Opinionated

Clay Wirestone is opinion editor at Kansas Reflector, a native Kansan who attended the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas, and a writer whose worked appeared in PolitiFact, The Topeka Capital-Journal, Concord Monitor (N.H.), and Mental Floss. He has been published by more than 200 outlets in 30 states.

Introduction: Last of a Dying Breed

1. A Newspaper Infused with Personality: Angelo Scott of Iola

2. An Editor and Publisher Walk Into a Bar. Or Is That Editor–Publisher?

3. What’s the Matter with Kansas? William Allen White of Emporia

4. Telling the Difference Between an Editorial, Column, and Op-ed

5. Bard of the Flint Hills: Rolla Clymer of El Dorado

6. What You Need to Know About Composing Commentary

7. Kansas Mother of the Year: Mamie Boyd of Mankato

8. How to Sculpt Your Thoughts into a Meaningful Opinion Piece

9. They Called Her Peggy: Zula Bennington Greene of Topeka

10. We’ve Spoken Out. But What’s That Supposed to Accomplish?

11. Jointest, Journalist, and Ardent Advocate: Nick Chiles of Topeka

12. Papers Took Partisan Stances but Upheld Common Sense

13. Making a Business of Newspapers: Jack Harris of Hutchinson

14. The Harris Group Fortified Kansas Journalist for Generations

15. Nine Kids and a Column: Donna Burough Opat of Lindsborg

16. Not a Rough Draft of History, Just Fast Facts for the Moment

17. Demanding Respect in Hostile Times: Hollie T. Sims of Wichita

18. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants at the University of Kansas

19. The Clarion Call of Equality: Lucile Bluford of Kansas

20. Unearthing the Forgotten Prize for Kansas Opinion Pioneers

21. Big Ideas, Little Blue Books: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius of Girard

22. Treat Readers Like Adults and Explain Why Your Work Matters

23. Prelude to a Police Raid: Bill Meyer of Marion

24. Coda: Five Voices Figure Out

Conclusion: Forging an Opinionated Path

Appendix A. Additional Advice for Would-be Writers

Appendix B. A Dozen More Kansas Opinion Journalists

Appendix C. The Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame

Appendix D. A Guide to Sources

Acknowledgments

Notes

Index