Welcome to The San Francisco Standard’s opinion section, your go-to source for thought-provoking commentary with some extra zest. We want to spark lively conversations about what's happening in our city and beyond.
We aim to strengthen discourse and understanding among readers of all political perspectives and backgrounds. To that end, we will prioritize pieces that go beyond highlighting problems to actually proposing solutions. We’re also interested in explanatory and personal stories that resonate with readers.
We're not afraid of some sass and humor either. We’re hungry for witty takes, hilarious hyperbole and satire with a side of sass. So impress us with your unique perspectives, be they in writing, photos, videos, graphics or whatever creative format you can dream up. Keep it clean and don’t attack other people’s character – we don’t punch down.
Our town square will be relevant and timely: Contributors will tackle the most pressing issues as they happen. While not every piece will be tied directly to news events, those that are will resonate most if they’re submitted immediately.
The San Francisco Standard will only consider original pieces that have not previously appeared in print or online.
This is your forum to shine and a way to reach millions of readers.
Guidelines
Written pieces should not exceed 800 words, except in rare circumstances. Full drafts of articles will be given preference over partial submissions or pitches, which we may not have time to respond to. We will edit all submissions using journalistic guidelines for style, grammar and brevity.
You do not need to be a professional writer to submit an opinion piece, but you should be able to make a cogent argument backed up with evidence. Write for the broadest possible audience and use plain language. Readers may not be familiar with the terms or policies you’re talking about.
The best-written opinion pieces have a clear thesis, provide several arguments in favor of the writer’s position, acknowledge opposing arguments and challenge audiences who do not necessarily agree with your point of view.
You are required to cite your sources using inline links or annotations. Primary sources are preferred to secondary ones: For instance, citing a scientific paper is better than citing a news article about those scientific findings. The onus is on the writer to provide factual evidence for assertions rather than on The Standard to verify them. If we determine that a fact cannot be verified, we will not publish your work or we may eliminate some parts of it.
The Standard will not consider anonymous submissions; your argument is more effective when you put your name to it. Please provide a short bio (fewer than 90 words) outlining your expertise or affiliations, along with email and phone contact information and your city of residence. Writers must identify ties to organizations that are relevant to the topic they are writing about, even if those roles are unpaid.
Submit
To submit a pitch or opinion piece, please use the form located here. If you have specific questions or concerns that weren't addressed above, please email opinion@sfstandard.com.