The major outlets for freelance “op-ed” material in The News are the My View column and the Another Voice column on the editorial page. Longer articles will be considered for the Sunday Viewpoints section if they are substantial and appropriate to the setting, but writers should query Mike Vogel or Carol Feind at The News before undertaking any long article.

MY VIEW: This is a first-person column open to all Western New York writers. Submissions should be 600 words. The writer should include some personal narrative (story-telling) along with the expository argument he or she is presenting. My View acquires its popularity with readers from writers’ willingness to reveal something of themselves and their lives (not merely what they think, but what they do and are) adding a human dimension. Simply giving your opinion on an issue is not acceptable. The News relies on its syndicated columnists for that.

A My View should make one strong major point and then develop it. It should have a theme that could be summarized in a single, complete sentence. Do not submit “how to” or advice articles. Please include address, telephone number, and a brief author I.D. with all submissions. Writers may appear no more than three times a year. There is no payment for this column.

ANOTHER VOICE: This is an issues-oriented column. Submissions should be 475 words. The author should have some background or expertise on the subject. There is no payment for this column.

The News buys publication and republication rights and requires first regional use. Writers are free to resell the articles later to other publications. If an article being submitted to The News has already been printed anywhere else, nationally or locally, the writer must disclose this at the time of submission.

Mail submissions to My View or Another Voice, The Buffalo News, PO Box 100, Buffalo, New York 14240. Fax: 856-5150; or e-mail to editpage@buffnews.com

Letters should be a maximum of 200 words.

Letters must be written to the editors of the News. They should not be copies of letters to someone else or “open letters” to a third party.

The letter should not reply to an earlier letter that was itself a reply to another writer.

A writer or household may be represented in the column only once in 60 days.

Letters must be submitted with the writer's full name. The writer's name must be published, rather than a pseudonym.

The writer must include his or her street address and telephone number, though only the town of residence will be published.

Letters should be from writers within The News circulation area or, if from outside, commenting on issues particular to this area.

Letters must convey an opinion. The column is not a community bulletin board to be used for announcements of events, or other primarily informational items.

The column does not print thank you letters.

The column does not print poetry.

Letters critical of the operating policies of local broadcast-news organizations should be sent to those organizations rather than The News.

No straight endorsements of candidates will be printed, though letters discussing candidates' specific performance or positions on issues may be used.

Letters written as school projects cannot be printed.

Letters must be fact-checked. If the editors cannot verify that the material presented as fact in the letter is accurate, the letter cannot be printed.

The News reserves the right to edit all letters.

Send letters to Everybody’s Column, The Buffalo News, P.O. Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240; fax to Everybody’s Column at 856-5150; or e-mail to LetterToEditor@buffnews.com