Guidelines for submitting op-eds

When you pitch:

* City & State is a website and magazine and its op-ed section primarily runs online. It is not a forum for press release-style statements. We reject most pitches and only take pieces that we find compelling.

* Due to the volume of unsolicited pitches we receive, we are not able to respond to every one. If we are interested in an opinion pitch, we will generally respond to you within two business days. If you have not heard from us within a week, you can safely assume we have decided not to accept your pitch.

* We prioritize op-eds authored by elected officials, other government officials, academics and journalists. In general, City & State does not accept unsolicited opinion pieces written (or co-written) by representatives of consulting or polling firms, advocacy organizations, think tanks, unions, trade associations and corporations. However, we reserve the right to make exceptions.

* Pitches and op-ed drafts should be sent to both PSterne@cityandstateny.com and editor@cityandstateny.com. If you are sending a full draft, please either include it in the body of the email or in a Google document. Please do not send a PDF.

* Our sister publication New York Nonprofit Media (NYN) prioritizes opinion pieces written by nonprofit organization leaders. If you have an opinion piece that you think is right for NYN, email a pitch or draft to JColtin@cityandstateny.com and editor@nynmedia.com.

* If you represent a business, trade association or union, you may be interested in our sponsored content opportunities. All inquiries about sponsored content should be sent to LBlake@cityandstateny.com.

* Do not expect us to run your piece because we ran a piece expressing a contrary position to yours. There is no guarantee of equal time.

* We don't consider anything published by another outlet, so please don't send us a piece that is running elsewhere.

* Everything we run has a New York-specific angle. A piece arguing for or against a federal policy that could just as easily run a different state is not right for us.

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When you submit

* An op-ed should have a headline (preceded by the word “Opinion:”), sub-headline and byline. If you do not submit a suggested headline or sub-headline, we will write one for you. 

* Word count is flexible, but your draft should not be less than 600 words or more than 1200 words. 

* Please include a one-sentence bio at the end of your draft.

* If possible, please include a relevant photo and photo credit along with your submission. This should not just be an author headshot but rather related to the central argument being made in the op-ed. If your piece concerns a specific bill, for instance, it would make sense to include a photo of a rally in support of that bill (ideally one that features the author of the op-ed). You are not required to submit a photo; if you don’t, we will pick a relevant stock photo or news photo to accompany your piece.

* You will be edited for style, length and clarity. In most cases, these edits are very minor. Optionally, you may request that we delay publication until you have a chance to review and approve the final version of the opinion piece. 

* Don’t use AI to write your opinion piece or plagiarize. This includes self-plagiarism, such as recycling entire sentences or paragraphs from something you’ve previously published elsewhere, unless you are clearly quoting from your previous article.

* We follow AP style, so please try to do so as well. Do not capitalize anything that isn’t a proper noun. Titles are never capitalized unless it immediately precedes the person’s name. E.g. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump are “the governor,” and “the president.” That includes your own one-sentence bio, which you should include at the bottom.

* Ultimately, we decide on headlines and when the story runs. If your opinion piece is tied to a specific event – such as a rally or the introduction of a new bill – please let us know ahead of time.

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