1. Choose your subject wisely.
We are happy to hear ideas from anyone on any topic, but remember that you’re submitting to the US opinion section, which focuses on American issues. If you’d like to submit a pitch about any other subject, please click here to read the pitch guidelines for our UK and Australian colleagues, who cover everything else.
2. Have a look at our site.
We publish several pieces every day, so it’s well worth your time to see what, if anything, we’ve already published on a topic before you craft your pitch. Click here for the latest from the US opinion homepage.
3. Put the topic of your opinion piece in the subject line of an email.
If you’re emailing our designated pitch email account (us.opinion@ theguardian.com), please offer specifics. It’s much easier for our editors to discover timely and important submissions if the topic is the first thing we see.
4. Explain, in brief, who you are.
We don’t need a full CV, but – especially if you’re not a full-time writer, which is perfectly fine – it’s helpful to know why you have the specific expertise or experience to write about your subject! We are committed to showcasing a range of issues, stories and voices on Guardian US Opinion; it’s just difficult to get to know you from an email address.
Note: The Guardian is committed to transparent, independent journalism. You must disclose any conflict of interest, financial or otherwise. If any individual or group with an interest in the topic you are pitching has compensated you, tell us.
5. Be concise and specific in your pitch.
We’re usually looking for 600-800 word opinion pieces that are traditional persuasive pieces (i.e., it has a thesis, supporting evidence and conclusion) or first-person stories tied to a news topic. Either should mean that you can easily summarize what you’d like to write (preferably with links) in about 3-5 sentences. But please don’t just send us completed pieces, as we will have less time to review them in full; we would much rather work with you to shape a good pitch into a great piece than have a good idea arrive, pre-written, in a way that doesn’t quite fit.
Please note that Guardian US pitches, if commissioned, will be published online, and few (if any) will appear in the UK-only print edition newspaper. All pieces are subject to editing and review by our US-based editorial staff, and we cannot pay “kill fees” if final pieces do not meet our editorial standards. (For more information, see the Guardian freelance charter.)
Unfortunately, due to the high volume and quality of email we receive, we pass on many pitches – and we cannot reply to all of them. If you haven’t heard from us within four business days, please do take your idea elsewhere.