An OpEd (Opinion-Editorial) is a piece written by a member of the community with a particular point of view to express. Most daily newspapers have an Editorial or Opinion Page containing OpEds, many written by syndicated or staff columnists. A few syndicated columnists you might be familiar with are Molly Ivins, David Broder, and Ellen Goodman. To supplement these columns, many newspapers welcome OpEds written by people in the community. The advantage of writing an OpEd is that it is written entirely in your own words – as opposed to having a reporter translate your viewpoint – and is usually not heavily edited unless you have exceeded the word limit. Another advantage is that it carries your byline and title. The major disadvantage is that it does not have the impact of a news article, and fewer newspaper readers read OpEds than read news pages.
Most OpEds are between 500-800 words. They must be topical, timely, well-written and must clearly state a strong opinion. Before deciding to write one, read some guest OpEds to get a sense of word length, subject matter, and tone. It is also a good idea to call the Editorial Page editor to see if he or she is interested in receiving an OpEd on foster care. If the editor sounds interested, find a way to customize the template OpEd we’ve provided. Include a little bit about your personal experiences with foster care. Include information about the definition of Treatment Foster Care and other information specific to foster care in your community or state (how many children in the foster care system, how many foster homes, etc.) Include a contact agency or program that people can call if they want to get information about foster care. You may title your OpEd with an attention grabbing title, but do not be surprised if it goes to print with a different title chosen by the Editor.
Once your piece is written, ask some friends who are not familiar with the issue to read it. Make sure they understand both the issue you are writing about and why it is important to them. Have several people proofread it, and then it’s ready to send to the Editorial Page Editor. Emailing your OpEd is suggested since it reduces time and expense for the newspaper and increases your chance of your article going to print without further editing. Attach a brief note to it with your daytime and evening phone numbers. If you haven’t heard a response within two weeks, call the Editor and ask if he or she is interested in using it. If not, ask for some feedback as to why, so you can learn what they are looking for.
Samples: Foster Parent, Providers, Advocates
Samples: Foster Care Alumnus
