The Hidden Benefits of Writing Op-eds

Op-eds are written with a clear purpose – to get your message published to hopefully change hearts and minds. 

So you write, revise, and pitch. 

But sometimes things don’t go as planned and no editor bites.

Big fail? Hardly. 

Obviously, the ultimate goal of an op-ed is to get it published. But even when that doesn’t happen, your time was far from wasted. 

The mere process of writing an op-ed has real benefits – whether you’re crafting it yourself or working closely with a ghostwriter. Here’s five ways how:

You hone your best very argument: Most op-ed's require a pretty tight word limit. That means you have to be smart, succinct and efficient to make your case in the best possible way. You end up with a solid op-ed – but also a refined elevator speech that’s right in your back pocket whenever you need it. 

You spark new ideas: Creating a good op-ed – whether you’re writing it or brainstorming with a ghostwriter -- requires deep, introspective thought. Through that process, you increase the chance of coming up with a fresh perspective or new idea that helps the op-ed reach its full potential. Along the way, you may unearth a new solution to a vexing problem or find a more compelling way to restart the conversation or attract new support.  

You can repurpose it in many ways: Newspapers and online media aren’t the only places that your op-ed can get published. After all, these days we all have our own printing presses. You can post it as a blog, include it in your organization’s newsletter, or maybe even pitch it to a group or association with members that would be very interested in your perspective. Beyond that, the op-ed can be the foundation for other communications, such as speeches, presentations, social media posts, direct mail and more. 

You may build a key media relationship: Sadly, with swamped editors, sometimes your op-ed doesn’t get accepted or rejected, it just gets ignored. But there are occasions when an editor who rejects an op-ed still responds to you. This can be seen as a disappointment -- or an opportunity. By promptly responding back in a brief but positive way you may initiate a more robust email exchange, or even a conversation. Once an editor recognizes your name and can recall your thoughtful and professional response, you crack the door open to what could be a valuable relationship moving forward. 

You may get it published after all: There are too many reasons to count why a certain publication didn’t accept your op-ed shortly after you sent it. And many of them have nothing to do with the quality of your submission. So don’t give up all hope. It could be that an editor simply hasn’t had time to wade through a sea of emails. Or, a few weeks later, they might be covering a related topic that now makes your op-ed timely and relevant. Also keep an eye on what’s making headlines. The emergence of an issue that relates to your op-ed might be the ticket to make some quick tweaks to tie it to the news and fire it back off. 

No doubt it’s a tough media market to place op-eds and other stories these days, but don’t let that stop you from writing your best op-ed. 

It’s guaranteed to be time well spent.