Reader Spotlight: We want to hear what you have to say

As we continue to increase the local content on our opinion pages, we are offering readers a new way to contribute: Reader Spotlight.

The Reader Spotlight is a letter, but with more room for context and reflection. Please keep Reader Spotlight submission to 500 words.

As with letters to the editor, Reader Spotlight submissions need to be about local and/or regional issues – or the local impact of national or international issues. Any facts used need to be accurate, and feel free to include links with your submission to back up your points.

For some topics, a letter to the editor may be more appropriate. If that’s the case, we’ll contact you to ask you to trim your submission down to 250 words.

We also want your submissions for Guest Opinion columns. These columns can be up to 750 words and should be written by someone with a connection to the issue – for instance, a doctor or nurse writing about health care, a birder writing about wildlands conservation or a student writing about cell phone bans at school. And, again, that topic needs to be local and supported by evidence.

Guest columns need to be written by an individual (or up to three people), not an organization. Writers needs to provide a short bio that includes their city of residence.

Not all submissions will be published, but those that follow the rules will. All letters, Reader Spotlights and Guest Opinions are subject to minor editing for grammar, newspaper style and clarity. If more intensive editing is needed, we will reach out to the writer.

After having a letter or Reader Spotlight published, there is a 30-day waiting period before another piece is published. If a Guest Opinion column is published, there is a 90-day waiting period.

A reminder about elections: The last day to publish letters or columns about candidates or ballot measures is Oct. 29. It can take a week or longer for pieces to get published, so be sure to submit election-related content now.

We’re looking forward to getting more of your thoughts on the Opinion pages.

Send your submissions to editor@spokesman.com.