How to contribute to our Opinion section
VTDigger welcomes submissions to its Opinion section in the form of commentaries and letters to the editor.
Opinion policies
VTDigger strives to publish a variety of views from a broad range of Vermont voices. Our opinion section is a curated selection of commentaries and letters that are sent to us. We do not publish every submission we receive, nor do we necessarily publish them in the order received.
If you submit something to us and it is not published, that doesn’t mean there is something “wrong” with it or that it violates our policies! We might be looking for opinions on other topics at the time or we might simply be receiving submissions at such a high volume that we can only select a few. Please don’t take it as an indication that we don’t want to hear from you in the future.
What are we looking for?
A broad range of opinions and perspectives, written by Vermonters from a broad range of backgrounds.
Well-written, engaging pieces that model civil discourse and that we think will be interesting and thought-provoking to our readers.
We are far more likely to publish opinion pieces that relate specifically to Vermont or have a Vermont angle (rather than purely giving an opinion on a national or international issue).
Please be thoughtful, insightful and constructive, and use factual information that provides context for our readers. Please do your best to provide links to sources for factual claims.
What AREN’T we looking for?
We do not have the resources to fact-check every assertion, but we will reject submissions we believe to include falsehoods, distortions, inaccuracies or unverifiable information. We are particularly disinclined to publish opinions related to public health and medicine that run counter to the scientific consensus and could cause harm.
We will not tolerate discrimination, prejudice or abuse.
We’re not interested in ad hominem arguments or personal attacks.
Due to our status as a nonprofit, we cannot publish pieces that endorse or oppose political candidates or parties — or otherwise engage in electioneering.
Submission Guidelines
Note (this is new!): Both commentaries and letters to the editor should be sent to opinion@vtdigger.org.
Whether you’re submitting a commentary or a letter: Please include your full name, where you live and a sentence-or-two-long bio that includes any affiliations that would be relevant to the subject of the piece. (For example, if you’re a member of a group that has advocated for or against a bill or policy you’re writing about, we — and your readers — would like to know.)
Authors are limited to one commentary or letter to the editor published per month.
It is fine to submit your opinion piece to other publications; we do NOT require that we are the only place a commentary or letter to the editor appears.
Commentaries
In 400 to 850 words, we invite you to share your view on a current issue you feel is important.
Letters to the editor
We invite you to write thoughtful responses to topics covered by VTDigger or to opinion pieces submitted by other readers. Share your view in 150 to 250 words.
And remember, whichever you’re writing, the new email address is opinion@vtdigger.org.