Many of us skim the headlines and the first few paragraphs of a news article to stay up to date with the current events. But we often turn to the op-ed page to learn from people who we consider more knowledgeable than we are and whose values are aligned with ours: Frank Rich, Peggy Noonan, Paul Krugman, George Will, Thomas Friedman, Kathleen Parker, Bob Herbert, or Ellen Goodman. We’re looking for a perspective from someone who knows more about the history, the context, and the details of the political issue and so can help interpret it.
There are parallels between newspaper articles and your journal. Some days we just write the news—the details of an event or activity that just include the facts. Perhaps—and it’s valuable information to include—you also include some discussion of your emotions as well. (Emotions are part of our interior weather, so consider inclusion of your emotions of you journal entry as your internal weather report.)
However, if you want to write a journal entry that has insight and will offer you some new perspective, approach the entry as an op-ed article. You are the most knowledgeable about yourself, and when you write you are the expert: You know your history, you know the background of the situation, you know the people who are involved, you know the larger context within which to see the story. So, think of yourself as the [fill in the name of your favorite op-ed writer] of your world.
Interpret. Bring in hidden but important information about the story. Write about the issue from different points of view. Engage. Think of the larger context of the situation. Ask good questions. Interview yourself. Dialog with the different characters. Offer some solutions or suggestions for the future. You’ll find your journal entries will be much more insightful!
. Author Julie Myerson has written about her son’s drug addiction. The son claims the book exaggerates the story, says he feels exploited, and condemns the book.
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