How to Write an Op-Ed That Gets Published: Template and Pitch

An op-ed that gets published makes one clear argument, ties it to something in the news, backs it with evidence from your own experience, and arrives on an opinion editor’s desk while the topic is still hot. This guide gives you a paragraph-by-paragraph structure, a fill-in 750-word template, a pitch email you can adapt, and the habits that separate the pieces editors run from the ones they ignore.

What an op-ed is (and what it isn’t)

An op-ed is a signed opinion article written by someone outside the publication’s staff. The name comes from its traditional spot “opposite the editorial page.” For founders and small-business owners, it is one of the few ways to get your thinking in front of a large audience without paying for space and without depending on a reporter to quote you accurately.

It helps to be clear about what an op-ed is not:

• Not a news story. A reporter covers what happened. You argue what should happen next.
• Not a press release. A press release announces your company’s news in a neutral voice. An op-ed takes a position on an issue that matters to readers who have never heard of your company.
• Not a letter to the editor. A letter responds to something the paper published and is usually much shorter. Letters are a good first step if you have never been published.
• Not a column. Columnists write regularly on staff or contract. An op-ed is a one-off.

Here is the simplest test. If a reader finished your piece and the main thing they learned was that your company exists, it is an ad. If they finished it and saw an issue differently, it is an op-ed.

Step 1: Find an argument worth making

Editors receive far more submissions than they can run. The ones that make it usually share three qualities: they are timely, they are specific, and they come from someone with a reason to be heard on that subject.

Start with your expertise, then look for the news

Make a list of five things you know better than most people because of your work. A restaurant owner understands tipping laws from the payroll side. A software founder knows what a proposed data-privacy rule would cost a ten-person company. A contractor knows why permits take months in your city. Those are your lanes.

Then watch the news for moments when your lane becomes the story: a bill introduced in the state legislature, a new federal rule, a local controversy, a seasonal event, a well-publicized report. That is your hook. The OpEd Project, which trains new opinion writers, stresses writing fast because timely pieces may have only hours before the news moves on.

Write the one-sentence thesis

Before drafting, finish this sentence: “I believe ___ because ___, and readers should ___.” For example (illustrative): “Our city should approve outdoor dining permits in one week instead of three months, because the delay costs small restaurants their best season, and the council should adopt a fast-track rule at its next meeting.” If you can’t fill in the blanks, keep thinking.

Step 2: Pick the right outlet

National papers are the hardest targets. Most first-time writers have better odds, and often a more relevant audience, with regional dailies, local business journals, trade publications and well-edited industry websites. A trade outlet that every buyer in your industry reads can be worth more than a national byline that none of them see.

Outlet type	Typical audience	Best for	Difficulty
National newspapers	General public, policymakers	Big policy arguments with national stakes	Very high
Regional and city dailies	Local residents, local officials	Local issues, state laws, community business topics	Moderate
Business journals	Local executives and owners	Economic development, hiring, regulation	Moderate
Trade publications	Your industry, your buyers	Industry practices, standards, technology shifts	Moderate to low
Online opinion sections	Varies widely	Fast-moving news, niche audiences	Varies

Read at least five recent op-eds in your target outlet before you write. Notice their length, tone, how often they use first person, and whether they favor local angles. Then find the submission guidelines, usually linked from the opinion section. They will tell you the word limit, whether to send a full draft or a pitch, and how long to wait before you can assume the answer is no.

Step 3: Use a structure editors recognize

Op-eds follow a fairly standard shape. The OpEd Project lays out a simple version: a lede built around a news hook, a statement of your argument, supporting points with evidence, a “to be sure” paragraph that addresses counter-arguments, and a conclusion that often returns to the lede. It notes the structure “is not a rule,” but it works, and editors read it quickly.

The parts, in order

1. Lede (1 paragraph). A scene, a surprising fact, or a sharp claim that connects to the news.
2. Thesis (1 paragraph). Your argument in plain words, plus why it matters now.
3. Point one (1 to 2 paragraphs). Your strongest reason, with evidence.
4. Point two (1 to 2 paragraphs). A different kind of evidence: data, then experience, then an example.
5. Point three (1 to 2 paragraphs). Often the practical fix or what it would take.
6. “To be sure” (1 paragraph). State the best objection fairly, then answer it.
7. Ending (1 paragraph). Echo the lede and say clearly what should happen.

Jeffrey Seglin of the Harvard Kennedy School communications program, writing for The Journalist’s Resource, suggests aiming for about 750 to 800 words, making one clear point, hooking the reader in the first line, and reading the draft aloud. That length is a good default when an outlet doesn’t specify one.

A fill-in 750-word op-ed template

Use this as scaffolding. Word counts are approximate. Delete the brackets as you go.

Section	Words	What to write
Lede	60 to 80	[A specific moment, number or scene tied to this week’s news.]
Thesis	60 to 80	[I believe X. It matters now because Y. Here is what should change.]
Point one	140 to 160	[Strongest reason. Cite one credible source and add one detail only you would know.]
Point two	130 to 150	[Second reason, different evidence type. A short example from your work.]
Point three	120 to 140	[The practical fix. Who needs to act, and what it would cost or save.]
To be sure	80 to 100	[The best counter-argument, stated fairly, then your answer.]
Ending	60 to 80	[Return to the opening image. One clear call to action.]

Worked example (illustrative)

Here is how the template might fill out for a fictional bakery owner in Columbus writing about permit delays. The lede: “Last May, I paid rent on an empty patio for eleven weeks while my outdoor seating permit sat in a queue.” The thesis: “The city’s three-month permit process costs small restaurants their busiest season, and the council can fix it with a one-week standard approval for patios that meet a published checklist.” Point one uses the city’s own published processing times. Point two describes what eleven weeks of an empty patio meant for staff hours. Point three proposes the checklist and points to another city that publishes one. The “to be sure” paragraph admits that safety reviews matter and explains that the checklist keeps those reviews, but standardizes them. The ending returns to the empty patio and names the council meeting date.

Notice that the bakery is mentioned only as the writer’s experience. The piece is about the permit rule, which affects every restaurant reader in the city.

Writing techniques that get you published

Lead with something concrete

Abstract openings (“Small businesses are the backbone of the economy”) get skimmed. A specific detail (“I paid rent on an empty patio for eleven weeks”) gets read. Your first sentence has one job: make the editor read the second.

Show your evidence, briefly

Every claim that could be challenged needs support: a government statistic, a published study, a court ruling, or your firsthand experience. Use the strongest source available and name it in the sentence. Many outlets prefer hyperlinks to footnotes; editors may ask you to send sources separately so they can fact-check.

Write in plain language

Assume smart readers who know nothing about your industry. Replace jargon with ordinary words. If you must use a term of art, define it in the same sentence.

Keep yourself in the background

Your byline line (“Jane Doe owns a bakery in Columbus”) establishes your credibility. Inside the piece, mention your company only where it supports the argument. Never include product names, discount codes or sales language.

Write a real ending

Weak endings summarize. Strong ones echo the opening and ask for a specific action: a vote, a policy change, a habit readers can adopt.

How to pitch an opinion editor

Some outlets want the full draft; others want a short pitch first. Follow the outlet’s instructions exactly. When you send a full piece, paste it into the body of the email instead of attaching a file, unless the guidelines say otherwise.

Pitch email template

Subject: Op-ed submission: [Your headline in under 10 words] ([word count] words)

Dear [Editor’s name],

With [news hook, for example the city council’s vote on Oct. 28], I’d like to offer an exclusive op-ed arguing that [one-sentence thesis].

I’m [your role] and have [specific relevant experience, for example run a 30-seat restaurant here for nine years]. The piece draws on [evidence type] and proposes [concrete fix].

The full text is below. It has not been submitted elsewhere. If I don’t hear back by [date], I’ll assume you’re passing and offer it to another outlet.

Thank you,

[Name, title, phone number, short bio line]

Keep the pitch to around 150 words. Editors want to know three things fast: why now, why you, and what you are arguing.

Exclusivity and follow-up

The OpEd Project warns that most national newspapers won’t consider a piece submitted to more than one paper at the same time. Pitch one outlet, wait the period stated in its guidelines, then move on. For time-sensitive pieces, a brief, polite check-in within 24 to 48 hours is reasonable. If the news moves on before you place it, revise the hook rather than sending a stale draft around.

Common mistakes, and what to do after it runs

Mistakes that get op-eds rejected

• Too many arguments. Three loosely related points become three half-arguments. Cut to one.
• No news hook. “Why now?” needs an answer in the first two paragraphs.
• Corporate voice. Language that sounds like a marketing department gets deleted. Write like a person.
• Too long. A 1,400-word draft for an outlet with a 750-word limit signals that you didn’t read the guidelines.
• Unsupported numbers. Editors will check. One wrong statistic can kill the piece and your relationship with that desk.
• Simultaneous submissions. Getting caught sending the same piece to two outlets can close doors.
• Ghostwriting without involvement. If someone helps you draft, the ideas and experience must still be yours, and you should be able to defend every line.

After your op-ed runs

Share the published link on LinkedIn and in your newsletter with a sentence on why you wrote it. Thank the editor, briefly. Add the piece to your website’s media page and your speaker bio. Many outlets limit how often the same author appears, so wait a few months before pitching that outlet again, and use the time to pitch a different publication or a letter to the editor. If you also announce company news, keep it separate: a release with a strong announcement headline is a different tool for a different job.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should an op-ed be?

Around 750 words is a common target, but limits vary by outlet. Always check the publication’s own submission guidelines and stay under its limit.

Do newspapers pay for op-eds?

Policies vary. Many outlets do not pay outside contributors for opinion pieces, and some do. Check the guidelines or ask the editor if it matters to you.

Can I submit the same op-ed to several newspapers?

Not at the same time, for most outlets. Submit to one, wait the stated response period, and move on only after you have been declined or the wait has passed.

Can a business owner write about their own industry?

Yes, and that expertise is usually why an editor says yes. Disclose your role in your byline, argue about an issue rather than your product, and avoid promotional language.

What if my op-ed is rejected?

Most are. Update the hook if the news has moved, tighten the argument, and pitch the next outlet on your list. Some editors will tell you what would make a piece stronger if you ask politely.

Should I hire a ghostwriter?

An editor or writer can help shape your draft, but the argument, experience and evidence should be yours. If a piece is published under your name, you are accountable for every claim in it.

Start with one sentence

Pick an issue from your work that is in the news this month, write your one-sentence thesis, and fill in the 750-word template. Read it aloud, cut anything that sounds like a sales pitch, and send it to one well-chosen outlet. The first published op-ed is the hardest. Every one after that comes with a clip that proves you can deliver.