Opinion Pieces in writing

Opinion Pieces in writing

 

 

       One of my books,” As I see it,” is a collection of Essays. Most of the articles in it have been published, at one time or another, in various newspapers in New York and Florida.

 

      The intro to the books identifies the content as such and suggests that the reader may or may not agree with the author’s conclusion. They are, as identified, “Opinion pieces.

 

       In the course of one social event, a friend who had read the book said “you “pontificate,” when you write.”

 

        I had to think that one over for a time. When you look up the meaning for pontificate, the definition is to “speak in a condescending and pompous manner.”

 

     Whoa, I thought. That seems a little harsh. All of us give our opinions daily, on every topic under the sun. We do so in a manner that portrays our belief in the opinion offered. Otherwise, you are just another blowhard, creating words that say nothing, like some of the people we elect to public office.

 

       I did some research, using my favorite “know everything” source, Wikipedia. These were some of the descriptions on-line that define the genre of “Op-ed” pieces.

 

      Most of the articles in “As I see it” are op-ed pieces that have been published in various newspapers. The intro to the book identifies the articles as such and suggests that the reader may or may not agree with the author’s conclusions. Their abbreviated length (600-700 words) is the maximum word length  that newspapers generally allow.

 

Wikipedia, and other dictionaries, define the genre in this manner.

 

 

An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page", is a written prose piece, typically published by a North-American newspaper or magazine, which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the publication's editorial board.

 

 

Op-eds. An op-ed (abbreviated from "opposite the editorial page") is an opinion piece that appears on a page in the newspaper dedicated solely to them, often written by a subject-matter expert, a person with a unique perspective on an issue, or a regular columnist employed by the paper.

 

The op-ed uses strong, emotional language. The op-ed comes to a conclusion for the audience. The op-ed includes first-person pronouns. The op-ed attempts to persuade the audience.

 

 

Op-eds are journalistic writing; they are brief, to the point, and provide information as well as expressing a point of view. They can be told from a first-person perspective if the writer's personal experience makes an essential contribution to the point being made.

 

 

It tackles recent events and issues, and attempts to formulate viewpoints based on an objective analysis of happenings and conflicting/contrary opinions.

 

 

Op-ed stands for “opposite the editorial page,” and an op-ed article is an article in which the author states their opinion about a given topic, often with a view to persuade the reader toward their way of thinking.

Despite the “op” in “op-ed” not standing for “opinion,” op-eds are often called opinion pieces because, unlike standard news articles, the authors of op-eds are encouraged to give their opinions on a certain topic, as opposed to simply reporting the news.

 

       I suppose, whenever you venture an opinion and put it out there publicly, you are fair game for anyone who disagrees with you. That is fair. And indeed, everyone has their opinions on everything from religion to politics, to the weather and a hundred other topics. Some of the online responses can be a little harsh, especially in the respondent is anonymous. Those rascals, or “trolls” as they are called on the internet, can be really nasty.

 

     In spite of the repartee, I will still venture opinions on matters of the day. The reader of course is free to say “Your momma !” if he/she chooses to disagree. That doesn’t make either one of us correct. Other readers of course get to choose which of the comments offered more closely adheres to their way of thinking.

       And of course, if you don’t really care about any of the issues discussed, there are always “I Love Lucy re-runs” to occupy your time.

 

                                                                            -30-

                                                                     (680 words)

                                                               Joseph Xavier Martin