to submit an op­ed the same day. For upcoming news 
hooks, editors vary in their preferred lead time, but 10­14 days ahead is pretty safe.
Plan ahead to respond to scheduled govt. releases, legislation and news events as well as 
holidays that make good hooks, e.g., MLK holiday. Most op­eds take 1­2 days to write and edit.
QUESTION FOR GROUP: Do we have time to do an op­ed soon enough to be relevant?

3. AUTHOR
Op­ed authors usually have some standing on the issue, whether expert credentials, 
previous/forthcoming publications, or first­person involvement.
QUESTION FOR GROUP: Do we have an author likely to seem credible to an editor?

4. WRITING
A published op­ed rarely sounds like a fact sheet, technical explanation, history lesson, angry 
diatribe or PR piece for a publication or project. Op­eds generally make a convincing point in 
compelling language, tell a first­person story, or put a new spin on an issue with fresh 
information or by combining surprising things. Op­eds are snappy, not academic or laced with 
insider jargon. They have strong titles, leads and conclusions to grab people and hold them. Put 
your email and address so readers can contact you.
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP: Do we have creative ideas on turning our information or positions
into op­ed form? Can we get help on the writing from a skilled and experienced op­ed writer?

5. NEWSPAPER(S)
Newspapers have different policies on where else you can submit the same or a very similar op­
ed: Unless you are syndicated over a wire service, many dailies want you to submit to no other 
paper in their circulation area. The five national papers require exclusive submissions. Most 
weeklies don’t care where else you submit. After a few days, you can contact an editor to say 
you’re moving it to another paper if they don’t want it. Submitting similar op­eds with different 
signers to different papers is considered fraudulent by some editors. Small city dailies often favor
local authors when choosing among non­syndicated submissions. Black papers mostly print op­
eds by African Americans or about black issues. Big regional and national papers mostly print 

© Betsy Leondar­Wright and Holly Sklar. Created for United for a Fair Economy.
op­eds with well­known or very credentialed authors and get hundreds of submissions a week, so
the competition is heavy. Many local and alternative papers don’t have an op­ed page.
QUESTION FOR GROUP: Where could we submit the op­ed that it might be accepted?

The BOTTOM LINE is that op­eds can be difficult to get published. About half the op­eds 
United for a Fair Economy ever submitted to daily newspapers were never printed. On the other 
hand, UFE has had some great successes, and op­eds are a crucial part of a good media strategy.
Sometimes the right answer to “should we do an op­ed now?” is “no.” Your group should do it 
when you have the time, the idea, the author, and the publication likely to be a winning mix.

© Betsy Leondar­Wright and Holly Sklar. Created for United for a Fair Economy.