Op-Ed Writing Boot Camp

WHEN 8 weeks, Thursdays, January 22 - March 12, 6:45-9:45 pm WHERE New York (Soho) LEVEL Intermediate/Advanced PRICE $499 ($475 for ) more info

Course Details

A strong Op-Ed piece in the right paper can get you instantly recognized as an authority, whether you're an expert or an everyday citizen.

The Op-Ed page is a great place to showcase your writing while laying out forceful arguments for issues you really care about. But it's also the most sought-after real estate in any publication. How do you stake your claim? How do you take your work from merely interesting to truly compelling?

In this class, you will learn:

• The history of the Op-Ed page
• What sets the Op-Ed page apart from other sections of a newspaper
• How to organize your thoughts and stay focused to present the best argument possible
• How to decide which topics have the most impact
• How to use the first-person to write an engaging essay
• The importance of knowing your target audience
• How to find the right market for your essays
• How to make the kind of pitch that editors will notice

By the end of this class, you will have:
Four pieces up to 700 words, one salable piece, and suggestions on where to pitch them.

Students who have taken this class have been published in:
Huffington Post, the Los Angeles Times, NY Post, NY Daily News, The New York Times, the Washington Post, Newsweek, and others.

To apply:
Please submit a letter of interest including a brief work history) and a writing sample (less than 2,000 words).

Op-Ed Writing Boot Camp (PDF) View a sample syllabus for this class here

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Instructor Bio

Lion Calandra's Courses

Lion Calandra is a member of the Daily News editorial board and edits the Op-Ed page. She edits in-house columnists as well as guest authors, and has commissioned and edited exclusive Op-Ed pieces from British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Norma McCorvey (the Roe of Roe vs. Wade) and NYPD torture victim Abner Louima, among others. Prior to coming to the editorial board, Lion worked on the Daily News' award-winning copy desk. Before joining the paper in 1992, Lion honed her editing skills at The Wall Street Journal, Crain's New York Business, and the Columbia Journalism Review. She is a member of the prestigious Newswomen's Club of New York.

Testimonials

Lion made Op-Ed writing fun and accessible. I was surprised by the amount of personal time she gave each student. Because of Lion's weekly lessons and encouragement, my Op-Ed was published on The Huffington Post. -- Tara Bracco, writer and founder of Poetic People Power

Lion was a great instructor. She brought expertise, real life experience, and humor to all of the material she taught. I looked forward to seeing her each week." -- Andrew Rigie

"I hit the jackpot with this class. Lion Calandra is a treasure -- smart, funny, engaging, patient, and totally supportive." -- Susan Kantor

"Jump at the chance to learn from Lion, an exceptional and inspiring teacher and one of the industry's real gems." -- Maria Andreu