Learning how to persuade other people to understand your point of view is valuable—and necessary—skill, particularly in today’s polarized social and political environment. Too many people are shouting at each other or talking down or past one another. Social media algorithms are creating echo chambers that feed only like-minded opinions and ideas to users of these platforms. It is possible, however, to break through all the noise and rhetoric to be heard and understood. Scott Colby, a journalist with 35 years experience, has been an opinion editor at the Toronto Star, one of North America’s largest and most prestigious news outlets, since 2016. Over the years Scott has been frequently asked, “What makes a good op-ed?” Good question.

Writing persuasive opinion articles is a skill that can be learned, so Scott created this practical guide Scott to writing op-eds. In That’s What You Think, Scott explains the importance of op-eds, how to express opinions effectively so readers will listen, how the process works at news organizations and how not to alienate the editors you want to impress. Scott also stresses that in today's political climate, not everyone will agree with your opinion or want to hear your opinion, so writers must be prepared for a backlash.

Many op-eds are written as memoirs, because sharing personal anecdotes is an effective way of drawing in readers to make a point and share insights. The second part of That’s What You Think focuses on writing short memoirs. Memoir is one of the most popular forms of writing because we love to be invited into each other’s lives. Your short memoir does not have to be an op-ed destined for a news outlet or personal blog—although it can be.

Scott encourages anyone with a story to share it. Personal stories will always gather value over time. So, take the time to get your ideas down on paper or on a screen. In That’s What You Think, Scott shows you how to do it and why you should get started today.