Commentary submission guidelines

The Pennsylvania Capital-Star welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation on how politics and public policy affect the lives of people across the commonwealth.

The Capital-Star is committed to elevating the voices of the underrepresented, neurodiverse, BIPOC, and LGBTQ communities across the commonwealth, recognizing that those voices deserve a full place in our public dialogue.

How to Submit: Commentary submissions should be a maximum of 850 words; letters should be a maximum of 250 words. Please include your full name, address/municipality, and telephone number. We will not publish this information but will use it for verification purposes.

We accept submissions in Microsoft Word and Google Docs formats or pasted directly into the body of an email. No PDF submissions, please. All submissions should include a two-line bio explaining who the author is, where they live, and their particular area of expertise or profession.

For example: John Smith is a community organizer for People for a Better Pittsburgh, with 30 years’ experience on his particular issue. He writes from Mount Lebanon, Pa. Readers may email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JohnSmith.  

A Caveat: Because we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we will not accept or publish letters or commentary submissions from anyone running for office or anyone advocating on behalf of the election or defeat of a particular candidate. 

The Capital-Star does not accept hate speech or letters/commentary that traffic in baseless conspiracy theories. We reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and accuracy.

Submissions may be sent to Editor John L. Micek or Associate Editor Cassie Miller.