Thank you for considering writing a guest opinion essay for Youth Today or our affiliate site JJIE (Juvenile Justice Information Exchange).
We welcome opinion essays on topics related to youth and young adults living in the United States. Essays should be of interest to a broad, national audience of people who care about and often work with children and youth.
- We are not reviewing story pitches or guest editorial submissions at this time.
- Please return to this page for updates after January 15, 2025.
Your guest opinion essay should:
• Make a factual argument that is based on your experience and expertise.
• Be written in a conversational tone.
• Be approximately 800 words long.
Our guest opinion essay authors come from a range of backgrounds and include youth, professionals who work directly with young people, researchers and policymakers.
Please be certain that your submission wholly represents your original work, and properly credits any research or reporting cited.
Submissions that are chosen for publication will be rigorously fact-checked and edited in accordance with journalistic style and standards. Please include evidence supporting your assertion in hyperlinks or comments.
Given the number of submissions we receive, we may not be able to respond to everyone who submits. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, we understand that you may choose to submit your essay for consideration at a different publication.
Like most mainstream news organizations, we do not pay writers who submit guest opinion essays.
Tips on writing an opinion essay
• “How to make hard facts easy to read” (Poynter Institute)
• “Op-Ed Writing: Tips and Tricks” (The Op-Ed Project)
• “How to Write an Op-Ed or Column” (Harvard Kennedy School)
