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Sharing Content

The ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Communications & Marketing team can help share compelling stories about how ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and our people are making an impact. Contact us at MediaRelations@sfu.ca to discuss the possibilities listed below. 

Develop an Op-ed

About op-eds

  • An op-ed allows you to speak to specific audiences in your own words through the media
  • Op-eds run at around 700 words
  • They open with a hook—a short, punchy intro that gets your basic point across while drawing the reader in to learn more
  • They take a stand, providing an argument in favour or against a certain course of action
  • They are argumentative but well supported by facts
  • They include an interesting anecdote (or two) that strengthens your point
  • They bring a unique perspective to current topics of discussion
  • They are well-written using plain language (as per Ottawa Citizen: )

Examples of ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV op-eds

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Answer this at the outset: why should anyone care about this topic?

Newsworthy characteristics

  • Currency: Is this an ongoing topic (e.g: climate change, A.I.) that comes up frequently in the news?
  • Timeliness: Is the op-ed addressing an issue that is currently all over the news?
  • Conflict: Does your op-ed provide a critical perspective that disagrees with a common narrative?
  • Local: Will your writing topic interest local audiences?
  • Unique: Does your perspective stand out from what everyone else is saying about the topic?
  • Impact: Does the topic impact many people? The more people the topic impacts, the more will likely be interested in it.

Pitching your op-ed

  • Identify a publication that might be interested (check that they haven’t recently published an op-ed on a similar topic OR if so, that your opinion adds to this issue)
  • Find the op-ed or commentary editor’s contact information online
  • Send an email to the editor with a brief one-paragraph outline of your op-ed
  • Focus on the unique perspective you offer and explain why it is newsworthy
  • Include a line highlighting your qualifications and title
  • Copy your op-ed below your pitch note in the text of the email
  • Be prepared to send a headshot if your op-ed is accepted
  • Allow for a week or so from the date you submit to the date it is published
  • Be patient and practical. Larger publications receive dozens of submissions a day. Few make it to print.
  • Papers do not pay a freelance fee for opinion pieces
  • Don’t submit something you have submitted or published elsewhere. If you are not successful, you can move on and submit to another publication.
  • Consider reusing your op-ed on your own digital channels (LinkedIn, ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Faculty Blog, Medium, etc)