Sharing Content

The SFU Communications & Marketing team can help share compelling stories about how SFU and our people are making an impact. Contact us at MediaRelations@sfu.ca to discuss the possibilities listed below.

Develop an Op-ed

About op-eds

An op-ed allows you to speak to specific audiences in your own words through the media
Op-eds run at around 700 words
They open with a hook—a short, punchy intro that gets your basic point across while drawing the reader in to learn more
They take a stand, providing an argument in favour or against a certain course of action
They are argumentative but well supported by facts
They include an interesting anecdote (or two) that strengthens your point
They bring a unique perspective to current topics of discussion
They are well-written using plain language (as per Ottawa Citizen: lose the jargon and fuzzy, academic vocabulary)

Examples of SFU op-eds

Answer this at the outset: why should anyone care about this topic?

Newsworthy characteristics

Currency: Is this an ongoing topic (e.g: climate change, A.I.) that comes up frequently in the news?
Timeliness: Is the op-ed addressing an issue that is currently all over the news?
Conflict: Does your op-ed provide a critical perspective that disagrees with a common narrative?
Local: Will your writing topic interest local audiences?
Unique: Does your perspective stand out from what everyone else is saying about the topic?
Impact: Does the topic impact many people? The more people the topic impacts, the more will likely be interested in it.

Pitching your op-ed

Identify a publication that might be interested (check that they haven’t recently published an op-ed on a similar topic OR if so, that your opinion adds to this issue)
Find the op-ed or commentary editor’s contact information online
Send an email to the editor with a brief one-paragraph outline of your op-ed
Focus on the unique perspective you offer and explain why it is newsworthy
Include a line highlighting your qualifications and title
Copy your op-ed below your pitch note in the text of the email
Be prepared to send a headshot if your op-ed is accepted
Allow for a week or so from the date you submit to the date it is published
Be patient and practical. Larger publications receive dozens of submissions a day. Few make it to print.
Papers do not pay a freelance fee for opinion pieces
Don’t submit something you have submitted or published elsewhere. If you are not successful, you can move on and submit to another publication.
Consider reusing your op-ed on your own digital channels (LinkedIn, SFU Faculty Blog, Medium, etc)

Communicators Toolkit