How to write an opinion column

A friend told me recently that one of the toughest parts of adjusting to life at Princeton was having to try out for extracurricular activities. Any Princetonian can testify to the validity of this statement. I remember my own sad rejections from a capella groups and the Triangle writing program. For me, however, these were balanced by a significant "yes:" the acceptance to write columns for The Daily Princetonian. In this case, the tryout functions almost on a psychological level; if you are selected, then you must be good enough to rant and rave on the pages of the paper every two weeks. And since I've passed this test, here I am, offering advice to those of you who would like to try your own luck next year.

The first rule of good oped writing is simple: have an opinion. If you don't have an opinion, an observation, suggestion, condemnation or witticism will often do. A strong stance writes itself, whereas a less interesting topic will require compensation later to produce an appealing product. It's worth spending a lot of time and care on this phase of the process.

This is also the place to define your niche. What can you say that few others can? This usually takes the form of life experiences or point of view. You should have a connection to what you write, a familiarity with that of which you speak; your credibility and your appeal depend upon it. This means refraining from writing a New York Times-style political column if you lack the space and information to fully develop it. Instead, your personal stake in your topics — be they summer vacations in Kansas, the virtues of various ice cream flavors, or methods for curing hiccups — differentiates you from every other columnist out there, and is what readers who follow your work will remember.

Once your select your topic, you should consider its presentation. The structure of the piece is of vital importance, especially since not all opinion columns state their cases in the form of an outright argument. The introduction can either explicitly state the topic or refer to it subtly. I tend to favor the second, sneakier approach. My first paragraph seldom has anything obvious to do with the rest of the column's 600-700 words, except for a cameo appearance in the concluding paragraph to tie up loose ends and justify its inclusion in the first place.

The sideways reference is acceptable only so long as it doesn't fall into the deadly error of long digressions. The column should stick to one main point, deviating only to dismiss counterarguments. The flow of the piece should move at an even pace, without getting held up in structural bottlenecks. Bends in the narrative path should be minimized, and their presence advertised well ahead of the divergence. Examples should be cogent and clearly pertinent, adding impetus as well as entertainment value.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind throughout the process of composition is the importance of voice. This is how you, the writer, present yourself. Your use or avoidance of the pronoun "I," the formality of your prose style and choice of topics and examples, will all affect your audience's perception of your message. Exhortations should take the shape of suggestions or general appeals. No one can be convinced when he feels threatened or singled out for rebuke.

These instructions should be viewed more as guidelines. Opinion columns, like all literary efforts, are particular to every writer. The main idea is to come up with a clever idea and to cleverly convince others of its cleverness. So now that you know what to do, open up a new blank document and give me a run for my money. Your topic can't possibly be worse than this one. Emily Stolzenberg is a German major from Morgantown, W. Va. She can be reached at estolzen@princeton.edu.