Writing and reporting
馃敟 How to Write a Polemic
Write a hard-hitting argument against a public decision that rests on documents, answers the other side honestly and stays on the right side of defamation law.
- 1What a Polemic Is, and Where It Came FromHow a polemic differs from a news story, an editorial and an op-ed, and what four famous ones teach about the form.12 min
- 2One Target, One Claim, and the Paper to Prove ItNarrow your anger to a single target and a single checkable claim, then build the case from records so the heat rests on evidence.14 min
- 3Answering the Other Side: Steelmanning and InterrogatoriesFind the strongest version of the opposing argument, answer it honestly, and use an Interrogatories section to take the hardest questions head on.13 min
- 4Tone, Sarcasm, Satire and RidiculeWhen sharp humor and contempt make a polemic land, and when they cost you the reader you were trying to win.12 min
- 5Hard Commentary vs. DefamationWhere U.S. law draws the line between protected opinion and a provably false statement of fact, and the fairness habits that keep a polemic on the right side of it.15 min
- 6Worked Example: The 31-Second VoteA full polemic built from scratch about an invented town council, shown first as an outline and then as an excerpt with notes on each choice.16 min