What Is an Op-Ed Article? Definition, Examples, and How to Write One

What is an op-ed article? The short answer: it is an opinion piece written by someone outside the newspaper’s editorial board, published on the page opposite the editorial page — hence “op-ed.” Unlike a news report, which aims to inform, an op-ed aims to persuade. It is where a scientist argues for a policy, a teacher defends a curriculum, or a reader with an unusual experience changes how you see an issue. If news tells you what happened, the op-ed page tells you what to think about it — and it is one of the most democratic corners of journalism.

I have read thousands of op-eds over the years, and the great ones share a trait the mediocre ones lack: a single sharp argument, stated early and defended well. Let me break down exactly what an op-ed is, how it differs from its opinion-page cousins, and how you can write one that actually gets published.

What Is an Op-Ed Article? The Definition

An op-ed (short for “opposite the editorial page”) is a written opinion piece, typically 600 to 800 words, expressing the views of a named author who is not on the newspaper’s staff. The name is literal: in traditional newspaper layout, these pieces appeared on the page facing the editorial page. The tradition started at The New York Times in 1970, when the paper created the page to give outside voices a platform.

Today the format has spread far beyond print. Major news websites run op-ed sections, and the rules are largely the same: a clear thesis, supporting evidence, a distinctive voice, and a byline belonging to someone with standing to make the argument — a doctor writing about healthcare, a veteran writing about military policy, a parent writing about schools.

Op-Ed vs. Editorial vs. Letter to the Editor

These three live on the same opinion pages but are different animals. An editorial is the official position of the newspaper itself, written by the editorial board and published without a byline. When a paper “endorses” a candidate, that is an editorial. An op-ed is the opposite: it carries a byline, represents only the author’s views, and the paper may well disagree with it.

A letter to the editor is shorter (usually under 250 words), written by ordinary readers in response to something the paper published, and selected from many submissions. Think of it this way: the editorial is the institution speaking, the op-ed is an invited guest speaking, and the letter is a reader shouting from the audience. All three matter, but only the op-ed gives you 700 words of uninterrupted argument.

What Makes an Op-Ed Work

The best op-eds do one thing well instead of five things poorly. They open with a hook — a scene, a surprising fact, a personal stake — then state the argument plainly within the first few paragraphs. Everything after that is evidence: data, expert quotes, firsthand experience, historical parallels. The piece closes with a kicker that tells the reader what should happen next or reframes the issue.

Voice matters enormously. Editors reject op-eds that read like academic papers or press releases. They want a human being with a point of view, writing in sentences a busy reader can follow. The sweet spot is knowledgeable but conversational — an expert who sounds like a person, not a committee.

Timeliness is the other currency. Op-eds are pegged to the news: a bill under debate, an anniversary, a fresh study, a controversy in the headlines. An argument that would have been perfect last month is often unpublishable this month. If you want to write op-eds, you have to watch the calendar as closely as a reporter does.

How to Submit an Op-Ed: A Practical Walkthrough

First, pick the right outlet. A local paper wants local angles; a national paper wants national significance. Read the section you are pitching for two weeks — learn its tone, its length, and what it has already covered. Pitching an argument the paper published last Tuesday is the fastest route to rejection.

Second, check the submission guidelines. Most major papers accept op-eds by email with the piece pasted into the body (not as an attachment). Include a one-line bio establishing why you are the person to make this argument, and disclose relevant affiliations. Exclusivity matters: submit to one outlet at a time.

Third, write the piece before you pitch, not after. Editors want to see the finished argument, and the news cycle will not wait while you draft. Keep it to the outlet’s word count — 700 words is the industry standard — and put your thesis in the first 150 words. If the editor has to hunt for your point, you have already lost.

Finally, be patient but not passive. Response times range from hours (for hot news) to weeks. If the moment passes, the piece dies with it — that is the nature of the form. Many working op-ed writers keep two or three pieces in various stages, ready to update when news breaks.

Common Mistakes That Get Op-Eds Rejected

The number one killer is burying the lede — spending 400 words on background before stating the argument. Editors decide in the first paragraph. The second killer is preaching to the choir: an op-ed that only convinces people who already agree is filler. The best pieces anticipate objections and answer them.

Other frequent mistakes: writing about a topic with no news hook, making five arguments instead of one, using jargon, hiding behind passive voice, and forgetting the “so what” — the concrete action or change the reader should support. An op-ed without a point of view is just an essay, and essays belong elsewhere.

Anatomy of a Great Op-Ed: A Worked Example

Let me show you what all of this looks like in practice. Imagine a pediatrician writing about a proposed cut to school lunch funding. The hook is a scene: “On Tuesday, I treated a seven-year-old whose teacher sent her to me because she kept falling asleep in class. She was not sick. She was hungry.” That is twenty-five words, and you are already reading the next paragraph.

The thesis lands early: “Cutting school lunch funding will not save money; it will move the cost from the cafeteria to the clinic, and children will pay the difference.” One argument, stated plainly. Then the evidence: a study linking nutrition to test scores, the author’s own clinical experience, the actual dollar figures showing the cut saves less than claimed. Each paragraph answers an objection before the reader can form it — yes, budgets are tight; no, this is not the place to cut; here is what the research says.

The kicker gives the reader something to do: “The council votes Thursday. I will be there, and I hope the parents of my patients will be too.” Notice what is missing: no throat-clearing about the author’s credentials (the bio line handles that), no five-point plan, no hedging. One scene, one argument, evidence, action. That is the entire architecture, and it fits in 700 words because every sentence is doing a job.

Op-Eds in the Digital Age

The op-ed page has changed enormously since 1970. Most op-eds are now read on phones, discovered through social media or search, and divorced from the newspaper layout that gave the form its name. This has changed the craft in subtle ways. Headlines matter more, because the piece must earn its click. Openings matter more, because the reader can leave in two seconds. And the “news peg” matters differently — an op-ed can now find its audience days after publication if the argument is strong enough to be shared.

But the fundamentals have not moved. Editors still want one sharp argument from a credible voice, tied to something happening now. The competition has just gotten fiercer: your op-ed is no longer competing only with the other pieces on the page, but with every Substack post, viral thread, and video essay on the internet. The response from good opinion editors has been to double down on what institutions do best — editing, fact-checking, and putting a writer’s argument in front of an audience the writer could never reach alone.

There is also a newer path worth knowing: many writers now publish op-ed-style arguments on their own newsletters first, building an audience and a track record that makes editors take their pitches seriously. It is not either-or. Some of the most influential opinion writers today move fluidly between institutional op-ed pages and independent platforms, using each for what it does best.

FAQ

How long is an op-ed article?

Typically 600 to 800 words, with 700 as the sweet spot for major newspapers. Online outlets sometimes run longer, but brevity is a virtue — editors cut ruthlessly.

Do you get paid for writing an op-ed?

Major national papers usually pay a modest fee (often a few hundred dollars). Smaller and local papers frequently pay nothing. Most writers do it for the platform, not the check.

Can anyone submit an op-ed?

Yes — that is the point of the page. But publication favors people with relevant expertise or a distinctive firsthand perspective. A strong argument from an unknown writer can still make it if the timing and writing are right.

What does “op-ed” stand for?

“Opposite the editorial page” — the physical location of these pieces in traditional newspaper layout, facing the page where the paper’s own editorials run.

How is an op-ed different from a blog post?

An op-ed is edited, fact-checked, and published by a news organization with editorial standards and a wide audience. A blog post is self-published. The bar — and the reach — is higher.

Conclusion

An op-ed article is democracy in 700 words: a space where anyone with a sharp argument and the discipline to make it can speak to thousands of readers. The form rewards clarity, courage, and timing. If you have an opinion worth defending — and you are willing to state it plainly, back it up, and accept the counterarguments — the op-ed page is waiting. Just remember: one argument, stated early, in your own unmistakable voice.