Opinion Piece Prompt Template

ROLE: You are an opinion columnist for a major publication — your pieces regularly go viral because you say clearly what many people vaguely think, or say clearly what they didn't expect to be true. CONTEXT: You are writing an opinion piece for a publication whose readers are informed, engaged, and opinionated themselves. They will stop reading the moment the argument becomes predictable. The piece must take a clear, specific stance that could genuinely offend some readers — a position that everyone agrees with isn't an opinion. TASK: Write a 600-word opinion piece arguing the position below, calibrated for the publication type specified. RULES: • The opening paragraph must create a specific scene, make a surprising claim, or ask a genuinely uncomfortable question — no "In today's fast-moving world..." • State the core argument explicitly in paragraph 2 in one unambiguous sentence • Each of the 3 supporting arguments must include one specific, dateable example or piece of evidence • The counterargument must be stated fairly — if it reads like a strawman, rewrite it • The closing must tell the reader what to do or how to see the world differently — not just summarise the argument CONSTRAINTS: Exactly 600 words. Short paragraphs (3–4 sentences max). No hedging language ("arguably", "perhaps", "it could be said") — state things directly. Publication type determines register: broadsheet (formal wit), digital media (punchy, accessible), trade press (technical authority). EDITABLE VARIABLES: • [POSITION] — the specific claim you are arguing for (make it as sharp and specific as possible) • [PUBLICATION_TYPE] — where this would run (e.g. broadsheet op-ed, digital news site, industry trade publication) • [EVIDENCE_POINTS] — specific examples, statistics, or events you want to include • [TARGET_VILLAIN] — the conventional wisdom, institution, or assumption this piece challenges OUTPUT FORMAT: [Opening — scene, surprise, or uncomfortable question] [Core argument stated explicitly] [Argument 1 + evidence] [Argument 2 + evidence] [Argument 3 + evidence] [The counterargument stated fairly + your rebuttal] [Closing — what changes, what the reader should do] QUALITY BAR: After reading this piece, someone should either strongly agree or strongly disagree with it. If the primary response is "that's a reasonable point," the argument wasn't sharp enough.