Write Your Rant

by Jennifer Sabin

Any of this sound familiar?

• You have so much to say, but everyone you know is tired of listening to you rant.

• You could make that political point just as well if not better than that kid on Tik Tok.

• Why can’t everyone else see what’s happening in the world as clearly as you can?

If one or more of these statements resonate with you, maybe it’s time to put your thoughts in writing.

Whether it’s an op-ed, letter to the editor, letter to a politician, a social media post, or an email to your mother, writing it all down can free you of the nagging sense that you’re not doing anything. And it can be therapeutic.

Maybe you’ve already started to write about the issues that have crawled under your skin and taken up residency there, but you’re not getting anywhere. How do you effectively scratch that itch?

1. Even if you’re thinking about huge issues, think small.

 

• You can’t write about every single issue on your mind. Focus on one subject at a time.

• Choose the issue you know the most about or care the most about.

•  Be timely. Don’t ruminate on something that happened months or years ago.

2. Once you’ve homed in on your subject, find the central idea in your thinking.

• Take a position. If you’re writing about a political issue, what’s your perspective? How might your take add to the conversation?

• What’s your thesis? Do you have a point beyond ranting? If you see a problem that needs fixing, do you have a solution to offer? Is it a new idea?

•   Build your argument. Yes, this is easier said than done. It’s helpful to provides examples, quotes from experts (don’t forget to credit them,) and other factual information that comes from reputable sources.

• If you’re a visual person, think of starting with a tight shot on a specific story, then move out to a wide shot that illuminates your issue on a larger scale.

• Include historical and personal context that will round out your argument.

3. Ask yourself, who cares? By that I mean, who is your audience?

 

• Are you trying to convert the unbelievers? In this political climate, that’s probably a losing battle, even if you have all of the data in the world to back you up.

• If you’re looking for solidarity, or to shine more daylight on a subject for those in your camp, who are those people and how can you best reach them?

If you don’t care if anyone ever reads your piece, and you just want to rant, that’s cool too. Throw it all on the page, don’t hold back. Write it in letter form if you have someone in mind to yell at. Maybe in the morning you’ll decide it’s worth fine-tuning into something to share.

Jennifer Sabin created the True History book series for middle grade readers published by Penguin Random House. She authored one of the series titles and has edited the other three. For much of her career, Jennifer worked at ABC News where she wrote, edited, and produced national and international news. She runs Write Your Rant, a workshop focused on writing effective op-eds, at @Wordcraftny.com.

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