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Tips
for Getting Published in Your Newspaper!
(from Michelle Mascarenhas)
- Feel
free to adapt the sample op-ed as you like or start from scratch
if you'd rather. (You have my permission to leave my name
off the byline as it may get more play coming from a local
source.) Be sure to include an e-mail contact - either mine
(on the sample), Marion Kalb's, marion@foodsecurity.org, or
your own.
- Call
the editors to make your pitch! A good time to call is usually
between 3 and 5 p.m. This is a key step in distinguishing
your op-ed from the multitudes they receive.
- Be sure
to include success stories or anecdotes about farm to school
programs in your region.
- Try
to identify a local food service director, teacher, farmer,
parent, or high school student-anyone who has a stake in school
food or local farming -- to have co-author the piece.
- Make
a list of papers in your region or state including smaller
local papers that might be more likely to publish your article.
Find out who the editor of the op-ed page is ("op eds" are
usually printed on the page or section opposite the paper's
own editorials).
- Come
up with a couple of sentences about why this is a timely local
issue with national significance that you'll use when calling
the editor.
- Larger
city papers (like the LA Times or the Chicago Tribune) usually
want original pieces so you may want to call them first to
see if you can get published in a large paper.
- When
calling smaller papers that are less likely to have overlap
in readership, let them know that you are also sending the
article to other papers.
- When
emailing the piece to those who are interested, be sure to
cut and paste the article into the text of an email as most
editors don't accept attachments anymore. If you have photos
to offer for publishing, let the editor know.
- Follow
up in 5-10 days to see if they plan to run the piece.
- When
you're published, make a copy or send the web link to Marion
Kalb (marion@foodsecurity.org)
so we can keep track of our collective success!
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