Improve your Writing
May 26th, 2012In the middle of delivering an op ed writing workshop recently to a very engaged group of United Way staff and volunteers from across Ontario (organized through Sean Moore‘s fabulous Advocacy School initiative) I was reminded again of the value of a second pair of eyes. It’s not that I don’t know this already: even […]
read more...Think “outcome” when crafting an op edOur Advocacy Work
April 16th, 2012Readers often overlook the byline of a story indicating the writer’s name, and although reading an article without knowing who wrote it will still leave you informed, when it comes to commentary, bylines can provide insights into what kind of world view or life experiences have influenced the opinions being expressed. As part of […]
read more...Calgary Herald Editorial Page Analysis – More Women’s Opinions NeededMaster Media Engagement
February 18th, 2011At 3:18 pm Wednesday, University of Victoria law prof Rebecca Johnson sent a three-sentence email to Dave Obee, op ed page editor of the Times Colonist, expressing her interest in writing a commentary about a news story that had appeared in that day’s paper. He responded almost immediately, asked her what angle she was interested […]
read more...How to have impact in under 24 hoursImprove your Writing
December 22nd, 2010… in comedy AND op ed writing — not just in terms of being able to add value through the delivery of surprising and relevant context to a current news event, but also in terms of when you submit. Columnists like to take time off at Christmas, spring break and during the summer to be […]
read more...Timing is everythingImprove your Writing
November 11th, 2010In the course of promoting his newly released album recently, much-celebrated songwriter, Elvis Costello (do you think he ever gets referred to as the spouse of Diana Krall?) was speaking about how he approaches his craft. He said he’d once been inspired to write a song about an “old, now vaguely respectable fascist”, but confessed […]
read more...Elvis Costello: songs versus op edsImprove your Writing
October 30th, 2010At yesterday’s Informed Opinions workshop for Ottawa-based NGOs, Citizen columnist and editorial writer Kate Heartfield generously took an hour out of her day to share insights into what her paper looks for in op eds. She confirmed much of the advice already available in the resources section of the IO website, but emphasized a few […]
read more...Citizen columnist shares insightsImprove your Writing
October 27th, 2010…Well, not maybe not everything, but when it comes to getting an op ed published in the print vehicle of your choice, how much advance warning you’re able to give an editor, and how long the window of relevance will be open, can sometimes mean the difference between seeing your words in print, and being […]
read more...Timing is EverythingImprove your Writing
August 25th, 2010Here’s how two scholars at Queen’s University began their commentary in yesterday’s Globe and Mail: “The decision not to reappoint the Veterans Ombudsman to a second term has put the spotlight on the New Veterans Charter, federal legislation that determines the programs and services available to veterans injured in the service of their country. Our […]
read more...Using controversial government decisionsImprove your Writing
August 22nd, 2010Yesterday’s Globe and Mail featured a provocative and engaging op ed by Brock historian John Sainsbury asking “What if Dostoyevsky had been an online gambler?” Professor Sainsbury cleverly used the Russian novelist’s addiction to casinos to explore the potential impact of the Ontario government’s recent decision to set up provincially-run online gambling. In the process […]
read more...Historian links literature to gamblingImprove your Writing
August 12th, 2010Sometimes the positive impact of a published commentary can be both immediate and unexpected. Last Friday The Globe and Mail published an op ed I wrote about a fabulous new initiative to write the history of the second wave of the Canadian women’s movement. The piece referred to three internationally famous people not ordinarily mentioned […]
read more...Note to Self: Surprising Impact of Celebrity Name-Dropping