Opinion submission guidelines: Op-eds, commentary and letters to the editor | Philadelphia Inquirer

An opinion or commentary piece is written about a news issue by someone outside our newsroom. The author could be anyone from an elected official to your next door neighbor. You can find opinion pieces online at inquirer.com/opinion on weekdays, and in print on the editorial pages at the back of the A section. On Sundays, opinions run in a separate section of the print edition, which will sometimes explore a special theme or issue.

Opinion or commentary pieces are sometimes called op-eds, meaning opposite of editorial, a reference to their traditional placement on the page in the print newspaper. The Inquirer is looking for pieces that are well-written with a fact-based viewpoint. That primarily takes the shape of commentary on news events, but we also strive to publish reflections on cultural trends, and the occasional personal or explanatory essay. We also feature daily editorial cartoons in print, which represent the opinion of the individual artist.

Op-eds should be submitted using the form at the bottom of this page. Submissions sent by email or other means will not be considered for publication. Submissions are reviewed and edited by opinion editors:

The Inquirer strives to present a diverse range of views from a wide variety of writers on our opinion platforms. Our goal is to elevate civic — and civil — discourse. When assessing pieces, editors consider both the source (who wrote the piece) as well as the content (what the piece says). We emphasize facts, always, and appreciate when a writer has a distinctive and compelling voice. We believe that everyone has the ability to write an opinion piece, and we’re eager to work with first-time writers as well as seasoned professionals.

Once you have submitted a draft of an op-ed to be considered for publication, please allow our editors five business days to review it. If you do not hear from one of our editors in that timeframe, you should feel free to submit the article elsewhere.

There are no hard and fast rules about what topics we cover on the op-ed page, but some general parameters:

Responses to articles in The Inquirer — including editorials, columns, op-eds and commentary pieces — should be made in the form of a letter to the editor. Letters should be emailed to letters@inquirer.com. Letters should be 200 words, at most. Writers should include their home address and day and evening phone number to allow for verification by our letters team. Letters are published in the Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

An editorial is an opinion about a matter of public interest or policy researched and written by our Editorial Board, a group of journalists separate from the newsroom who meet frequently to discuss and debate issues. Unlike news stories, which are solely fact-driven, and written by reporters, editorials use facts and persuasive writing to advocate, champion, argue, critique, and suggest ways to make the region better.

The Editorial Board routinely discusses issues of the day to decide what to editorialize on and, during election campaigns, which candidates or ballot measures to endorse. News reporters and editors do not participate in these discussions. The Board’s opinions are not a consideration in news coverage.

The Editorial Board is led by Richard G. Jones, managing editor of the Opinion Desk. Members of the Board include:

Prior to each election, the Inquirer’s Editorial Board identifies the races where an endorsement can help readers understand where candidates stand on issues and why we think voters should support (or reject) a particular candidate.

We think all elections are important and try to cover as many as we can. We research the candidates’ backgrounds through our own reporting, as well as through the work of our newsroom colleagues.

The Board hosts meetings with candidates running in contested races, where we ask them about their stance on the issues we think are most important to their constituents. The meetings are on the record, and political reporters and editors are invited to participate, but they do not weigh in on the endorsement process.

Unlike reporters, columnists are encouraged to include their opinions and viewpoints when presenting their reporting. Inquirer columnists, including Will Bunch, Trudy Rubin, Jenice Armstrong, and Helen Ubiñas, appear on our pages. All of our columnists can be found at inquirer.com/opinion.