The best forum for response essays is the Letters page. We discourage essays that are primarily responses to other Opinion articles, columns or editorials. Because these individuals already have significant platforms, their essays are held to especially high standards and offer readers newsworthy insight.

Economists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, psychologists, playwrights and many others may all have expertise on a given topic that may advance an important argument.Ī platform for public officials: Where public officials can make their case, explain their position or tell their stories. We seek out essays from experts in which they make an original, robust argument based on their unusual or deep expertise.

Guest essays can take many forms, such as:įirst-person accounts: Where everyday people can describe their experiences in their own words in a way that compels readers to see the world or reflect on their own experiences in a different light.Ī hub for experts: Where experts can present findings, highlight problems and propose solutions to the public and to one another. Guest essays should provide New York Times readers with the most robust, wide-ranging and distinctive collection of arguments and ideas available. By design, these arguments and voices will often contrast with or challenge those of our own columnists and editorials. We believe in the value of creating space for people who aren’t journalists, and who often have no institutional affiliation with The New York Times, to speak directly to readers instead of being mediated through a reporter. Inviting “intelligent discussion from all shades of opinion” has been core to the work of The Times since 1896, when our publisher Adolph Ochs declared it part of the newspaper’s mission. Combining rich discussion and debate in an important and unique way The New York Times helps readers better understand the world. At their core, Opinion guest essays are an argument defined and substantiated with evidence. Opinion guest essays were formerly known as Op-Eds because they appeared in print opposite the editorial page.

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