Op-Ed Submission Lists

Op-eds -- opinion pieces that appear on the editorial pages of newspapers and some magazines -- are popular communications vehicles for nonprofits because they allow those organizations to advocate for a cause or help spark change.

I've shared tips for writing an op-ed that will get read here; these apply whether you hope to place your essay with the local paper or with several newspapers around the country.

Once you're satisfied that you've written a clear and compelling essay, e-mail it to the right person at each newspaper. How do you find out who that is? If you're just sending to one newspaper, call and ask. If you're an organization with a national audience and cause, you can pay a distribution service such as Cision to e-mail your essay to an up-to-date list at the papers you select. If you'd rather compile your own e-mail address list, use the resources below that I've found online. I can't promise they're current, but if you get an "undeliverable" bounceback message, go to that newspaper's Web site and find what you need there.

Please note that national newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today require exclusivity. But can you send it to both the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Charlotte Observer? Absolutely. And if you can personalize your essay for each market you're sending it to, you'll have a better shot at acceptance.

Here are links to lists. Google will help you find the information you need for newspapers not on these lists (what a great job for an intern!):

http://www.thestruggle.org/op-eds.htm
http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=3324
http://www.joemitchell.biz/marzipan/oped.htm
http://www.theopedproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=65

How One Business Got Opportunistic

Whether I'm speaking to a group about how to generate publicity or teaching my book promotion e-course, I always nudge people to capitalize on the day's headlines to create buzz for their charity, business or book.

One of my "Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz" students did this recently, placing an essay about her book's topic in today's Christian Science Monitor. Meagan Francis, author of Table for Eight: Raising a Large Family in a Small Family World, leveraged the buzz around Sarah Palin's five children and Angelina Jolie's ongoing comments about adding to her family to place Thanks to Angelina Jolie, having lots of kids is hip. It's a well-written piece that tells us more about why Meagan has four children and another on the way -- and one that I shared with my mother, who had seven children in 10 years back when that was more the norm than the exception.

Meagan's high-profile success is just one example of the kind of exposure your company, organization, product or service can enjoy by reacting quickly and effectively to the day's news. Most of us will have the most success by adding a local angle to a national story (a TV station in my area interviewed "local Joe the Plumbers" last week), but we can also score a big one -- as Meagan did today. Great job, Meagan!

How to Write an Op-Ed Column or Essay

Op-eds – essays that appear opposite the editorial pages of newspapers – are powerful communications tools for nonprofit organizations or small businesses working to influence public policy or initiate change or for authors with an informed opinion on a current topic in the news. But too many of us miss some of our best opportunities to inform readers through these opinionated essays.

National headline news stories provide the hook our opinion pieces need to catch an editorial page editor’s attention, but most of us don’t always take advantage of this because we can’t react quickly enough to write and place an essay when it’s still timely.

I recommend having at least one op-ed written in advance to use when a news event brings the op-ed’s topic to the public’s attention. When news breaks, customize it for the situation so it appears fresh and timely and send it out quickly so it can be used immediately.

Here are 10 tips for writing effective op-eds you can update according to the news story for immediate publication:

1. Read the publication you’re submitting to. You want to be familiar with its style and tone as well as the types of op-eds it typically runs.

2. Introduce yourself to your newspaper’s op-ed page editor by telephone or e-mail and request the publication’s op-ed guidelines. Then follow them.

3. Determine your goal. What do you want to achieve through your op-ed? Do you want people to behave differently or take a specific action? Keep this goal in mind as you write.

4. Select one message to communicate. Op-eds are short – typically 800 words or less – so you have room to make just one good point.

5. Be controversial. Editors like essays with strong opinions that will spark conversation.

6. Illustrate how the topic or issue affects readers. Put a face on the issue by starting your essay with the story of somebody who has been affected or begin with an attention-getting statistic.

7. Describe the problem and why it exists. This is often where you can address the opposing viewpoint and explain your group’s perspective.

8. Offer your solution to the problem and explain why it’s the best option.

9. Conclude on a strong note by repeating your message or stating a call to action.

10. Add one or two sentences at the end that describe your credentials as they relate to the topic.

When your issue is suddenly making headlines, write an introduction that connects the news to your essay and e-mail it to the editor quickly. You can do this with multiple newspapers in noncompeting markets, too.