Wisconsin Watch welcomes submissions of commentary pieces on issues important to Wisconsin for potential publication.
We aim to produce journalism that helps residents navigate their lives, be seen and heard, hold power to account and come together in community and civic life. We’re looking for commentary from a diversity of voices and perspectives toward those goals. Submissions could take a variety of forms, whether a response to Wisconsin Watch reporting, an idea for solving a community challenge, a perspective you feel is missing from a public debate — or even a reflection on how you’re finding hope and community.
Guidelines
Guest commentaries reflect the views of their authors and are independent of the nonpartisan, in-depth reporting produced by Wisconsin Watch’s newsroom staff.
Length
We prefer that submissions run no more than 750 words and encourage clear, concise writing.
We want to hear from:
- People who live in Wisconsin or otherwise care about its future.
- People who are affected by issues of public concern.
- Subject matter experts who can offer context about important issues and explain how systems work.
Please include:
- Concrete solutions to problems, supported by facts (such as estimated costs and proposed revenue sources), success in other places and scientific research.
- An honest assessment of the challenges faced in dealing with an issue.
- Links to authoritative, independent sources, including news reports on the topic at hand.
- Civility, grace, decency.
We don’t want:
- Misinformation, disinformation, falsehoods and logical fallacies.
- Product advertising, fundraising appeals or links to fundraising pages.
- Commentary from representatives of organizations that don’t disclose their donors or don’t clearly state their point of view.
- Obscenity, personal attacks, name-calling.
We reserve the right to edit submissions for grammar, clarity, brevity, and legal or factual concerns. We may suggest edits to improve accessibility but will not alter the views expressed by the author. We may also request additional information for fact-checking purposes and reserve the right to decline publication.
Wisconsin Watch does not pay for guest commentary.
How to submit
Please email submissions to opinion@wisconsinwatch.org. We prefer that commentaries be included in the body of the email rather than as attachments. Include a one- or two-sentence bio with your organization, city of residence and any relevant background. Feel free to reach out with questions or to propose an idea for feedback.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
