An editorial is an article written by the editor of a newspaper or a magazine that presents the opinions and policies of the newspaper or the magazine on any current issue. It gives objective explanation for the specific issue and suggests solutions for the issue. The opinions of the author deliver in a professional way and in a journalistic way. Editorials are meant to influence public opinion, promote critical thinking, and sometimes cause people to take action on an issue. “Write Less and Say More” should be the motto of an editorial writer. According to Cambridge Dictionary “an editorial is an article in a newspaper that expresses the editor's opinion on a subject of particular interest at the present time.”
Steps in Writing an Editorial
- Select a significant topic: You should select a current political or social issue that already have been discussed by the readers. You can find the most interesting daily topics through conducting surveys in social media networks.
- Collect information and facts.
- Write the editorial.
Write an Editorial: Things to do
- Give a headline that grabs reader’s attention
- Declare your agenda outright
- Build your argument
- Strengthen your argument with analogies
- Provide possible solutions
Parts of an Editorial
- Title: The title of the article should be catchy, short and simple. You can use puns, idioms and phrases in the title to make it attractive.
- Introduction: State your opinion in the form of a thesis statement. The thesis will show up the position you are taking concerning a particular subject. Main point, a main idea or central message should be included in the introduction.
- Body: In the body of the editorial you should explain the issue objectively and reject the other side. To convince the readers about your opinion collect as many facts and evidences. Bring comparisons to similar situations to support your argument.
- Conclusion: Sum up all information in conclusion and provide possible solutions.
Five hundred should be the maximum number of words in an editorial. Short paragraphs are good to be included in an editorial. Avoid too long paragraphs. Never use singular pronoun, “I”. Avoid difficult and technical terms and dialogues in an editorial.
Sample
