We love the opinion content that’s been populating the pages of Boulder Weekly lately. Thank you to all the community members who have written in.
To those who haven’t (yet), a rundown of what we’re looking for might inspire you to get writing an op-ed (short for opinion-editorial, these are longer pieces) or letter to the editor (also known as LTE, these are shorter) that run in the front of our paper.
These guidelines are for you, but they’re also reflective of the standards we strive to set with all our coverage. We hope you’ll hold us to them. If you feel we’ve missed the mark, let us know.
Even if you follow all the rules to a T, it’s not guaranteed your piece will run. Sometimes we just don’t have the space. If we missed you the first time, keep trying. We want to hear from you.
Introduce yourself. One thing every letter and op-ed needs is your name and a short, 1-2 sentence description of who you are and what you’re about.
Example: Shay Castle is the editor-in-chief of Boulder Weekly. She enjoys hiking, yoga and napping in patches of sunlight.
What can you write about?
Put simply: anything you want. You, dear readers, are the community — the experts on what matters to you.
In the past few weeks, we’ve run op-eds and letters on international politics, roller skating, disability issues, cycling infrastructure and critiques of our own coverage.
The first question to ask yourself is: What do I care about? What do I want to see in my local paper? Is there something you think deserves more attention?
If you’re still unsure, expand that to what’s important in the community as a whole. How many people will be impacted?
Bonus points if it’s timely (happening now-ish) and topical (relevant to other stuff we’re writing about). Extra bonus points if you give the readers something to do: an article to read, an elected official to email, a cause to support or even just an idea to reconsider.
If you’re not completely sure, send us a note with your idea. We can help you refine it, plan for a publication date and give you pointers.
How do you write a persuasive, thoughtful op-ed or letter?
We’ll boil it down to a few simple rules, explained in more depth below: Keep it tight, keep it kind and always, always cite your sources.
As with all rules, there will be exceptions. We’re not looking for perfection here, just a solid attempt at respectful engagement and debate.
Keep it tight
While we have unlimited space online, the printed pages are more confined. Opinion pieces should be between 450-900 words. Letters should be no longer than 350 words.
This is also just a good rule for writing generally. As Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) says in The Office: “Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?”
Show your work
If you’re making a factual claim, provide a source. You can do this with your words (“According to ….”), with links to news articles or other supporting documents.
Good example (this is acceptable, and we would publish it): “According to the New York Times, Trump said he wanted to ‘root out’ the ‘vermin’ on the Left. This echoes Nazi rhetoric about Jewish people.”
Bad example (we would not publish this as-is): “Trump wants to put us all into concentration camps.”
Instruct constructively
Your opinion should seek to educate, not berate. Information is power: Use your words to empower readers instead of pumping yourself up as smarter or somehow superior.
That means kindly explaining things that aren’t general knowledge. Just because you have an intimate understanding of, say, local zoning law, doesn’t mean everybody does.
Use language that is broadly accessible. Opinions should enlighten, not confuse. Leave the big words for crossword puzzles.
Good: “Like many cities, Boulder doesn’t allow duplexes, triplexes or apartments to be built in most of the city’s neighborhoods.”
Bad: “Boulder’s labyrinthine zoning regulations limit development to single-family residences on a majority of parcels within the city.” (See also: anything written by George Will.)
Attack ideas, not people
We really can’t say it any better than this. While thoughtful critique of arguments is appreciated (healthy, even), your writing should still respect the inherent humanity of all people — even the ones you disagree with.
This one can get tricky at times, particularly when writing about people who have done truly heinous things. Try to focus on the behaviors that are problematic, not the person.
Boulder Weekly will edit out any and all hateful speech and libelous claims. They have no place in the paper — or in informed debate.
Good: “Jane Doe overlooks the fact that not everyone has disposable income.”
Bad: “Jane Doe is a stupid and evil person who hates poor people.”
Throw the ‘other side’ a bone
Most of the issues in our community aren’t black-and-white, good-versus-evil. There’s room for a little grace.
Good: “While it’s true that the shelter has an average of eight unused beds each night, it has also turned away dozens of people — one out of every five nights, when the shelter is full.”
Bad: “There are never enough beds at the shelter; anyone who says there are is clearly not paying attention and wants to convince us that Boulder County is providing adequate services.”
Now it’s your turn: What rules do you think should govern healthy debate?
You can let us know in your very own LTE or op-ed: [email protected] (for letters) or [email protected] (longer op-eds).
Boulder Weekly staff contributed to this piece.