COLUMN WRITING TIPS:Write with conviction, Purpose, Content

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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

LESSON 28

COLUMN WRITING TIPS

Many young writers prefer to write columns rather than straight news or features. Straight news is

deemed to be boring, covering press conferences and reporting who said what. Feature stories involve too

much reporting and require discipline to follow a set structure. Columns, which are essentially opinion

pieces, are much looser and therefore easier. Or so it seems.

Anybody can be trained to write straight news because it's very mechanical. Feature articles, though also

somewhat formulaic, are harder because they require good writing. But column writing is the hardest type

of writing of all because it requires good thinking.

To write a good column requires more than just the ability to articulate an opinion. Your opinions must

make sense, provide insight and be convincing. And you must do all this in an entertaining way.

It requires you to be almost like a lawyer. Through your arguments, you will need to convince the jury

(your readers) that your client (your viewpoint) is right. Shaping a powerful argument takes practice and

requires both breadth and depth of knowledge as well as the ability to critically analyze a particular issue.

So, is there a methodology for training someone to become a "good thinker"? I'm not sure about that but

I'm certain it helps to be well-read, inquisitive and willing to listen to various viewpoints. If you're

someone who likes to write but doesn't want to do research or think deeply about an issue, forget about

column writing.

Studying your role models will help you to develop your own voice. Follow the work of several

established columnists and analyze their writings to discover how they project their arguments and how

they make effective use of anecdotes, quotes and statistics. From there, you can learn the tricks of the

trade and eventually develop your own distinctive voice and style.

Column writing is very different from other forms of writing because unlike straight news and feature

writing, columns have dedicated readerships. A columnist develops a following because his readers feel

they can gain knowledge, insight and entertainment from reading his writings. It's a great honor to be

given a regular column but remember; to do it well requires a great amount of dedication to the craft.

Lastly, a word of advice. Be ready for criticism. If you can dish it out, you've got to be able to take as

good as you got. When you take a strong stance on anything, there's bound to be someone offended by

what you wrote. And they will write to you often in less than polite language - to let you know exactly

what they think of you and your opinions. It goes with the territory.

Now, onto the tips.

1. Write with conviction

Put forward your opinion as something you truly believe in. Argue your case with conviction. Come

down hard on one side of an issue. Be unequivocal. Never ever sit on the fence.

2. Maintain your focus

Make your column about one thing and one thing alone. Don't muddle the message. Maintain your focus.

That's the only way to make a strong impression on your readers and to convince them that your point of

view is correct.

3. Understand opposing viewpoints

Be mindful of the opposing argument. Anticipate objections to your point of view and deal with them

convincingly with sound reasoning. If you're not familiar with the opposing view, you will not be able to

argue your points well.

4. Refer to facts

Your arguments, however logical, will not carry much weight unless they are accompanied by facts that

support your position. Don't overdo this and inundate your readers with statistics and figures. But do

make use of facts from reputable sources.

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

5. Use analogies

Analogies are useful for illustrating a point, especially when the topic you are writing about is somewhat

complicated or technical. Using a simple analogy from everyday life makes the issue more

understandable and relevant to the reader.

6. Be critical

People like reading columnists who dare to criticize real life people, not just nameless concepts and

policies. Naming names might create a bit of controversy but as long as you do not libel anyone and don't

go overboard in your criticism, it works well to make your column an interesting and exciting read.

7. Do reporting

It is possible to write columns without doing any reporting but the best columns typically involve some

form of reporting. When you report, you get on the ground and you gain a better sense of what's really

happening. When you write from an ivory tower, it shows.

8. Localize and personalize

Localize your story whenever possible. Also tie it to some personal experience, yours or that of someone

you know. This makes an otherwise esoteric and distant topic more real, relevant and memorable to the

reader.

9. Be passionate

Generally, people don't like to hear a soft or passive voice when they read a column. So be aggressive

even arrogant, to an extent. People want to see passion. They want to feel energized. If the issue doesn't

seem to excite you, the writer, it's certainly not going to excite the reader.

10. Provide a solution: Last but not least, don't just raise an issue. Have the conviction to suggest a

solution. Columns that criticize certain policies but offer no solutions are useless. People read columns

because they want to gain insight and answers. If you don't provide those, you've failed as a columnist.

How do you write a column?

Before writing a column, think about purpose, audience, content and structure.

Purpose

Why are you writing? Is it to inform the community about an event? Does the paper's editor, the

community or co-workers want it? Are you entertaining, informing or educating? Do you seek an identity

or exposure?

Audience

Whom are you trying to reach? Who are you reaching? Decide on your audience. Write in their language,

at their level, about things the audience needs to know or wants to know.

Content

What will your column discuss? How will you discuss it? Answering why and how will help determine

what. Remember, columns should be based on facts and should be accurate.

Names are crucial in a personal column. Personal columns may be informal; yet accuracy and sourcing

material counts.

Structure

How will your message get to your audience? There are other types of columns besides the personal

column, too. Some of these cover specific topics or types of information. They can be "question and

answer," "new ideas," "how-to-do-it" pieces or "calendars." Personal columns often have departments.

These departments help you to write your column. Departments can be "coming events," applications,

notes or some of the categories suggested for the non-personal columns.

Before writing, decide on the purpose, content, audience and structure. Personal columns should have

many local names. They also use words like: "I," "we" or "you."

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

Column suggestions

When writing a column, do

· Give the reader timely, helpful information.

· Develop a structure and keep it. Write on a regular schedule.

· Write simple and short sentences and paragraphs.

· In personal columns, use local names and places.

· Let others speak for you by use of quotes and references.

· Learn the difference between a column and a news story.

When writing a column, don't

· Use technical or complex words.

· Talk in jargon or unfamiliar terms.

· Talk about one topic constantly.

· Include too much detail or material. You should be stimulating interest, not exhausting a subject.

· Refer to yourself as a third person (this author, your reporter) or quote yourself. Instead use mine.

Tips on column writing

· Write the way you talk. But don't discard good English usage and grammar by being friendly and

informal.

· Try to uncover a "lead" or opening that will catch the interest of your readers.

· Use a variety of material, not just one subject.

· Write about people. Keep heavy subject matter to a minimum. When using subject matter, try to

tell the story through the experiences of local people.

· Write simply. Avoid technical or difficult words, long sentences, and long paragraphs.

· Don't weigh your column down with too much detail. Try to stimulate interest in a subject, but

don't exhaust the subject.

· Jot down ideas, names, figures, impressions, etc., in a note pad while visiting farms and homes.

This provides the very best column material.

· Be timely. Keep up with the effect of weather conditions, seasons, etc., pointing out the

significance of these conditions locally.

· Remember the people you're talking to and give them information that will benefit them in a way

they can understand.

· Always get your column to the editor on schedule. Remember, the editor is holding space for it.

An example

The first steps to column writing are remembering why you are writing and your audience. In the sample

column, "Helpful Hints," the columnist has a general homemaker audience in mind.

The style is light with personal pronouns (I, you, your) liberally included. The lead sentence clues the

reader to the column's tone. The rest should continue to develop this tone.

Notice the entire name is given the first time. After that, it is only a first-name basis. Sentences are short

and so are paragraphs. Credit is given when the columnist is quoting another source.

One topic has been given primary emphasis. Shorter topics follow this lead topic. That means this column

can be shortened by cutting paragraphs from the bottom up, just like a news story.

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