introduction to op-ed writingyoung-voices.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/op-ed-presentation.p… ·...
TRANSCRIPT
LetmeintroducemyselfCaseyGiven◦ B.A.Rhetoric,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,2012◦ PolicyAnalyst,AmericansforProsperityFoundation,2012-2013◦ Editor,YoungVoices,StudentsForLiberty2014-15◦ DirectorofCommunications,StudentsForLiberty,2015-16◦ ExecutiveDirector,YoungVoices,2016
LetmeintroduceYoungVoicesFounded2013asprojectofStudentsForLiberty◦ Builtsteadylistof75youngwriters(“Advocates”)◦ Hasaccumulated1,000+mediahits(i.e.print,radio,andTV)◦ GreatesthitsincludeTheGuardian,RollingStone,TIME,andChicagoTribune
Transitionedtoindependentnonprofitin2016◦ CertifiednonprofitcorporationinDistrictofColumbiaasofMay◦ Currentlyawaiting501c3tax-exemptionfromtheInternalRevenueService
Whatisanop-ed?“Opinion-editorial”or“oppositetheeditorialpage”◦ Shortopinionarticlecommentingoncurrentevents◦ Writtenbyoutsidecontributors,notpublicationstaff(i.e.columns,editorials)◦ Typically600-800words,dependingonthepublication
Threequestionstoaskbeforewriting…Who’syouraudience?◦ Whoareyoutryingtopersuade?Thegeneralpublic?Aparticularsubsection?
Whatpublicationsaddressthataudience?◦ Thereareprosandconsofaddressingageneralorspecificaudience
Areyousayingsomethingfreshandinteresting?◦ Editorsareunlikelytoacceptyourpitchunlessyourargumentisunique
GeneraltipsandtricksShootfor600-800words◦ Readershaveshortattentionspans,andeditorsevenshorter
Makeyourpiecetimely,butnottootimely◦ Thenewscyclemovesfast,andeditorsmoveslow
Keepsentencesasconciseandpreciseaspossible◦ Don’tbelieveme,takeitfromGeorgeOrwell…
“PoliticsandtheEnglishLanguage”◦ Neveruseametaphor,simile,orotherfigureofspeechwhichyouareusedtoseeinginprint
◦ Neverusealongwordwhereashortonewilldo◦ Ifitispossibletocutawordout,alwayscutitout◦ Neverusethepassivewhereyoucanusetheactive◦ Neveruseaforeignphrase,ascientificword,orajargonwordifyoucanthinkofaneverydayEnglishequivalent
◦ Breakanyoftheserulessoonerthansayanythingoutrightbarbarous
Casey’spetpeevesSemicolonsarethedevil,andKurtVonnegutagrees.◦ “Hereisalessonincreativewriting.Firstrule:Donotusesemicolons.Theyaretransvestitehermaphroditesrepresentingabsolutelynothing.Alltheydoisshowyou'vebeentocollege.”
Whichiswhich?“Which”vs.“That”◦ Restrictiveclauseuses“that”:“Gemsthatsparkleoftenelicitforgiveness.”◦ Nonrestrictiveclauseuses“which”:“Diamonds,whicharesparkly,oftenelicitforgiveness.”
Emdashesarecommas’(often)unnecessarycousin◦ Commascorrectlyseparateclauses:“Diamonds,asparklygem,oftenelicitforgiveness.”◦ Emdashesarebestforanafterthought:“Onesparklygemoftenelicitsforgiveness— namely,diamonds.”
Avoidthe“L”word(or“C”word)◦ Nobodycaresaboutyourpoliticalideology!Persuadeyouraudiencewithreason.Don’tpigeonholeyourself.
TheintroductionThehook—signaltoyourreaderswhatthetopicofthearticleis Thethesis—
stateyourargumentup
front
ThehookUsethenewsThisWednesdayeveningFrancesNewton,40,willbeputtodeathforthemurdersofherhusbandandtwochildren18yearsago…
UseananniversaryFiftyyearsaftertheSupremeCourtbannedschoolsegregation,thebattleovertheracialcompositionofAmerica'sschoolscontinuesincourtroomsacrossthecountry.
CiteamajornewstudyAccordingtoanewnation-widepoll,60%ofwomenhavecheatedontheirhusbandsatleastonce.
GetPersonalCollegeadmissionsofficersaroundthecountrywillbereadingmyapplicationsthismonth,essaysinwhichIdescribepersonalaspirations,academicgoals-- even,inonecase,abuddingpassionforthesitar.Whattheywon'tknowisthatIactuallygraduatedfromcollegemorethanayearago,andthatthenamesattachedtotheseessaysarethoseofmyduplicitousclients.
CitingevidenceCitestudies,statisticsexperts,andanecdotesthatsupportyourevidence
Providelinkstoyour
sources,evenifthe
publicationwon’tuse
them
GoodsourcesBureauofEconomicAnalysis(BEA)— bea.gov◦ GDP,personalincome,consumerspending
CensusBureau— census.gov◦ Population,stateandlocalrevenue,expenditures,anddebt
BureauofLaborStatistics—bls.gov◦ Unemploymentrate,stateandlocalemployment,ConsumerPriceIndex(CPI)
NationalCenterforEducationStatistics— nces.ed.gov◦ NAEPscores,graduationrates,schoolrevenueandexpenditures
GoodsourcesTaxFoundation◦ Stateandlocaltaxrates
StateBudgetSolutions◦ Stateunfundedliabilities
Gallup◦ Historicalpollingdata
TheUsualSuspects◦ Center-right:CatoInstitute,HeritageFoundation,AmericanEnterpriseInstitute,StatePolicyNetwork,etc.
◦ Center-left: CenterforBudget&PolicyPriorities,BrookingsInstitution,PewCharitableTrusts,RANDCorporation
Let’smakeamatchWhatpublicationbestfitsthetoneofyourpiece?◦ Isithipandquirky?Wonkyandserious?
Whatistheirsubmissionprocess?◦ Whodoyouemail?Andhowlongshouldyouwaittohearback?
Whatistheformatofthewebsite?◦ Dopublishedauthorshaveabioandmugshot?
ContactYoungVoicesCheckoutourwebsite— youngvoicesadvocates.comContactme— [email protected]— youngvoicesadvocates.com/apply