An editorial (also called an op-ed or Op-Ed) is a piece of opinion-driven journalism that brings awareness to current events and issues. Editorials are usually written as first person essays and are a great way to assert your viewpoint using journalistic principles. Getting published as an editorial can also open doors to freelance opportunities. A good editorial focuses on a current news angle or opinion and is well researched. An effective editorial will not only be engaging and provocative but also provide practical insights for readers.
The term ‘Editorial’ is often misinterpreted as referring to a specific type of news article that is biased towards one side or another. While many editorials are indeed biased, most are well balanced and seek to educate readers on the topic under discussion. Editorials are typically categorized into four types:
Criticism editorials present a news event through the eyes of a writer, expressing their opinions on it and striving to influence or inspire solutions. This is the most common form of editorial and is found in a wide range of publications from newspapers to magazines.
Appreciation editorials praise people or organizations for their achievements. These can be in the form of feature stories or columns.
A publication may have a team of editorial writers or rotate in guest editors who write an op-ed on a regular basis about topics of interest to the readership. Public figures and celebrities also publish op-eds on their own, especially when they want to touch on a controversial subject. For example, Chrissy Teigen recently wrote an op-ed on Medium about her miscarriage.