The Foreign Service Journal, October 2005

The Publishing Process Besides keeping in mind your audience, you should also understand what it takes to get published. Newspaper editors don’t just sit in their offices waiting for brilliantly written pieces to float over the tran- som and then carefully read each one and select the best. With limited space to fill, they usually already have a good idea of what they want and where to get it. The more important the newspa- per, the less room it will have for first- time contributors once it has slotted in the columns by regular writers, whether local or syndicated. The lit- tle space left will often be filled with pieces the editorial staff has commis- sioned from writers they have identi- fied. I once asked a friend at a promi- nent newspaper what proportion of the opinion pieces published in his newspaper came in unsolicited. He admitted that it was only about half. Obviously, each publication has its own bias and is more likely to publish articles that reflect its editorial line. When they do make a nod in the direction of balance, it is usually in the letters to the editor. With all that in mind, how can you improve the odds of getting your article into print? Lower your sights from the New York Times , the Washington Post , etc. There are plenty of good local and regional papers around the country, particularly outside major metropolitan areas, who will be will- ing to consider what you have written. While the prestige factor is lower, you may well have a greater impact there. In addition, consider the foreign press, particularly outlets in Canada and the many English-language Asian newspapers. But don’t forget about newspapers in other languages; if they want your piece, they’ll translate it. Be aware that most newspa- pers want exclusive rights. This means you can’t pitch the same op-ed to competing publications in the same market. That is especially true if your contribution is accepted by a newspa- per that is part of a larger chain. However, some newspapers will agree to let it be placed in other news- papers if they are not in the same or neighboring markets (check with the individual editors). In addition, it may be possible to reuse the central idea of an article in a second piece if you are skillful at putting a substantially new lead on it, and at presenting the con- cept in a different way. Or you can try the op-ed editors of the various news- paper chains and syndicates, which opens up the possibility of multiple placements. Establish a personal relation- ship with the people who put the editorial and opinion sections together. That is not as difficult as it may sound, for you probably already have a network of contacts that can be used. If you have been interviewed by a journalist, you can ask that per- son to make the introductions to the appropriate staffer. Or if you know someone who has been published by the paper in question, you can ask that person to do the same. Selling the op-ed means pitch- 22 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 5 F S K N O W - H O W u Take a position and suggest a solution. Don’t just lay out all the alternatives or simply rehash facts available elsewhere.