Eddie Rice's Blog, page 4

How does the speechwriting process work? How will you match my voice if we’ve never met?

That’s usually the first question I get (even before how much does a speech cost?).

I’ll admit, speechwriting is a bit of a weird task. You are asking someone else to write the words that you ultimately going to say and be responsible for. There’s a lot riding on that.

Here’s an overview of the process followed by the values driving it:

I first send the speaker a survey tailored to the speech itself. I have a set of questions for each speech type that ask about the audience and the types of things that the speaker would discuss in a typical speech in that category. For example, in my Commencement Speech survey, the questions will draw on the speaker’s education and life experience and how those lessons can inspire the students and their families in the audience.Next, the speaker and I discuss those answers over the phone or in-person if that’s feasible. In this conversation, the goal is to go into more depth on the answers. Sometimes the answers can be done in one phone call but if it takes more that’s fine.Usually the answers from the survey and the phone discussion are enough to get a first going. Once that draft is ready, I’ll send it over. At this point, it’s up to the speaker to say which parts sound like him/her and which ones don’t.The process then repeats itself with the draft going back and forth. That’s where the magic happens. Through sending and revising various drafts, the speaker and the writer get closer to the ideal speech.

It’s a partnership:

Both the writer and the speaker have to come into the project being willing to put in equal effort and work to make the speech work. If it’s a speechwriter’s first time with a speaker, it will be hard for the writer to know immediately what the speaker likes or doesn’t like in a speech.

The discussions and revisions help the writer to better understand the particular quirks and ways of saying things from the speaker. I’ve had some speeches where the first draft has been almost perfect.

In those, the speaker provided ample stories and supporting information in their survey answers. But I’ve had other speeches where the speaker fills out maybe 10% of the survey and thinks that is sufficient to create a speech. Those are the toughest when the speechwriter has to invent much of the speech with little source material.

I know that many times the key speaker is quite busy and their staff handle s much of the heavy lifting when it comes to the speech’s content. That’s fine as long as the speechwriter you are working with still gets some time with the speaker to understand how they speak and how they are approaching the ideas in the speech.

Revision is key:

The tough part about the first speech between a speaker and a writer is that the two don’t know each the other one’s style or approach. Sure, sometimes the speaker has past videos or speeches but that’s a luxury more than a routine source.

However, if both sides go into the speech knowing that it will be revised a few times then it’s much easier to take chances and allow ample time to get the speech right. But once that first speech is completed and more are done between the writer and the speaker, the process becomes easier.

After a relationship has been developed through multiple speeches, this process will be much easier with the speaker able to say, “Can you write me a speech based on the following 3 main points?”

Getting the voice right:

This is probably the top concern of many speakers yet for the most part it’s not as hard as some make it out to be. Many speakers, especially in the corporate world, want to sound authentic, professional, and put together. Most speeches aren’t dramatic screenplays filled with intricate backstories and unique accents. Rather, most times, speakers just want to sound like themselves when giving their speech.

This comes through not so much in the choice of words but in the examples and stories that the speaker uses. If you are telling true and authentic stories from your perspective they will come through as “you” and no one else. The tone and voice will take care of themselves.

Where speakers go wrong is when they have to say something they know is not true or in line with their values or when they have no passion for the subject at hand. In these instances, the speaker’s thoughts and emotions trump any words that they might be saying and the audience is instantly able to tell that the message is inauthentic.

My approach to prevent this from happening is through getting the speaker to become vulnerable in front of the audience when appropriate. This might be in the form of telling a part of their personal story that is relevant to the speech or it’s in admitting that there is a problem but providing the solution at the same time. Your voice as a speaker will come through when you are most authentic with your audience.

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How much does it cost to hire a speechwriter?

What do you charge?

It’s a question that every freelancer in any field has to answer.

After all, we don’t have publicly available data like we do for cars or houses. We can look those prices up online before we shop and have a reasonable idea of what to pay. But no such marketplace or price directory exists for speechwriting. Part of this is due to the very private nature of ghostwriting and, by extension, speechwriting. When was the last time you heard someone praise their ghostwriter or speechwriter? Unless it was a past president and the position was well-known to all, probably seldom.

The other issue is that speechwriting encompasses many types of speeches which require different levels of research and length of time to write. A 5-minute wedding toast is vastly different than a 20-minute keynote speech by a CEO to her entire company. It also seems that the more important speeches require the input of various lieutenants in organizations wanting to have their say over the process and content. Thus, another layer of revisions, meetings, and input calls, to add onto the writing process.

I have come up with two ways in which people are charged for speeches—by the length of the speech itself and by the number of words required.

Pricing by the number of words:

You can figure out the number of words required for a speech based on the fact that humans speak anywhere from around 135 words per minute to 150 words per minute. A 10-minute speech would be around 1,350 words to 1,500 words. Often, freelance writers charge by the word when writing blog posts or magazine articles. A well-seasoned writer can often get $1/word for articles in major publications. A new writer might get fifty cents per word and the top writers could even get $1.25 if not higher.

In this example, with our 10 minute speech, the range for a speech just based on price per word would be a low at 50 cents per word at 1,350 words for a price of $675 and a high of $1.25 per word at 1500 words for $1,875.

It’s of course up to the writer to determine if he or she wants to incorporate pricing for revisions into that price (most do) or charge separately, typically an hourly rate. When writing for a publication, many writers assume that editors will want changes to their product before publishing—the same should also be assumed for speechwriting.

Pricing by the length and type of speech:

Another way to look at the price of the speech is to determine a fixed rate by the amount of time required to speak and the type of speech itself.

For example, a writer might charge $50 per minute of speaking time up to $125 per minute of speaking time. In our 10-minute example above, the speech could cost anywhere from $500 to $1,250.

This flexibility allows the writer to base the cost off of the type of speech being given. Maybe $50/minute is better suited for ceremonial speeches such as wedding toasts and retirement speeches whereas $125/minute is reserved for corporate addresses and keynote speeches where the speaker is getting paid for their speech.

Why the discrepancy?

It comes down to how much work the writer will put into the speech. Some will say that you need a great deal of work to create an effective and funny 5-minute wedding toast. I don’t disagree. But the type of research in getting great stories for a speech like that will differ vastly from the attention to detail and research needed for a speech with more prestige like that of a corporate keynote speech where a stock price could be riding on the words chosen by the speaker and writer.

Which one do I use?

It may depend on the situation and what fits the budget of the speaker or entity.

As a base guideline, for ceremonial and brief speeches—think wedding toasts, retirements, award speeches, thank-you speeches, valedictorian speeches, class graduation speeches, and similar ones, $75/minute of speaking time. This includes three rounds of revisions included as part of the price.

For your corporate speeches, important keynotes, association addresses, commencement addresses for VIPs, anything that requires a large degree of research and meetings/phone calls: $200/minute of speaking time.

To be honest, if there’s a way to come up with a creative number in between one of those or some alternative arrangement, I’m willing to negotiate (as are most freelancers, we just can’t give it all away for free).

Milestones and Deposits:

Many freelancers, including myself, build a set of deposits and milestones into the payment arrangement because it allows for the typically large balance to be paid over time and to decrease the risk in case something happens that prevents the work from being done on time. Some require a 50% deposit with 50% paid at the end while others split it into thirds with the deposit, first draft, and final draft, being the milestones. I mostly do 50% up front and 50% upon the final speech. Some freelancers will even give a discount if the full amount is paid in full up front—typically 10% if the entire amount is paid up front.

I hope that was helpful to those that are trying to figure out what this costs. These are just two models for how to charge for a speech and more could be out there. Some writers track their time and charge hourly for all phone calls, emails, research, and actual writing. That can add up quickly (see any lawyer’s bill for analogous situations).

The post How much does it cost to hire a speechwriter? appeared first on Rice Speechwriting.

Check out: How to Give a Perfect Father of the Bride Speech

This article provides fantastic advice for the father of the bride speech and the advice can be applied to any wedding toast. The article covers everything from how to start, how to end, and even how to handle tricky family situations. The advice is compiled from a select group of speech experts and will definitely help you if you’re stuck on what to say or how to say it. Click here to read more. (full disclosure, I’m quoted in the article)

The post Check out: How to Give a Perfect Father of the Bride Speech appeared first on Rice Speechwriting.

I'm u/eddie-rice-author and I'll be doing a Reddit AMA on 4/18/22 at 9:30 AM

Hope this suffices for proof--here's my bio:

Eddie is a professional speechwriter with over 10 years of experience in helping business leaders, keynote speakers, TED talk presenters, and everyday people, enhance the messages they tell through great storytelling and structure. He loves creating strong narrative-driven speeches that focus on balancing emotional and thought-leadership content.

As a speechwriter, he has worked with CEOs, college presidents and trustees, superintendents and principals, business owners, authors, politicians, organization leaders, nonprofit executive directors, and everyone in between. Public speaking and speechwriting are equalizers: we all want to say just the right words whether it's small groups or large audiences.

What speeches can he write?

Ceremonial speeches: Wedding speeches (including maid of honor, best man, and father of the bride), anniversary toasts, retirement speeches, award acceptance speeches TED and TEDx Talks Keynote speeches: Speeches for authors and thought leaders, graduation speeches, speeches addressing an organization or association Nonprofit advocacy speeches: From fundraising to raising awareness, getting your message out to people who need to hear it the most

Podcast Appearance: Tips for a great wedding toast and effective speeches

I was a recent guest on the Kris and Kristine show--Kris and Kristine are relatable and down to earth people who love to talk about chasing your dreams, finding your passion and being the best version of yourself every day.

We talked about:

-Wedding toasts

-Effective vs. Ineffective Speeches

-How to rehearse and prepare for your speech

-And why Cleveland is a great city to live in

Click here to listen

How to Toast: Short Speech, Big Impact | A ceremonial speech writing guide

Toast: Short Speech Writing Guide

“Can you just say a few words?”

That invitation can strike fear among people who are asked to give a toast at a wedding, to present an award, to congratulate someone on a promotion, to remember a colleague retiring after 25 years.

Yet it doesn’t have to.

Who is this speechwriting guide for?

This is for anyone giving a short speech whose purpose is to honor someone else.

It’s for all those speeches that mean something, that aren’t televised, that are there to honor the great works and deed others have done in their lives.

Awards Speeches

You’re part of an organization that gives out awards each year and this year you get to present one of them! Figure out what to say that’s short, sweet, and meaningful.

Wedding Speeches: Best Man Speeches, Maid of Honor Speeches, Father and Mother of the Bride Speeches

Your best friend is getting married and you get to give a toast. Guidance for best men, maids of honor, father and mother of the bride—anyone who needs to wish the happy couple well.

Promotions

A colleague is getting promoted and you want to talk about their achievements and efforts with some good natured fun thrown in.

Retirement Speeches

How do you say goodbye to the key employee who has worked for you for the last 20 years?

What do you say at your own retirement?

Is your mentor or parent retiring and you want to toast them?

Birthday party toasts and anniversary speeches

What about the people who are a really big deal in our lives? What do you say to them on their important days? What would you say at your parents’ 50th wedding anniversary? What about your spouse’s 40th birthday?

Any occasion where you have to “say a few words”

I probably missed a few speech categories above, but any time that you need to give a speech that honors another person, this guide is your guide.

What will be included in this guide to short speeches: A brief overview of the various parts of any toast. I break down the typical toast or honor speech for any occasion. A step-by-step process to get your speech written. I use the same method when writing for others and you can complete a first draft in the span of a week or any set of seven days spread out over time. Real short speeches given by real people. I’ve scoured the internet and my resources to find examples of toasts and other short speeches that you can use as models. All are modern speeches that real people gave. Use them as inspiration for turns of phrases and overall organization to help you plan your words. Advice for specific types of short speeches. A wedding toast and an awards speech aren’t the same but share tons of similarities. You’ll learn what each type of speech requires given its occasion. Use this section to avoid faux pas. COVID and its Effect on Speeches

A quick note before we begin, COVID has cut the number of in-person gatherings down dramatically. Yet people are finding creative ways to do events and ceremonies online. If you’re unable to give a short speech in-person (due to COVID or other circumstances) here are some ideas to do instead:

Record the speech on your phone or a camcorder–you get the added benefit of multiple takes in case you make a mistake–plus if there are others in your household, you can get them to add in a message. Recording gives you the advantage over a video conference call cutting out in the middle of a great line. Make a slideshow presentation out of it–plenty of computers come with video editing software or at least PowerPoint–put together a collage of pictures and your recorded speech at the same time. Write a letter–sometimes it’s easier to write out your message rather than to say it. Get some nice stationery and someone with good penmanship to help you (there are services online, too, like Handywritten)Where to start with any short speech

Speakers tend to have two problems when it comes to giving short speeches:

They tell me two things:

First: I can’t think of anything to say

Or

Second: I have too much to say, there’s no way I’ll fit it all in

What to do?

Let’s tackle each one, starting with the first.

But, before we do, let’s begin with Step 1–it’s helpful to have a doc open or a set of notes as you go through this guide.

Step 1: Know your time limits, word count, and any other pertinent details for your speech.

We speak around 135 to 150 words per minute. But when it comes to giving a speech, you want to give yourself extra time to take it slow, to allow for applause and laughter. I’d suggest 100-115 words per minute to gauge how much you need to prepare.

For a 3 minute toast: 300-345 words

For a 5 minute toast: 500 words to 575

For a 10 minute toast: 1000 words to 1150 words

I wouldn’t go beyond 10 minutes for any ceremonial speech–err on the side of brevity.

Find out also when you are expected to give your speech during the event. If you are going early, you can err on the side of being a bit longer than expected. If you are one of the last to speak, keep it as short as possible.

Step 2: Know the key sections you’ll want to think about for your toast:

Many toasts and short speeches have the same sections to them but not always in the order below. You can mix and match as needed.

Acknowledgments and Thank yous:

Depending on the formality of the event, you have to thank certain people who put the event together or who are so important that they deserve to be recognized. Word of caution: Do not go overboard in this portion and make the whole speech one long list of thank-yous.

Stories:

Stories will make up the bulk of your toast—they are the perfect vehicle to demonstrate change throughout the speech. It’s where you can talk about the deeds of the person you’re honoring or the significance of the event.

Advice:

You’ll find sections of advice in many toasts—the person giving the toast often has words of wisdom for the happy couple during a wedding toast or sage advice to those just starting on their careers during the speaker’s own retirement speech. This is where you can take the lessons of change you’ve experienced and give them to the audience or the people who are a part of your toast.

Significance of the event:

Sometimes the event itself is important enough that it should be mentioned and featured in your toast (other times, you may just need a few sentences).

Opening and Closing:

Any speech will have a captivating opening and closing, and toasts are no different. The best ones will have openings and closings that relate to one another; oftentimes, the closing can even contain a special 1-2 line mini-toast that sums up the speech itself. We’ll work on specific techniques later on in this guide to craft closings that will be remembered long after the main speech concludes.

Here are some questions to get you started, we’ll dive into the specifics momentarily:

Are there any VIPs in the audience that you must acknowledge or thank? Keep this list very short and go with the ones who are most important or whose egos will be hurt if you don’t mention them. If it’s too many, can you generalize the group (“Honored guests,”)? If you are honoring a person, what makes them so incredible and great? Why are they being honored at this event? What have they done that has impressed you? What have you learned from them? What moments of greatness stick out in your mind? What stories can you tell around each answer? What is the significance of the event you’ll be speaking at? Is it an eternal one like marriage? What is the history of the event? Why did the group start? What are they doing today that is so impactful? Is it appropriate to give advice at an event like this? If a couple is getting married, what advice do you have for them? If someone is retiring or being promoted, what advice can you give to others in the room that want to live up to that person’s example? Are there particular quotes or sayings that you think could work at the beginning or end of the toast? Have people heard these before or will they be fresh? Are they unique to the occasion? What movie did you see recently (or book you read) that showed a dramatic change in its characters? Did you read or watch anything recently that seemed to fall flat? Can you pinpoint a lack of change in the characters as the reason? Step 3: Brainstorm your speech ideas: What to do when you can’t think of anything to say in your speech

The best place to start are the dual goals of any ceremonial speech: You want to honor the person and honor the event.

From a wedding toast to a retirement speech to an anniversary celebration, the goals are the same.

You want to honor a person or a couple and the event itself.

Great toasts and short speeches revolve around telling great stories about the person you’re honoring. Ideally you want a mix of funny and touching stories to tell.

Brainstorming ideas for wedding toasts, birthday speeches, and anniversary speeches:

Anything you want to say to the close family and friends who will be in attendance? Growing up together, I could tell that they would grow into a great person because… One moment that most impressed me was when… He/She was really there for me when… My favorite memory of them was when… One story that really demonstrates is when… When I first met him/her… I am grateful that they are in my life because one time… He/she got me out of a tough situation when… I can never forget the time when… Advice I can give the couple is… A time that he/she made me laugh was when… What are the person’s greatest character values? What makes them such an excellent match for the other? How did the two meet? Were you instrumental in making it happen? How did it happen? When did you know the couple found the right person in the other? What are the bride or groom’s favorite books, movies, or songs? How do the two or one person spend their time? What do their hobbies say about them? Do either have a particular set of quirks that are endearing yet not too embarrassing?

Brainstorming ideas for retirement speeches:

What do you admire about the person retiring? What lessons have they taught you? How have you changed professionally and personally from watching this person work? If you’ve watched them for some time, how have they changed for the better? What are your most memorable stories? Do they have any odd quirks that aren’t too embarrassing? How is the organization better for having this person? How has the organization or department changed in this person’s stead?:

Brainstorming ideas for awards speeches:

Key questions:

What obstacles did you encounter before the accomplishment that this award has recognized? Who helped you along the way? Who mentored you? What did your family give up or sacrifice to help you get here? What advice do you have for the next generation after you? Is there anything special about the award, the event, or the occasion, that you can remark upon? Did you lead a team that helped create the success behind the award? What do you want to say to them? When you are giving an award to someone else… Structure: Great deeds, how do they live/do their work?, lessons/advice/legacy

Key questions:

What impressed you the most about this person? Why are they the right choice for the award? Have they undertaken any projects or ideas that have gone under the radar? Can you recognize those as well? How has this person changed from their beginning to now with the award? Is there a call to action for this organization or award’s greater purpose? Step 4: Organize your short speech

Now that you’ve generated plenty of ideas, you’ll want to determine a structure for your toast.

details the most common ways you’ll see someone give a toast. The first is advice-based, followed by story-based, and then third, the extended metaphor. See how each one fits the toast you want to give based on the occasion. You can also mix and match the forms as you see fit.

Advice Based:

Speeches that are advice-based organize themselves around bits of wisdom or principles. The best example is from the Retirement Manifesto. Here, the speaker uses his retirement to give life advice to those in the audience.

Each piece of advice is followed up by a short story, quote, or something else.

How to adopt this form:

Come up with three to seven principles that you strive to live your life by. Avoid cliches when possible (“live life to its fullest,” “savor every moment,”); instead, think of what you would say if someone asked for life advice over a cup of coffee. What would you tell them?

Another great source for inspiration is Dr. Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture,” where he gave all the lessons in his life knowing that he had a terminal illness. Do an internet search to find its recording and subsequent book. It’s worth watching multiple times.

Once you have the lessons figured out, find a way to creatively tell each lesson. Most people opt for anecdotes but if you have an interesting bit of research or a shocking number, use those sparingly to break it up.

You can also go the opposite way—think of memorable moments from your life, ones that made you who you are today—ones that changed you (back to the Hero’s Journey). What lessons can you draw from those moments? You can either lead with those moments as a story or headline the section and tell the story after.

Each piece of advice is the headline for the section with the content that follows illuminating the advice. You can also go the opposite way and tell a story and conclude the lesson from it.

Each lesson doesn’t need to be the same length—for some, you’ll have more to say than others and that’s OK.

Why 3-7? It’s a starting point and there’s no real rhyme or reason. Three because many speeches are organized around threes. Seven is an upper limit to help keep the speech on the shorter side. Go with what feels right to you.

When it’s appropriate:

You’ll find advice-based speeches most often at retirements, promotions, birthday parties, and occasionally weddings. Usually the person giving the advice is much wiser, experienced, or older, than the people listening.

For example, a father of the bride may be giving marriage advice to the new couple. Or a fire chief is giving advice to a room of candidates upon their graduation from training. Or someone is celebrating 50 years on this earth and wants to give advice to those a bit younger in the audience.

Story Based:

Story-based speeches lead with a story rather than a set of lessons. Sometimes they blend with the advice version but not all stories are told as moral warnings. Some are told to show someone’s great character or a touching moment.

How to do this form:

Story-based speeches can be a series of vignettes or they can be one long complete story. Think first about the values and character of the person you’re honoring and find the stories that demonstrate those. You might have a few stories or one really good one.

Steve Jobs’ Stanford commencement address is a great example of the form–he tells three stories and makes a connection between each one.

When they’re appropriate:

Almost always. This is the most popular way of giving a toast where you talk about the great stories of a person and use those to help make your point.

However, you’ll find them most often in wedding toasts where you get to hear great stories of the groom and bride. Other times, when honoring someone at their retirement or birthday party, you’ll want to tell stories that illuminate their best qualities.

How do you tell the difference between story-based and advice-based? Aren’t they two sides of the same coin?

Yes, they can be. As you’ll notice in the retirement speech, it’s advice and story driven. That’s fine. The goal in making the distinction is that you won’t always have advice to give after a story or the point of the story may be for laughter or sentimentality. You can end a story with lessons that you learned or what impressed you the most about it, but you just don’t have to. Plus, you probably won’t headline a story with its advice and values, “Now let me tell you about the time when John showed courage.” Let the story imply what was shown and draw the details after.

These structures aren’t rigid and can be mixed and matched.

Thank you based:

Someone out there wrote some speech advice that’s mostly correct: Don’t fill the opening of a speech with thank-yous nor the whole thing. That’s almost right.

How to do this form:

A thank-you based speech, when done correctly, can work. Instead of headlining each section with advice as seen above, come up with whom you are thankful for and why. Use each person or group as a headline.

Within each one, give words of thanks, tell short stories, and use that as an opportunity to thank them.

When appropriate:

You’ll find this type of speech most appropriate when you are the center of attention for an award or other occasion where many people helped you get to the big day.

You’re receiving an award; you are graduating at the top of your class; you are celebrating a birthday surrounded by friends and family and they all had an impact on you.

Extended Metaphor:

This is the trickiest to pull off but it can be powerful when done correctly. Take a look at this award acceptance speech from Audra Lawlor at Girl Meets Dirt. It doesn’t fit neatly into any of the categories above, but look at how it’s giving lessons and telling a story all at once.

Can you mix and match?

Yes, and that’s what makes each toast unique. In the body of your toast, you can have a part where you tell great stories about the person you’re honoring and then offer a few words of advice to the crowd.

You can thank specific people who helped you achieve a certain goal but then provide advice to the rest of the crowd.

Key takeaways:

The body of your speech is where you get to tell stories, give advice, and give specific thank-yous to meaningful people in your life. You can choose to headline the sections with advice, story themes, or thank-yous or go the more subtle route, lead with a story, and then conclude with the takeaways you want for your audience. Many find it much easier to write the body of a speech first and then later worry about the opening and closing that will act as bookends on the speech. If you’re stuck here, go onto the next section and try the opening and closing parts and come back to the body. Step 5: Editing–What if my speech is too long?

As promised, here’s how to edit your speech down if you feel that you have too much to say or you are way over in your allotted time and word count.

First, determine the funniest story and the most sentimental story–just tell those two as part of the story section in your speech. You ideally want both to balance each out–plus, sometimes a funny story is taken seriously by the audience and it just becomes sentimental.

Second, cut down any acknowledgments or thank-yous or cut the section entirely. You can make one or two acknowledgments if there’s a VIP in the room (like your CEO or the bride’s father) but cut out the number of people you are thanking.

Third, leave only the essential details in the story you’re telling. If there are extraneous characters that don’t matter much to the plot, take them out. Think of each story like a movie trailer–only add in the absolutely necessary details and let the audience fill in the rest.

Photo credit: Photo by Jaeyoon Jeong on Unsplash

Op-Ed Promotion: 6 Tips To Spread Your Opinion (Part 7)

The final portion of this series will cover what to do next after your piece has been published.

Once your op-ed is published, what’s next?

Share it!

Sharing Rules: First, check with the publication to see what their reprint rights are if you’re planning to go beyond just sharing via social media. With online pieces, almost every publication wants their work to be shared. The exception might be if it’s behind a paywall but check with the editor if you aren’t sure. Social and Email: Put your op-ed on your social media channels. Share the link via your email newsletter — always to the original source. Meetings and Introductions: Is there someone that you want to have an in-depth conversation with over the piece such as a legislator? Send it over as part of your introduction. Media Kits: Link to it in your media kit so that other news organizations and podcast interviewers can see your opinion piece and ask you about it Send to donors: If you are part of an nonprofit or political advocacy group, send your piece to your donor list Create an editorial calendar for future pieces: Brainstorm future timely opportunities to write a piece–find one hook per month that you could tie a future piece to. Usually industry and national holidays, local, state, and federal budgets and legislation, expected product release dates, and planned events, can all be planned for ahead of time. Write out a draft and then modify as issues change as the timely event gets closer.

Congratulations! You’ve gone through the whole process from start to finish to write, edit, and publish, your op-ed.

Photo credit: Photo by Wan Chen on Unsplash

7 Reasons Why Your op-ed Will Get Rejected–and how to fix them (Part 6)

Editors can reject an op-ed for any number of reasons…below are the 7 most common reasons why.

Why your op-ed piece will get rejected: Problem: The topic has been covered extensively by this publication or similar ones that the readers read.Cure: Find a unique angle or perspective that hasn’t shown up yet Problem: It doesn’t tie into any timely issueCure: Wait and keep it in your back pocket or revise the main argument to tie into something going in. Don’t try and force the issue but if you can tweak it just enough you’ll be OK. Alternatively, if you want to comment on breaking news, have an op-ed you can tailor to the situation prewritten. Often you’ll be able to predict events within your industry or what types of changes to the law may happen even though they may be months off from happening. Let’s say there’s an upcoming election with two candidates, you can write two op-eds, one for each outcome, and have them ready as soon as the results are tallied. You don’t have the authority — you might not be the best person to write the op-edCure: Pitch first and demonstrate to the editor that you do have the authority before writing the full piece. If a full piece is required in lieu of a pitch, ensure that you have stated how your background makes you qualified to write it. It doesn’t need to be tons of degrees but you need some connection that says, “OK, this person is enough of an authority to publish this.” The publication doesn’t want to look silly. It’s clearly a first draft — no one has the time to go back and forth with numerous grammar and spelling revisions. The first draft you write should not be the first draft that the editor sees. Cure: Revise and get the help of a writer with a journalism or PR background (Google is your friend); college professors in those areas are great, too. There were just too many submissions — sometimes this happens but if the issue is ongoing you might be considered for a later date to get published. Cure: Submit at a later date or find a publication with less competition The publication doesn’t want to appear biased — this happens more often with local papers and covering political campaigns. If you’re running for office and the paper prints your op-ed, they will probably want to hear from your opponent. Cure: If the race is notable, ask the paper if they would accept dueling op-eds and to reach out to your opponent (yikes, could backfire). Publish early before announcing your candidacy — ideally not the day before because that will look tricky. But if the upcoming election isn’t getting any coverage yet and there’s no buzz, and you’re still undeclared, and have an opinion, go for it. Alternatively, see if there are other publications that would accept your op-ed or larger ones that might not be local but where you could re-share the piece on your social media and email list. “Hey, I wrote this piece for Forbes…” Unbalanced–too many facts and not enough opinion–or ALL opinion. Your piece should teach or argue for a specific course of action. If it just reads like a traditional news story then it won’t fall into the opinion or op-ed category.Cure: Ensure that you are advocating for a course of action–but on the flip-side ensure that you have made your case like a lawyer would in a closing argument: facts interwoven with emotions. Do Now:

Go through your op-ed like the editor of your publication would and see if you find any of the items above.

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Op Ed Writing and Editing: A Complete Guide (Part 5)

This post will be longer than the others but it’s meant to take you through the entire op-ed writing process in one go. I find it easiest to work on all of the parts in one setting so that the piece has a cohesive feel to it. This piece will take Steven Covey’s advice to “begin with the end in mind” from his book 7 Habits of Highly Successful People–here, your goal is to get your reader to take some action at the end. Build your piece with that goal in mind.

Step 1: Op-ed Closing: Begin with the end in mind — who is your ideal reader, what point do you want to make, and what is your ask?

Now that you have your angle, rather than writing the Teach and the Hook part, consider first the Ask. What do you want to build towards in the end?

Do you want your readers to join your cause if you represent a mission-focused group?

Do you want a particular law to change? A bill defeated or passed?

Do you simply want someone to have changed their mind after hearing your perspective?

You can get incredibly prescriptive such as this one in the NY Times on end-of-life conversations:

By starting with the ending in mind, you will be able to build the rest of the op-ed towards this conclusion. It’s OK if in the course of writing you determine that a new ask is needed based on your arguments. But argue to one conclusive ending as you’ll only have 600 words or so.

Additionally, authors often take their conclusion as an opportunity to tie their piece to an even larger theme to make their point. Their op-ed centers around one debate but then they tie into something larger.

Here are some conclusions as examples:https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/opinions/florida-shooting-no-more-opinion-kasky/index.html

I’m just a high school student, and I do not pretend to have all of the answers. However, even in my position, I can see that there is desperate need for change — change that starts by folks showing up to the polls and voting all those individuals who are in the back pockets of gun lobbyists out of office.

Please do it for me. Do it for my fellow classmates. We can’t vote, but you can, so make it count.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rinacummings/amazon-warehouse-was-grinding-me-down-then-coronavirus

I am a human. Not a machine.

I learned that the New York City Council is considering legislation that would require big corporations like Amazon to pay extra during this crisis to compensate us for the increased risks we are taking on and make it harder for them to fire us on a whim. Going to work is a health hazard during this crisis, but we need the money, and people need to get the supplies we are sorting. A bit more pay and some job security would ease a lot of stress. They say we are essential, but Amazon treats us like we’re expendable.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/drivers-help-us-cyclists-get-home-alive/2018/05/11/afa50624-539d-11e8-9c91-7dab596e8252_story.html

Drivers, first and foremost, need to obey the rules, especially as the number of cyclists grows. If there is a next time, I doubt I will be as lucky. Cyclists count on drivers to make it home again alive.

Do Now: Answer the following questions to create your Ask What is the conclusion you want to reach with this piece? What larger themes does your piece tie into? How do you want your reader’s mind to have changed by the end? What do you want your reader to do after reading your piece? Step 2: How will your op-ed teach your reader your point of view?

The central part of an op-ed is how it teaches its readers the author’s point of view and perspective.

Many times, the teaching portion features a story but not always and not always that of the author. However, the personal narrative is quite helpful across many. Story and narratives dominate this list for good reason: they are most likely to hold the attention of readers and have been shown to be more memorable than statistics and factual arguments. Look for a way to balance if needed to lend credibility to your argument by balancing emotion and logic to make your point.

Depending on how much space you have, you can use a combination depending on what fits for the tone and overall point of the piece.

A story that happened to you The story of another person/group The story of research Well-chosen statistics/research report findings Likely implications if a course of action is taken or not taken History Quotations News reporting Pictures, graphs, and charts — submit these along with the piece if you feel they will help illustrate a key point.

Do you need to address an opponent’s viewpoint or argument?

For some pieces, this will be expected if you are responding to the views of someone else or directly trying to refute an argument you find lacking. However, the opinion piece is your piece — anyone with a differing viewpoint can submit their side. It is not your job to make their argument for them and devote precious space to their side. This is especially true in arguments where sides of issues are given disproportionate attention even when the facts and arguments are overwhelmingly against them. It’s up to you and the publication publishing your piece for the tac you’ll take.

Do now: Write out the portion of your piece where you teach your point of view.

See what works from all of the methods above and any others that you would use to teach people your point of view. Imagine you were having a conversation with an open-minded person at a party or over email, how would you make your point to that person?

Step 3: How to start your op-ed to hook the reader’s attention to keep on reading?

Now that you have a strong ask and a case to be made, it’s time to create the hook that will lead readers to the rest of your op-ed.

The first sentence of your op-ed should be where you spend the most time to hook the reader. Typically, a strong declarative sentence will do the trick. It should be immediately apparent what the rest of the piece is about or at least enough to get the reader to keep on reading. Other methods to hook the reader: A surprising statistic or sentence; a hypothetical posed to the reader; recreated dialogue; setting a scene like in a novel; a rhetorical question; a vignette from your life; a story from history

Your hook is typically your first paragraph. It can go to a second if needed. Here is what you’ll need to achieve:

You’ve hooked the reader You’ve tied your piece to a timely news item An editor or reader, just by reading your first paragraph can tell the major themes and ideas in the rest of the piece

Let’s look at a few opening hooks:

Why I’m OK With My Kids Falling Behind in School During the Pandemic

If being born into Generation X ever gave me anything, it has been a lifetime of training in lowered expectations. And as we chaotically hurtle toward the start of a new school year in the midst of a still explosive health crisis, my slacker parenting technique has never been stronger.

Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a feature on a now all-too-familiar theme. “Worried your kid is falling behind?” the headline blared. “You’re not alone.” As the Times explained, “As kids start school with more online learning, parents wonder whether they’ll ever catch up. Here’s how to set them up for success.” Granted, the article advised moms — surprise, no fathers were interviewed — on “creating fun, low-key learning opportunities,” but the phrase “falling behind” nevertheless appeared three times in the body of the article.

The disappearing story of the black homesteaders who pioneered the West

Ever heard of Blackdom in New Mexico? Dearfield in Colorado? What about DeWitty in Nebraska? Didn’t think so. Neither had I several years ago. But they were once vibrant African American homesteading communities. Today their buildings are falling to ruin, their locations are mostly unmarked, and the achievements of their pioneers are mostly forgotten.

At Dearfield, the walls and roof of the lunchroom, once an important gathering place, have collapsed. The decaying building sits behind a chain-link fence. The substantial wood-frame house of the settlement’s founder, Oliver Toussaint Jackson, built in 1918, has been vandalized. Although listed in 1995 on the National Register of Historic Places, and despite local efforts to save it, Dearfield is undergoing demolition by neglect.

What’s The Last Song You Want To Hear Before You Die

Windblown rain lashes against the hospital windows in an uncertain rhythm that seems even more unsteady as I enter the patient’s room near the nursing station. There is music in this room. Two people sit in chairs by the bed of a patient, a woman who is lying very still. I recognize the voice of Elton John coming from a tablet computer on the bedside table. He’s singing “Crocodile Rock.”

“She liked this,” says the woman’s daughter, smiling and rolling her eyes, as though to say “Elton John, really?” The dying woman’s husband glances at his daughter, then at me, and says, “We followed the advice from one of the nurses to play some music in her last few hours and days.” He smiles slightly, as if in apology for the jaunty tune ( I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will ) in this solemn setting.

What you don’t want to do:

Throat clearing: Burying the lede and the purpose for writing this op-ed; giving too much background information early on; giving your credentials and biography.

Your bio will normally be at the end of the piece. If you need to provide the reader with who you are and why you’re writing this piece, that’s typically done in the paragraph after the hook.

Do Now: Go ahead and write the opening for your piece.

Try various openings. Can you open with a story? Recreated dialogue? (you don’t need exact quotes, to save space you can condense as long as you remain truthful)

Op-Ed Templates:

Use the following structures to help organize your piece

1. Hook, Teach, Ask

HookTeachAsk

2. Basic Argument

Intro/Hook/LedeYour evidence and claim 1Your evidence and claim 2Your evidence and claim 3Refutation of common arguments against the claims aboveConclusion and Call to action

Straight Refutation (sometimes necessary):Intro/Hook/LedeOpponent’s Claim 1 and why it falls shortOpponent’s Claim 2 and why it falls shortOpponent’s Claim 3 and why it falls shortYour argument or a better way of viewing the issueConclusion and Call to Action

Op-Ed Writing Tips For Your First Draft:

The following is a collection of tips that didn’t work well elsewhere and just some ideas to keep in mind as you write:

The First-person is OK! Op-eds and opinion pieces are your opinions so feel free to break free from a feature piece style or typical staid 3rd person objective journalistic view. You don’t have to give digital ink to the other side. Sometimes you may need to refute an opponent’s argument but these 600 words are yours — let any opponent respond if needed. Some pieces are set up to enter into a debate while others may need to summarize the opposing point of view but other times you have a personal experience where there is no space needed for someone to call that into question. Argue the hell out of your side; teach your side well; you don’t need to hold back. The more passion, power, and determination you have the better. This piece is your point of view and moment to teach — let other submitted op-eds do the other work of responding or refuting. Admitting that you were wrong about a previous idea or have changed your mind on an issue is a great tack to take and the perfect basis for an op-ed. It’s persuasive to hear, “I used to support X candidate but now I’m voting for…” or “the current party is not the one I grew up with…” Vulnerability sells when telling your personal story. If there’s a part that’s relevant where you can be vulnerable with your reader you’ll have a better chance at leaving a lasting impression than trotting out some facts that anyone could have looked up. Your story is yours and yours alone — don’t be afraid to tell it. Use other op-eds as models. Even ones not in your subject area, find ones that you like and take apart their structure. Giving context for your views almost always comes in the 2nd paragraph rather than the first. The first paragraph is there to invite the reader in and lay the groundwork for why you’re arguing but your background, historical context, etc. often come just after the 1st to help the reader better understand where you’re coming from. Write in a tone appropriate for the publication you’re submitting to — go back to the exercise of reading the previous 10 opinion pieces published by that publication. Can you get away with being breezy and light as you write? Is the tone academic? Serious? Do Now: Putting it all together:

Now you should have in your doc an outline or at least a first draft of each portion of your piece. It may sound disjointed at this point, so go ahead and write it from the beginning to the end in one voice to ensure each part flows together.

Step 4: Key questions to ask when editing your op-ed:

Once you have a draft that you love or are OK with, leave it alone for a few hours or a day to give yourself a break. Then come back and edit it.

As you edit, ask yourself the following:

Am I following the guidelines laid out in the top publication where I want to submit? Does this piece look similar in style, tone, and approach, to recently published opinion pieces? (“Same but different”) Do all parts — Hook, Teach, Ask — flow together? Is any transition needed between paragraphs? To make it shorter, can I replace a series of words with fewer or one that mean the same thing? Are parts repeating themselves? Can I cut those? Does my intro avoid “throat-clearing” (i.e. where too much background is provided and the lede is buried)? Are my claims backed up by citations and credible sources? Are those sources readily available to anyone needing to fact-check them? If my main mode of teaching is through facts and statistics, is there a way to add in an emotional story or narrative? Conversely, if my main mode is a personal story, is there a way to enhance it through citing statistics or facts? Does my piece tie into a timely news event? If not, can it be modified to do so? N.B. This may happen where you may have your central argument ready to go but nothing timely to tie it to. You can either pitch what you have and explain the situation (the editor may have an idea) or you can wait until a newsworthy moment pops up. Is this op-ed self-serving or will readers genuinely come away with a new perspective? If you choose to refute another argument, did you present it in its best light rather than worst? Ironman vs. strawman If my work doesn’t fit into a current trend or theme, does it touch on an evergreen topic? Birth, life, death, cultural identity, mental illness, chronic illness, parenting, taking care of parents. (find examples of these to link to)

Should you have others look over your work before submitting it to an editor?

Yes — if you have time, seek out the services of a writer or editor with a background in journalism or PR (Google is your friend). I’d be wary of friends and family unless you can trust that their eye and grammar skills will be up to par. Don’t give it to the relative who believes that everything you write is worthy of the New York Times.

Photo credit: Photo by Rishabh Sharma on Unsplash

How to Pitch Your Op-Ed: Explicit and Implicit Expectations of Editors (Part 4)

Before you even start writing, you want to have a good idea that your piece will fit within the publication where you want to see it published. Publications have explicit rules for submission and implicit ones. The implicit ones cover the range of topics included in the publication (Wired vs. the Boston Globe) and the bias of the editorial team. Skim the past month or so of opinion pieces and you should quickly pick up on the implicit requirements of the opinion sections.

Op-ed Pitching: The explicit and implicit expectations of publications and editors

When the word “op-ed” is used, most of us immediately think of our local newspaper or one of the major publications with a national readership (NY Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal). Those are all fantastic starting places if you have an issue of regional or national importance.

However, many blogs and online-only magazines have space for guest views. Trade publications in your industry along with those of professional and civic groups often have room for guest views, too. Editors are hungry for content as long as it fits within their publication’s guidelines.

When determining where to pitch, ask the following:

How many of my ideal readers will read my piece in this publication? Do my topic and angle fit within the ideas typically covered by this publication?

It may turn out that a niche publication might be a better place than one with a wide readership.

If you’re having trouble finding an ideal piece, try googling some form of “Your general topic” followed by “guest post,” “submit an opinion,” “guest view,” etc.

Example:

“Food allergies guest post” “Education submit opinion” “Free-range parenting guest view”

One caveat in doing this: If a publication has already covered that topic it may be some time before they cover it again unless you can give a different take.

So why worry about pitching before writing?

Well, publications have explicit and implicit requirements for the pieces they accept. Plus, it’s a best practice to submit your piece or pitch to one at a time.

Once you have your publication, look first for their explicit rules on guest submissions.

Usually, there will be a link at the end of guest posts, sometimes it’s on the Contact page, other times they’ll have an explicit link in the footer of their site. If all else fails, you can email the editor overseeing guest submissions or the blog for rules.

Take a look here at the New York Times vs. BuzzFeed News vs. Washington Post

Buzzfeed Reader: How to Pitch an Opinion Piece

New York Times Op-Ed Submission Guidelines

Washington Post Opinion Piece Submission Guidelines

Explicit Rules: Take note of the following before you write your piece:

Does the publication want you to pitch an idea for a piece or for you to submit the whole thing? Some that are pressed for time want the latter as they can’t go back and forth on an appropriate topic. Word count — pay very special attention to this. Yes, most traditional op-eds are around 600 words but the publication will almost always spell this out. Topics considered for publication To whom do you submit your piece? What format? Does it need to be in the body of an email or is an attachment OK? The time when you should hear back — once that has expired, it’s OK to submit to another publication Payment — sometimes explicit and sometimes not.

Implicit Rules: You won’t find these in the guidelines of publications but these are the unstated rules that the publication follows. Figure them out by reading the past 10 opinion pieces.

As you read ask yourself the following questions:

Is there an ideological range that this publication subscribes to? Everyone has a bias, and no, there are very few places where *all* views are published. Each publication will have a certain way that it views the world and will publish pieces according to it. Some will say that they want “contrary” views but then somehow they only seem to print views that are in line with a particular viewpoint. Know this ahead of time to ensure your piece will be well-received and that you have the right readership for your piece. What is the voice, tone, and style, accepted by the publication? Are most opinion pieces in this publication conversational, academic, lecturing, balanced, strident, etc.? Have certain topics been covered recently where you’ll be seen as repeating something already said? How do the authors typically make their points? Are the opinion pieces strongly driven by narrative and emotional appeal, or, are they more logical and fact-based? Can you see your essay getting published as the next one in this publication? Would it look out of place or would it be welcomed in?

Recap:

By now, you should have the following in your doc:

Your topic, angle, and potential title Your target publication and its rules for submitting Do now: Create a quick pitch to the publication you want to submit to–this can be a pitch before you’ve written the piece or the main part of the email with the piece attached in the format requested by the publication.

Forming your op-ed pitch: In most cases, you’ll submit a pitch to an editor rather than the whole piece. Here are a few things to keep in mind.1. Apply Hook, Teach, Ask, to your pitch.-Give a one-sentence overview of your topic, explain why you are qualified to speak on it, a general idea of how you’ll teach it, and then ask if this will work for their publication.

Example: To a regional newspaper: The state legislature is about to vote on raising the minimum wage. As a small-business owner, I’d like to show why I am in fact for this rather than against it like so many of my colleagues. My goal is to demonstrate that when my employees can make more they are happier, more productive and that there are ways for small business owners like myself to make the numbers work on our end. With the vote happening next month, I’d like to submit my piece in advance of our legislators voting on it.

2. Be nice when you follow up if you don’t hear anything — if their rules don’t state it, waiting 3–5 business days is OK.

3. Do not submit to more than one publication at a time. Wait whatever their time limit is and go on from there.

Readers and editors will want to know why you for a particular issue — that is, what is your authority to write on this piece? This doesn’t mean your degrees (but it can) but consider any of the following ways to demonstrate that you are the right person to take on your issue:

You have done original research on the issue You have lived an experience that the current debate overlooks You were at an event being covered by the media and want to give your perspective on what the event itself and/or your participation means You are providing a contrary point of view to something commonly held (or perceived) You can demonstrate that a current controversial policy or solution is working or is not Your profession, or an experience, at your job can shed light on a larger issue Your participation in an event, group, tradition, can help the readers better understand an ongoing issue.

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