This document provides tips for writing opinion editorials (op-eds). It recommends focusing on one topic of interest to readers, researching the issue thoroughly, and crafting a unique argument supported by facts. The op-ed should grab readers' attention with an engaging opening and clearly state the author's convincing opinion. Thorough editing is important to ensure clarity, structure, and proper grammar.

1. Tips and guidelines

2. What you’ll need
- An opinion
-Writing ability
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3. So many kinds of columns
Op-ed Art&Culture
Business
Police Environment
Fashion Spirituality
Sports Books
Food etc.
Advice Technology
Health
Consumers Entertainment

4. My weekly column Human Face

5. 1. FOCUS your column on one topic if
possible. You can begin discussion of one
issue to invite reactions, so make sure your
readers are clear about what they should be
reacting to.
2. Choose a topic that you think will
INTEREST your readers. Current issues
usually work best.

6. 3. Do your RESEARCH. A good op-ed
column presents a well thought out and
researched, informed point of view.
4. Use UNIQUE ways of expressing yourself.
Present your piece creatively and in a way
that will make your readers want to at least
consider your stance and keep reading.

7. 5. Grab your readers’ ATTENTION. Op-ed
columns do not need to follow standard
journalistic guidelines. Open with an
anecdote, a quote, an example—something
that will get your readers interested in what
you have to say.
6. Opening with a story is great, but be sure
that at the heart of that story is your
ARGUMENT and that your stated opinion is
clear and follows logical flow.

8. 7. You will need to EDIT and REWRITE your
column for CLARITY, STRUCTURE and
GRAMMAR. Your article should make sense to
readers other than yourself so do not be afraid
to rewrite as necessary.
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9. More tips
1. Write with conviction: Put forward your
opinion as something you truly believe in.
Argue your case with conviction. Come
down hard on one side of an issue. Be
unequivocal. Don’t sound like a fence sitter.
2. Maintain your focus: As much as possible
stick to one topic or issue. That’s one way to
make a strong impression on your readers
and convince them that your point of view is
worth considering.

10. 3. Understand opposing viewpoints: Be
mindful of arguments from all sides. Anticipate
objections to your views and deal with them with
sound reasoning. If you’re not familiar with the
opposing views, you will not be able to argue
your points well.
4. Refer to facts: Your arguments, no matter
how logical, will not carry much weight unless
they are backed up by facts that support your
position. Don’t overdo this by dumping too many
statistics on your readers. Use facts from reliable
sources.

11. 5. Use analogies: These are useful for illustrating a
point, especially when the topic you are writing
about is complicated or technical. Simple analogies
from everyday life make the issue more
understandable and relevant to the reader.
6. Be critical: People like reading columnists who
dare to criticize people and events in real life – not
nameless concepts and policies. Name names as
long as you do not libel anyone and don’t go
overboard. This works well to make your column an
exciting read.

12. 7. Do reporting: It’s possible to write columns
without doing any reporting but the best columns
involve some form of reporting. When you report,
you show that you were ―there‖ and that you have
a good grasp of what’s on the ground. When you
write from an ivory tower, it shows.
8. Localize and personalize: Localize your story
whenever possible. Link it to some personal
experience – yours or that of someone you know.
This makes the topic more real, relevant and
memorable to the reader.

13. 9. Be passionate: Generally, readers don’t like
columns with a soft or passive voice. Come on
strong. People want passion. They want to feel
energized. If the issue doesn’t seem to excite you,
the writer, it is certainly not going to excite the
reader.
10. Provide solutions: Don’t just raise an issue.
Offer solutions—yours or from others. Columns
that criticize policies but offer no solutions leave
readers hanging. People read columns because
they want to gain insight and, perhaps, find
answers.
U.I.O.G.D
(From various sources and personal experiences)