An editorial is a piece of writing where you share your educated opinion on a current and often controversial or debated topic. Editorials are also known as opinion pieces, perspectives, or op-eds and can be found in magazines, newspapers, journals and online platforms. Editorials combine elements of other forms of writing, including critical, analytical and persuasive writing to compel the reader and advance the discussion. It is a good idea to keep your audience in mind when writing an editorial, as this will influence the language and points you choose to make. Ultimately, a well written editorial should have the ‘quinoa effect’ – like or dislike it, it will stir up conversation.
Generally, editorials are written by the journal editor and aim to introduce, or frame, a collection of papers in an issue of a journal. However, sometimes editors will invite experts to write an editorial on a topic of interest. This may be to highlight a key message in an important paper such as the ground breaking State of the World’s Midwives Report, or it may be to create a dialogue about an issue that is of particular significance to the journal’s readership.
The primary role of an editorial is to balance, but that does not exclude crusading zeal. Indeed, most editors with any merit have a decent dose of the latter, despite protesting loudly to the contrary!