Presentation given as part of a University-Wide Teach-In on the Sustainable Development Goals on 10/23/2015

2. • Good and Bad News
• What’s an Op-Ed?
• How can I do this?
• Some ABCs (and an H)
• SDG Op-Ed Challenge
Today’s Agenda:

3. • Professional development is
not always something that you
pick up in a class.
• You are investing in your
degree. You need to invest in
skills as well.
• You will need professional
experiences in addition to your
degree to get noticed.
The Bad News:

4. • Civil Society has an important
role in the Post-2015 agenda, but
we should be modest about its
potential.
• Only 1 in 4 Americans can name the
current UNSG; 2 in 5 didn’t know
enough about him to evaluate his
job performance
• Information deficits are a serious
barrier to collective action and
lobbying
The Bad News:

5. • In the US, even soft forms of
governance like Agenda 21
have been portrayed as
threats to American
sovereignty.
• Some parts of the country
are not going to like the
SDGs. How do we fix this?
More Bad News:

6. • The blogosphere has now
created a huge opportunity for
students to get their writing
out into the world
• It’s imperative that we create
new voices to take part in the
global conversation
• Can’t create the world we
want without better informed
citizens!
• …
The Good News:

7. • Simple writing sample for
employers.
• Helps you practice writing
clearly.
• Helps get your ideas into the
public sphere.
Why do this?

8. • Originally comes from a column
that newspaper editors would
commission. It would run
opposite of the editorial column.
• The editorial column is the
newspaper’s own space.
• But the term does not only apply
to newspapers anymore…
The Term:

9. • Pitch Letter
• “Selling” summary of the
submission
• Tells the editor what you are
writing about and why you are
qualified to write it
• Op-ed
• Actual text of the submission
Two elements in every
submission

10. • A = Argument
• B = Brevity
• C = Current Events
• H = Humility
Some ABCs (and an H)

11. • The “Op” is for OPINION.
• So you need an argument!
• And you need to put it
simply in a sentence.
• “I argue that….”
• Make sure this is in your
pitch letter. Make life easy
for an editor.
A is for ARGUMENT

12. • “We should do something about
Syria/ISIS/Ebola” is NOT a
compelling argument!
• We should create a no-fly zone
and deploy troops to guard new
refugee settlements east of
Damascus IS an argument!
To be clear:

13. • Aim for an informed, but not
expert audience.
• Keep in mind it’s your job to
persuade, and you need to
educate first!
• Need to explain your argument
simply. There is NO SHAME in
this.
On “Voice”

14. • Get to the point. Immediately.
• Review the writer’s guidelines for
the publication. You probably
have 800-1000 words maximum.
• Make certain your argument is in
the FIRST paragraph. Not the
last!
B is for BREVITY:

15. • It had better be about them!
• Think about this broadly:
• How much has been
written on the 100th
anniversary of WWI?
• Think about an “angle:”
• What hasn’t been said
about Ebola?
C is for Current Events:

16. • Remember that you are
learning to do this.
• Accept rejection gracefully.
• Editors will make edits. Learn
from them.
• Follow the rules about
multiple submissions.
H is for Humility:

17. • Use the pitch letter to SELL your
argument.
• Think about your target
publications CAREFULLY!
• Read the submission guidelines.
• Read other columns/posts in the
publication.
• Read this good overview:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/ar
ticles/writers_guidelines
Things to do

18. • Writing an op-ed about the SDGs
can be a bit of a challenge.
• A simple idea is to structure the op-
ed around 5 key points.
• Washington Post 5 Myths Column
• Edwards US-UN column
• Edwards and Kotlow 2015 UN Preview
column
• You could use the theme “Five
reasons why the SDGs are
important”
So How Can I Do This?

19. • Allows you to organize your
thoughts
• Makes sure that you have an
argument (“I argue that…”)
• Allows you to address potential
objections
• Also keeps the total document
short!
Why does 5 points
work?

20. • The rationale for us having this
event was simple:
• These goals matter
• We need to tell everyone about
them!
• How many people would learn
about the goals if 20 students
in this room published op-eds
in their home town
newspapers?
SDG Op-Ed Challenge

21. • The next step is up to YOU.
• Start thinking and start writing!
• If you want to talk about your op-
ed, please feel free to email me!
• Email me your successes. I’ll
report back this time next year
on how we did!
SDG Op-Ed Challenge

22. • Check out this post by Michael
Curtin:
http://blogs.shu.edu/unstudies/2
014/06/19/it-all-begins-with-an-
idea-the-keys-to-writing-a-
quality-op-ed-piece/
• Or these examples from Diplo
grad students:
http://reforminginternationalorg
anizations.wordpress.com/
For more advice

23. • You could focus on the UN at 70:
“Five ways the UN has made a
difference”
• Regardless, the challenge for us
is to use our knowledge
effectively to make complicated
things seem more simple.
• It’s time to go to work!
Alternatively…

24. THANKS SO
MUCH!
For more info:
@MartinSEdwards
martin.edwards@shu.edu
@SHU_UN_Studies

25. Thanks to the following!
• Presenters:
• James Daly
• Nalin Johri
• Alyson Neel
• Joseph O’Mahoney
• Catherine Tinker
• Students: Sajedeh
Goudarzi, UNA-SHU E-
board, External Affairs
volunteers
• DIPL Staff: Gwen,
Susan, Diana, Dean
Smith
• University PR&M,
Media Relations,
Setonian, UC staff

26. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR INTEREST!