We were working for a client the other day, and wound up updating our tips for writing op-ed articles and guest blogs. Following these dozen tips will help you wind up with a piece that an editor will actually want to put in her publication, and that people will actually want to read.

Because when you think about it, you’re competing against every other thing your would-be readers can spend their time on — which includes anything else they could be looking at on their phone at that very moment.

So make it good! Here’s how.