How op-ed submissions work at U.S. newspapers, and what editors require

An op-ed is a piece written by someone outside the newsroom. A writer submits an argument, and an opinion editor decides whether to run it.

The rules differ by paper, but the published guidelines of several U.S. outlets share a pattern: short word limits, exclusivity, disclosure of conflicts and a short review window. This article sets out what those guidelines say, and the questions a founder or executive could put to an agency before paying.

A finished draft, not a pitch

The Washington Post's help center says it considers only completed articles, not pitches or proposals. Submissions go through an online form, and the Post asks for the writer's full name, home address, email address and phone numbers.

The free-speech group FIRE, in its guide to placing op-eds, gives similar advice. It tells writers to finish the draft before approaching an editor, because an editor will likely ask to see a first draft if a writer pitches an idea without one.

FIRE's suggested pitch email is short. One sentence covers the writer's credentials and affiliations, two describe the topic and what is distinctive about the thesis, and one thanks the editor and offers to take edits. FIRE says to paste the piece into the body of the email rather than attach it, unless otherwise directed.

Length limits

Limits are tight and vary by outlet. The Post says submissions should be limited to 800 words. The Philadelphia Inquirer calls 700 words a good length, with a little room either way, and caps letters to the editor at 200 words.

City & State PA says pieces of no more than 1,000 words are more likely to be published. FIRE says most newspapers have a strict word limit, typically around 600 words, and advises cutting the draft to that length before it goes to an editor.

Editors also shorten accepted pieces. The Post says it edits for clarity, logic and organization, fact-checks and copy-edits, and may cut a piece to fit space. According to the Post, contributors approve changes before publication. City & State PA says its editors may revise for length and clarity and may reject a submission at any time.

Exclusivity and the review window

Exclusivity is the most consistent requirement. The Post says a piece must not have been submitted to, posted on, or published by any other outlet. The Inquirer asks for wholly original content that has not appeared in print or online elsewhere. City & State PA wants content that is original and exclusive to it.

FIRE says most outlets require exclusive pieces and advises against pitching the same op-ed to several outlets at once. It adds that an exclusive op-ed cannot recycle more than 30 percent of the rhetoric from a previous op-ed.

Response times are short. The Post says that if a writer has not heard back within a week, the piece likely won't run. The Inquirer asks writers to allow its editors five business days to review a draft, after which writers may submit elsewhere.

FIRE gives a faster sequence: wait at least 48 hours, follow up once, wait another 24 hours, then withdraw the piece and pitch another outlet. For breaking news, it suggests submitting within 36 hours of the event and telling the editor in the pitch that it is breaking news and would appreciate a quick response.

Disclosure of financial interests

Opinion pages ask who is writing and what they stand to gain. The Post requires writers to disclose any personal or financial interest in the topic. It does not accept anonymous or pseudonymous pieces.

The Inquirer asks authors to disclose potential conflicts. It names lobbying, other public-policy work and a significant financial stake in the subject as items that must be disclosed to readers. It says a conflict is not automatically disqualifying. City & State PA also asks for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.

The Inquirer wants a one- to two-line bio for each author and allows a maximum of two authors per piece. City & State PA asks for a short description of the writer.

What opinion editors turn away

The Post says it weighs timeliness, reader interest and a fresh perspective, and that special expertise is not required. It receives hundreds of submissions a day and can accommodate only a handful of outside contributions on most days.

The Inquirer rejects press releases, petitions, open letters and endorsements written by individuals or organizations. It also does not accept poetry, public service announcements, or items written by AI or large language models. It takes submissions through its online form, and says submissions sent by email or other means will not be considered.

City & State PA asks for pieces with a clear point of view backed by facts and evidence. It appreciates pieces that offer unique perspectives on a story it recently published and/or add depth to a discussion it is having on social media.

Questions to put to an agency before paying

A founder can put the following questions to any agency that offers op-ed placement. The questions follow from the rules above.

The first is which outlet will receive the draft first, since exclusivity rules mean one piece goes to one outlet at a time. The second is who will sign the byline, because the Post requires a full name and the Inquirer limits a piece to two authors.

The third is which personal or financial interests in the topic need to be disclosed, given the Post's and the Inquirer's requirements. The fourth is how long the agency will wait before withdrawing a piece and moving to another outlet, since the published review windows range from 72 hours (FIRE) to a week (the Post).

The last is what happens if no outlet accepts the draft.