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• The Community: Editorials: Get Your Point Across Get Your Point Across written by Jeff Maynes Since starting my site I've written over 20 editorials and read about 230 in total. I've seen editorials that hit me and got their point across, I've seen ones that failed to grab me at all. From observing all of these editorials, I've learned a great deal of pointers, tips I keep in mind when I write. If you look at mine, you will see a steady and perhaps dramatic improvement in the writing. This is because I've learned better editorial writing techniques, and thus, for your aide, here is the guide to writing effective editorials. First of all, titles are important, don't underestimate them. For the same reason you want to hook your audience in the first paragraph, you want a title that makes the audience wonder about what it is. Do not use the same standard title you see with every editorial. Find something that's standout and attracts attention. Which editorial are you more likely to read: "Animation: Our favorite medium to pander mindless crap to kids" or "FUNi's Dubbing of DBZ"? Grab your audience's attention off the bat. Make them want to read your editorial, make them interested in what you have to say. Once they are inside the door, then it's up to the editorial to keep them there. The fundamental key to writing editorials is getting your point across in the first paragraph. You want your reader to be in the right mindset when reading your editorial. You don't want them missing facts because they are trying the figure out what side you are on. In your opening paragraph clearly indicate what side you are taking. It doesn't have to be the textbook thesis statement, but make sure that your audience knows what you are trying to say. If they know this, they will look at your editorial from that perspective and are more likely to remember the impact of it. Furthermore, have some hook, some piece of unsettled information. Lead the audience into your next paragraphs, keep them from going to another editorial. It's just like in TV. At the end of most shows is a small segment right before credits. The audience waits for this segment, and as soon as it ends, here comes the next show. You never change the channel. Keep your audience hooked from one paragraph to the next. At a site like this, there are many other editorials they could be reading, make sure they stick to yours. Know what your points are before you write. Don't aimlessly wander around, hitting whatever points cross your mind. Know what you want to talk about, and know what evidence you have to support it. Keep each point separate, usually one paragraph, though perhaps more for a major point. If you stick your points and move through them the audience finishes digesting one, and here's another point. It's far more impressive as a reader, it creates the effect that the editorial writer really knows what they are talking about. As long as you do this, it's possible to create an illusion of knowledge on the topic. However, this is strongly not recommended. Know your topic, and know the other side. Don't have questions about your points. Make them, and address their weakness. The more knowledge you have, the better editorial it's going to be. Make sure you know what you are talking about when you write. If the audience knows you are wrong, or are missing the point, they will not take the rest of the editorial seriously. Also, address the opposite viewpoint if possible. Explain why it's weak and why it's flawed, then transition that into a strength of your viewpoint. This is one of the more effective techniques you can learn. First it makes the reader a bit insecure about a point and makes them open their mind. From there you insert your point, and that knowledge will have a lasting effect. Hit every point, and make counter-points for their key issues. In summary, cover all of the bases, and know where their runners are. This is not without it's dangers. You must find the perfect balance between length and elaboration upon all points. This is an especially important lesson on a site like this. In a given update, the viewers may have 7, 8 or even 14 other editorials to read. If yours is real long, they may just afford it a glance over. With some topics, this is unavoidable. However, remember this, concise is more often than not the best way to approach an editorial. The viewers read it, they read it all, they understand it all, and they got all of your points. The balance is important, and a fundamental issue to writing editorials. Make sure you make all of your points, but be concise, don't lead the reader on forever. The reason for this tip is simple, the reason you do is so that your audience will actually read through your entire editorial. Make sure you read other people's editorials. Get a feel for the different styles out there, see different techniques. I recommend you read some of the more prolific writers on the site, just to see the different styles out there. Find a style you are comfortable with and extrapolate, use other styles and develop your own. Learn the best techniques and learn how to write editorials that are your style, not a carbon copy of someone else's. Don't write about a topic that has been repeatedly endlessly unless you are going to offer a new perspective. There is nothing wrong with expressing your opinions on any issue, but to truly capture attention, write about something new. FUNimation has been the topic of countless editorials on my site. It's an important topic, after all, they are the ones who brought DBZ to America. Nevertheless, there is a point where people simply have heard it all, and don't want to read more about it. If you really want to capture an audience, bring something new to the table. Everyone has heard about how awful FUNimation is, so give serious thought to a different topic, or at least bring a different perspective. The final point is simple and should be a given. Proofread your editorials. Your editorials don't need perfect grammar, they don't have to be perfect literary examples from English class in school. They do however need to be easily readable, and should exude intelligence. It should not be a sloppy piece written in twenty minutes. The reader should find your grammar good enough that they will not notice errors unless they are grammatical experiment. I'd bet I've committed several grammatical errors, however, how many people will actually notice them? They are subtle, as for the most part this is a grammatically correct editorial. The vocabulary is reasonably extensive. It does reflect the way I talk, but it does create the impression of intelligence. Whose opinion carries more weight in your mind, an educated or uneducated person? Furthermore, spell check. With word processors, this is such a simple task, there is no reason not to do it. How intelligent do you seem if you spell a word wrong every sentence? Regardless of the opinions expressed in it. It's vital that your reader respects your opinion, and thus you need to guarantee that they will with a grammatically correct, spell-checked editorial. This is the simplest, and one of the most important lessons you should learn from this editorial. |