Three times a week, Lookout’s Community Voices opinion section publishes op-eds and personal essays. These feature a variety of voices, opinions and lived experiences that we feel touch on issues of the day or topics worth discussing. We are always looking for contributions and we encourage you to submit your thoughtful commentary or personal essay. We will work with you to get your ideas published. Part of our goal is to showcase underrepresented voices.
Our underlying mission is to provide content, insight and connections that help us understand our community better.
Who writes for us?
Most CV pieces come from guest authors, although some come from our columnists and sometimes, the CV editor, Jody K. Biehl, and/or Lookout founder and CEO Ken Doctor will write editorials or personal pieces or explanations of coverage.
Send op-eds to our opinion editor, Jody K. Biehl, at jody@lookoutlocal.com. Put the op-ed in the body of the email or as a Google doc.
Readers sometimes ask us how we decide what pieces to run. We look for timeliness, point of view, voice, originality, humor and more. We often publish op-eds that break news, meaning they reveal something of consequence that was not previously known to the public.
To help demystify the selection and editing process, we have created the following guide. We also include tips to help writers sharpen their style and make it more publishable in Community Voices.
What is an op-ed?
An op-ed is an opinion piece by a guest writer that makes a clear argument about a topical issue. We take submissions only on local issues, and we prioritize original arguments from people with expertise or lived experience. The name stems from the traditional placement of these pieces opposite the editorial page of a printed newspaper.
Op-eds are always opinionated and, unlike news stories, do not require both sides. They are the writer’s best attempt to convince the reader on an issue. Usually, they are in the first person.
We prefer short, declarative sentences and we often use short paragraphs for ease of reading and emphasis.
What is a personal essay?
A personal essay shares a thought-provoking, entertaining and/or humorous true story for readers that draws on the writer’s lived experience. It often opens up to ask bigger questions or highlight larger truths.
How long should an op-ed or personal essay be?
Op-eds should be concise, focused and leave the reader wanting more.
About 800 words is ideal, although Lookout sometimes allows more, but rarely more than 1,000 words. Op-eds can incorporate images, video, music, playlists. The list is limited by your creativity – and our technical capabilities.
Personal essays can run a bit longer than op-eds, if the story and writing are compelling. Usually 1,200 words is the limit. Personal essays have less clear structure than op-eds, fewer rules.
How should I structure my op-ed?
The first rule is: Be concise. Op-eds state their purpose quickly and boldly.
Put your main argument at the top, in the first few lines. Ask yourself: What message or idea do I want readers to walk away with? (If you don’t know, your piece is not an op-ed, not yet anyway.) Here’s a tip: Try telling a friend your idea. Narrow it down so you can “pitch” it in a few sentences and generate excitement.
At the end of the op-ed, include a three–to-five-sentence biography of the author. Usually, this includes job/expertise/education, but it can also add to the humor or mood of the piece. Here are some examples:
Rocio Ortiz is a 2024 graduate of Watsonville High School, a farmworker, a co-founder of Future Leaders of Change – Watsonville and a soon-to-be first-year student at Cal State Monterey Bay.
Daniel DeLong is a retired firefighter who strongly believes every human should have the legal right to end-of-life autonomy. If you feel the same, he encourages you to visit Death with Dignity. He has every intention of cheating Death just like his grandmother did.
What is not an op-ed?
A personal story without a point.
A journalistic investigation that doesn’t have an argument.
Poems and works of fiction (we have a space for that!).
Reviews of books, movies, television shows or events.
Airing of personal vendettas against named individuals (unless the person is a public figure. Even then, we are careful and would need to discuss this with the author).
Tools for public relations (We will not accept submissions from people praising their boss, company, school, etc.). An op-ed serves readers, not the author.
Pitches for donations for a cause. We will only include links for donations in a bio on a case-by-case basis.
Who can submit an op-ed?
Anyone. Yes, really! Our youngest author so far was 10. Our oldest was more than 80. We have published op-eds from teachers and climate experts, community activists, college and high school students and people incarcerated. We’ve published on the rental and housing market, on pesticides, on the role of theater in high school, on abortion and even on the joy of doing nothing.
How do I get my op-ed published?
The easiest way to get your op-ed published is to email a full draft in the body of the email or as a Google doc to our opinion editor, Jody K. Biehl, at jody@lookoutlocal.com.
We do our best to read all submissions promptly, and will usually contact you within one week if we are interested in publishing your article. If you do not hear from us in two weeks, please follow up with an email if you want to clarify the status of your submission.
Can I send something I have already published?
Maybe. We prefer original, exclusive content, but we would work with you and the other publication involved to discuss how we might freshen up the content.
How do you decide what op-eds to publish?
We look for pieces that will accomplish one or more of the following goals for our readers:
- Help them more deeply understand a topic in the news.
- Help them understand a topic of community interest, even if it is not (yet) in the news.
- Help them understand how news stories apply to their lives/our community.
- Equip them with arguments they can employ when talking about a topic.
- Elevate ideas that help them think about the world differently.
- Expose them to topics they might not have heard about.
- Help them better articulate their own perspective.
- Help them understand perspectives different from their own.
- Help them make choices about who to vote for, what to support or how to consider a current issue.
Do you publish only op-eds you agree with?
No! We strive to publish a diversity of opinions. Often, we seek out opinions that are different from those of our columnists or our editorial board. During elections or if there is a contentious community issue, we strive to offer perspectives from all sides. We also look to ensure that writers fairly represent what their opponents say and do.
If you don’t see your perspective represented on an issue, contact us. We can publish only what we have. If you don’t share your view, we won’t have it to publish.
Do you pay op-ed writers?
Sometimes. We ask that writers submit at least the first piece free. Then, if they want to write more often and submit a story ideas list, we will consider paying them. We do not pay politicians, government officials and others writing in their official capacities.
Can I write under a pseudonym?
No. Unless under extreme circumstances — such as when publishing an op-ed would pose a threat to your life, safety or livelihood — we must publish your full name in the byline.
Can I write in my own voice?
Yes, please! Write how you sound, not how you think an op-ed should sound. Use first person (I, we) and write as you talk. Try reading your piece aloud and see how it sounds. Remove anything fussy or over long. Use declarative sentences. We love subject-verb-direct object sentences.
Do I need to write about the news?
Usually, an op-ed will have a connection to a news story, what we call a news hook. This can also be a cultural topic. Why are you writing about this now? Why should people care about it?
If your piece is not connected to the news, it should have an original angle. We are looking for ideas readers have not considered.
What is the editing process like?
Our editor will send you notes on the first draft with an eye toward length, argument and writing quality. We are looking for colloquial, not academic or bureaucratic, language. Our editor will send back notes in a Google doc for approval by the writer. Our priority is always to make sure the writer is comfortable with our edits. This might take a few back-and-forth editing exchanges until the piece gets to a mutually agreeable place. At that point, the op-ed is sent to a second editor and then to our copy editor, who checks for accuracy, grammar and Lookout style.
The editor will also ask you to send an author picture with photo credit (the name of the person who took the photo) and any other photos you would like to run with the piece.
Should I include footnotes for reference?
No. But please include links and documentation supporting any claims. This can speed up the editing process.
How should I structure my op-ed?
The format of your op-ed helps the reader understand your argument. Here is a classic structure that does this effectively:
- Statement of thesis/problem/issue.
- Three reasons you support/disagree with the argument. Use examples for each reason.
- Refute the other side’s best argument in a snappy way.
- Conclusion.
You do not have to use this formula. But please remember to make your piece logical and to pay attention to flow. We want to make reading it easy. You want to convince your reader you are right, not put them off or bore them.
What is a lede (also known as a lead)?
A lede (rhymes with “deed”) is the opening sentence or sentences of your op-ed. It sets the tone for the piece – often helps a reader decide if it’s worth their time. This might be your main “thesis” or a catchy example that will intrigue the reader. Don’t take too long to get to your main point. You have only a limited amount of words.
How do I end my op-ed?
Journalists often call the last line or paragraph of a piece a kicker. You want to kick the reader out with a bang. In an op-ed that means reminding them of your main point in a new way. Think of the most catchy way to sum up what you have been trying to say and try it out. Short kickers are usually the most powerful.
What not to do at the end?
Don’t introduce new ideas that will leave the reader wishing you had developed them more.
Don’t end with a quote – tell us what you think, not someone else.
Don’t repeat the first line (unless this is a rhetorical device).
Miscellaneous tips
- Check your facts – and be ready to back them up. Accuracy is as important to opinion pieces as it is to news reporting, and even minor errors will undermine confidence in the broader point you want to make. Editors will ask for exact numbers, dates, times etc. Include links where possible, both to provide context to readers interested in learning more and for our editors to check facts.
- Use short, declarative sentences. This is particularly true if your idea is complex. You will save editors time if you cut lengthy sentences in two.
- Write short paragraphs. Usually one idea per paragraph. Try to break up your paragraphs for maximum effect on the reader. Also, readers love white space. It gives them time to think and absorb.
- Don’t overuse rhetorical questions. Raising questions can be a good idea, but used too much, it is tiresome and masks your own inability to answer a question for the reader.
- We love numbers. But don’t throw too many at your readers at once or their eyes will glaze over. Use numbers to tell stories or make a point. Don’t overload on them and do all conversions for your readers. (Don’t compare percentages with raw numbers, for instance.)
- Avoid jargon and big words. It makes readers confused and want to stop reading. Write like you speak. (Don’t say: He was cognizant of his error. Say: He knew he made a mistake.)
- Walk your reader slowly through your thinking. Don’t jump around. Sometimes points and linkages might seem obvious to you, but that could be because you are a subject expert or immersed in the issue. Imagine readers know nothing about your topic.
- Have a friend or family member read your piece before you send it to us. Try reading it out loud and see where your voice catches.
- If you have a social media handle you want us to include, put it in your bio.
Letters to the editor
Lookout encourages readers to submit letters of less than 350 words. Submit letters to opinion@lookoutlocal.com. Please include the letter in the body of the email, not in an attachment.
We see letters as a way to elevate our conversations and the level of civil public discourse in our community. Letters often highlight new perspectives and suggest community solutions that help us all gain insight into our neighbors’ opinions and ideas.
Usually letters take a position for or against an issue, a candidate, a community concern. We also accept “good news” letters, offering recognition to people who deserve it or to acknowledge success of an effort.
What should I include in my letter?
Include your full name and address (we will not publish this, but will use it for verification purposes only. We will only publish the city you live in.)
Are there any other rules?
Lookout will not accept anonymous letters. We will accept whistleblower letters which can help us in our reporting.
Lookout will not publish all letters. We are looking for letters that add substantive value to an ongoing issue, election or news story. If you are unsure of the status of your letter, email our opinion desk at opinion@lookoutlocal.com.
Editors will edit letters for style, grammar, objectionable content and brevity.
Publication of letters is not an endorsement of the writer’s opinions; it is a chance to share a view that editors believe might be of interest to readers.
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