How to Write an Editorial
An editorial is an article written to express a person’s views on a specific topic to hopefully
influence other readers’ opinions. While anyone can write an editorial, they are traditionally
written by the editor(s) of the newspaper or magazine that publishes the piece, though many
venues also take guest submissions.
Editorials are different from letters to the editor because they have a more specific format and
there are higher professional expectations. For example, a good editorial will always have a
thesis statement. Just leaping into a discussion without a clear opening is unacceptable.
There is a professional expectation that the writer(s) will not be overly emotional. While
someone who writes a letter to the editor can go on about how all of the colorful graffiti in the
city makes her smile, an editor who pens an editorial needs more than “it makes me happy” to
support his or her claims. An editor who wants to write about graffiti being something pleasant
to look at probably needs to make a case for graffiti as art.
Not every editorial has to relate to the government. It is true that many editorials are political in
nature, choosing to focus on current events that are of concern, such as military action or higher
taxes. But other editorials will talk about something that is going on in society, such as bullying,
the effects of social media, or changes in the workplace.
How long should an editorial be? The length depends on the publication as well as the space
available. For this assignment, you want to aim for somewhere between 250-500 words.
What does an editorial look like? There are a number of possible templates, but we will use the
one below, suggesting a hypothetical letter one might have written in favor of the Nineteenth
Amendment a century ago.
● Develop a clear thesis.
This needs to be a clear statement that tells the reader exactly what your editorial
is about and where you stand on the issue. This may take one sentence or a
whole paragraph. It depends on your writing style.
■ Example: It is December 1918, and January 1919 is just days away. We
here at The Daily News propose a New Year’s resolution for the nation:
passing the 19th Amendment and guaranteeing women the long-deser
ved
right to vote.
● Make sure you consider all sides to the topic.
Just focusing on your side creates a lopsided approach that is generally less
compelling and less intellectually rigorous. If you address the counterpoints from
the start, you can then make your argument by explaining why the counterpoints
are not persuasive or conclusive.
■ Example of the counterpoint(s): Some people say that women do not
possess the mental capacity to vote. They say that women are t
he
“weaker sex” and cannot be trusted to make informed decisions.
■ Example of the response to the counterpoint(s): We say nay. Women
have long demonstrated the same intellectual abilities as men. During t
he
Great War, we saw our nation’s women step up to replace the men who
went off to war… at no point did we see evidence of that weakness the
detractors claim exists
…
● Use facts and logic to support your claims and refute theirs.
The more strength you have behind your argument, the better. If you are able to
cite studies or reference history, go for it.
■ Example: Numbers do not lie. Women who worked in munitions factories
were just as productive as the men they replaced. When we look at the
statistics…
● Make sure that you offer benefits as well.
Don’t just say “this is what I think and here are facts to back it up”; show the
reader how agreeing is beneficial. Offer at least two benefits. Three if possible.
■ Example: By granting women the right to vote, our politicians will be able
to better represent the nation as a whole…
● Write a strong conclusion.
For the conclusion, recap your argument. Make sure that you restate your
thesis, then remind the reader why it’s a good idea to agree.
■ Example: Ratifying the 19th Amendment is long overdue. Women
deserve the right to vote because…. Granting them the right to vote will
help our nation by….
The very last thing that you want to do before sending your editorial out is to edit it. You will
want to look for spelling and grammatical errors, but don’t stop there. Read your editorial with a
critical eye. If someone wanted to criticize your argument, what potential weaknesses of your
editorial would they point out? Look for gaps in your logic or places where you might need to
add a few more details.
