Submit Your Story
News tips, op-ed pitches, letters to the editor, and personal essays from readers across the Commonwealth. Every submission is read by an editor — and we respond to every one, including those we cannot publish.
From the Editors
Massachusetts is a state of strong opinions, sharp arguments, and small stories that matter. We want to hear yours — the school committee vote that didn’t make the wires, the parish closure no one is covering, the policy you’ve lived with and have something true to say about.
We publish tips, op-eds, letters, and personal essays from readers across the Commonwealth. We do not require credentials. We require care, evidence, and a Massachusetts angle.
Three Ways to Contribute
We accept three distinct kinds of reader submission, each with its own response window and editorial bar. Pick the one that fits your material best — and when in doubt, send a news tip and let an editor route it from there. We respond to every submission.
What We Publish — And What We Don’t
-
01
A specific Massachusetts angle
Op-eds we run are grounded in a concrete Massachusetts or New England policy, ruling, election, institution, or community. National hot takes belong elsewhere.
-
02
First-person expertise or experience
We prefer writers with direct standing on the question — the parent, the parish priest, the small-business owner, the prosecutor, the policy practitioner.
-
03
Argument with evidence
A clear thesis stated in the first three sentences, followed by evidence (data, citations, lived experience). 750–1,100 words is the sweet spot.
-
04
New voices welcome
We actively seek perspectives from outside our usual contributors. You don’t need a column, a Twitter following, or a bio — just standing and an argument.
-
05
Originality and exclusivity
Pieces we publish must be original and not under simultaneous review at other outlets. We respond within 5–7 days so you can shop the piece elsewhere if we pass.
-
06
What we decline
Pieces with no Massachusetts angle, lobbyist or PR-firm submissions without disclosure, personal grievances unsupported by evidence, and AI-drafted text submitted as the author’s own work.
Edited, Not Polished Out
Every accepted piece passes through a working editor for clarity, length, and house style — never to soften an argument or strip a writer’s voice. We’ll send you our edits before publication and run nothing under your byline that you haven’t signed off on.
By submitting, you grant NewBostonPost first-publication rights for 30 days and acknowledge that submissions may be edited for length, clarity, and house style.
Send Your Tip, Pitch, or Letter
All submissions are read by an editor. We follow up with everyone, including those we cannot publish. Please do not call the newsroom for status updates — email is faster.
By submitting, you grant NewBostonPost first-publication rights for 30 days and acknowledge that submissions may be edited for length, clarity, and house style.
Submissions, Edits & Pay
Do you pay contributors?
Op-eds receive an honorarium of $150–$400 depending on length, reporting effort, and exclusivity. Letters and personal essays are unpaid. Tips that lead to a published staff story may be acknowledged at the writer’s request.
Can I pitch an op-ed before writing it?
Yes. A two-paragraph pitch with thesis, evidence, and your standing on the question is welcome and often saves both of us time. Send it through the form with type set to "Op-ed pitch."
How heavily do you edit?
Lightly for clarity, length, and house style; never to alter the writer’s argument. You will see and approve the final edit before publication.
Can I publish under a pseudonym?
Case-by-case. We require your real name and town on file with an editor. We’ll consider pseudonymous publication when there is a credible professional or safety reason.
What about anonymous tips?
Send tips anonymously through the form by leaving the name field blank, or by encrypted email to tips@newbostonpost.com. We will protect source identity to the limits of the law.
Can I republish my piece elsewhere later?
Yes — after the 30-day exclusivity window, all rights revert to you. We ask only that secondary publication credit "first published in NewBostonPost" with a link.