Questions?

Subscription options and prices

Q: How do I subscribe to The Seattle Times?
A: You can subscribe online or call Customer Service at 206.464.2121 or 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

Q: What subscription options are available?
A: We offer several subscription packages, so you can choose the one that best meets your needs. All print subscribers have full access to Seattle Times content on all of our digital platforms, including seattletimes.com, the digital Print Replica and our new mobile apps for smartphone and tablet. (Kindle and Nook e-reader editions not included.) There are several digital-only subscriptions available, as well. You can find all subscription options here.

Q: Do you have any group, corporate or educational discounts?
A: Not at this time.

Q: I'm an international user. How do I start a subscription?
A: To subscribe from outside of the U.S., please contact customer service at 1.855.413.1914 (mobile phones only outside of Canada and the U.S.) during business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to noon on weekends and holidays, or by emailing customercare@seattletimes.com.

Q: Is access to seattletimes.com included as part of my Kindle or Nook subscription?
A: Seattletimes.com access is not included as part of your Kindle or Nook subscription. However, if you are a current home delivery, digital bundle or seattletimes.com only subscriber, and your device has a Web browser, you can access seattletimes.com with your current subscriber account. If you do not already have a subscriber account, create one here.

Q: I currently only subscribe to The Seattle Times iPad app or Print Replica. Can I also access seattletimes.com?
A: No, you will need to upgrade your subscription. To do so, please call customer service at 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada). However, you may use your subscriber account to log in to seattletimes.com to comment on articles, manage newsletters (including e-Vantage) and participate in forums.

Subscriber login, profile, and subscription management

Q: I have to log in repeatedly to view articles on seattletimes.com. I've tried checking "Keep me logged in" at log in, but am still having problems staying logged in.
A: To remain logged in to seattletimes.com, your browser must have cookies enabled. If your browser privacy settings are set to "Never Remember History" (Firefox), "Clear History when Firefox closes" (Firefox), "InPrivate Browsing" (IE) or "Delete Browsing History on Exit" (IE), your cookies will be deleted each time you close the browser. You need to change these settings to preserve your login status for more than one browsing session.

If you are using an iOS device (iPad, iPhone, etc.), make sure the "Private Browsing" Safari setting is turned off.

To learn more about cookies and how we use them, refer to our Privacy Statement. If you are still having trouble staying logged in, please call customer service at 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

Q: How do I change my email address or password
A: Log in to your profile on seattletimes.com. You can change your email and password information there.

Q: How do I retrieve my password?
A: From the login screen on seattletimes.com or our subscriber services site, click the "Forgot your password?" link. Then follow the steps on screen.

Q: How do I change my personal or public profile information?
A: Log in to your profile on seattletimes.com. You can change your email, password information and email preferences there.

Q: How do I manage my subscription?
A: Go to our subscriber services page to place a vacation hold, update your credit card information and more.

Q: I am having difficulty with my subscription and getting access to Seattletimes.com. How do I get help?
A: Please use our online contact form or call us at 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

iOS Mobile App

Q: I already subscribe to The Seattle Times. Do I have to pay extra for access to the app?
A: No! If you subscribe to the Seattle Times newspaper or are an Unlimited Digital Access subscriber, the app is included in your subscription. Just open the app, click the user icon at the top right of the homescreen, and log in to your account using your Seattle Times account login information.(or click “Log In” when prompted by an on-screen message). If you forgot your password, visit this link and follow the “Forgot Password?” prompt. If you are a print subscriber and have never registered your account with seattletimes.com, please go here and follow the instructions. Once you’ve created an account with seattletimes.com, you can log in to the app.

Q: When I subscribe to the iOS app through the App Store, will I get access to the website as well?
A: No. Only The Seattle Times iOS app is included. This does not include access to seattletimes.com or any of our other products.

Q: I purchased access to the app from the App Store, but I’m already a subscriber to The Seattle Times. How do I get a refund?
A: To cancel and receive a refund for a purchase made through the App Store, report a problem with your purchase by clicking on “Report a Problem” in any of your email receipts from Apple, or by visiting reportaproblem.apple.com. When prompted for a description of the problem, we recommend selecting “Didn’t mean to purchase this item” option. Apple will then review your request for a refund.

If you have additional questions, please contact us.

Once your subscription via the App Store is cancelled, you can log in to The Seattle Times iOS app using your seattletimes.com account login information.

Q: If I purchase access to The Seattle Times iOS app on my iPhone, will I be able to log in on a different device like an iPad? I upgraded to a new phone, will my subscription still work?
A: Yes, as long as you use the same Apple ID across devices, you will be able to access The Seattle Times iOS app on any device, including phones, tablets, other iOS-enabled devices. If you do not know your Apple ID, you can view it on your Apple device by going to Settings > iTunes & App Store.
You can restore your subscription on a new device by opening The Seattle Times iOS app, clicking on the User icon in the top right of the home screen, and clicking “Restore Subscription”.

Q: I’m not a subscriber, but I have a seattletimes.com account. Why do I get an error when I try to log in to the app?
A: Currently, only subscribers are allowed to log in to the app.

Access via e-mail newsletters, RSS, search engines, and social media

Q: I like to share articles from seattletimes.com with my friends and family on my social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc). If they don't have subscription, will they be able to access them?
A: Yes, non-subscribers will have a limited number of articles they can view without being required to subscribe, regardless of where they have accessed seattletimes.com content. If the content you've shared moves them past this limited number of articles, they will have to subscribe to access it.

Q: I receive newsletters and an RSS feed from The Seattle Times. Is my access to those restricted?
A: If you currently receive any newsletter or an RSS feed from The Seattle Times, you will continue to do so. If you click on the links included in those communications and are not a current subscriber, your use will count towards your limited access.

To access newsletter If you'd like to receive them, click here.

Temporarily our old RSS feeds are not linked to the new site, please use this structure for the time being. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Main site - http://www.seattletimes.com/feed
Sections -http://www.seattletimes.com/SECTION/feed
Authors - http://www.seattletimes.com/author/FIRSTNAME-LASTNAME/feed

Q: How do I sign up for news alerts and e-mail newsletters?

A:If you already have a login for seattletimes.com, go to the newsletters section of your profile, and select the breaking news alerts or any of the newsletters you'd like to receive. Click here if you need a seattletimes.com login. Click here to see a list of the available newsletters and links to samples.

Q: If I use a search engine to come to seattletimes.com, does this count towards my limited access? A: Yes, non-subscribers will have a limited number of articles they can view without being required to subscribe, regardless of where they have accessed seattletimes.com content from. If your use of search engine links moves you past this limited number, you will be prompted to subscribe for unlimited access.

Q: How do I manage my Subscriber Rewards program email?
A:The Subscriber Rewards program offers subscribers great deals in their inboxes every week. Go to the newsletters section of your profile and select the Subscriber Rewards newsletter.

Commenting on articles on seattletimes.com

Q: If I am already registered on seattletimes.com for newsletters, commenting and forums, will I have unlimited access to seattletimes.com?
A: Seattletimes.com requires a subscription for unlimited access. Your seattletimes.com registration is not a subscription. You can find subscription options here.

If you are already a subscriber, you can simply use your subscriber login to comment on articles, manage newsletters (including Subscriber Rewards) and participate in forums. Or you can link your existing seattletimes.com registration to your subscriber account. Get started here.

Q: Why was my comment removed? A: Please refer to the Terms of Service you agreed to when you registered, created, or activated your account or purchased your subscription; specifically under the heading "Restricted Content and Activities." Here's more detail on the most frequent reasons comments are removed:

• Personal attacks and insults: Threatening, intimidating, libeling or defaming of any individual is not allowed. Also forbidden is name-calling of other commenters or people who are subjects of the articles.
• Hate speech: Language that degrades others – including public figures – on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, physical characteristics or disability.
• Off-topic comments: Comments that have nothing to do with the subject of the article.
• Private information: Material that can be considered an invasion of privacy. This includes phone numbers, email addresses, URLs or other specific personal information.
• Solicitations of any kind.
• Advertising or spam, including a comment that is posted repeatedly within one thread or across a number of different threads.
• Copyright violations: No content from seattletimes.com or any other source can be reproduced in its entirety. Instead, use a small and relevant excerpt and then provide a link to the full version.
• Comments where it appears the commenter is masquerading as another person.
• Profanity: Particularly obscene or pornographic language (including attempts at disguising profanity with dashes or other symbols). There may be situations where some common profanity is permitted based on context.

Due to the volume of comments received and reviewed, we cannot respond to individual questions about why a comment was allowed or removed.

Q: How do I report an offensive comment?
A: If you believe a comment violates the rules above, bring it to the attention of the online staff by clicking on the "flag" link that appears with each comment. It will be reviewed as soon as possible (at times there could be a delay of a few hours).

Q: Who reviews the reported comments?
A: The seattletimes.com staff and other editors in the newsroom.

Q: Why are you censoring peoples' opinions?
A: The Seattle Times reserves the right to allow or disallow any kind of content that doesn't meet its standards as outlined in the Terms of Service and this FAQ. The Times is under no obligation to publish every comment it receives.

Q. What about my right to free speech?
A: The right to free speech described in the First Amendment concerns the relationship between the U.S. government and its citizens. Any private business can require certain standards of conduct. Generally, a comment is removed not because of the idea it expresses, but because the comment contains a personal attack, insult, hate speech or profanity.

Q: As a Seattle Times subscriber, can I still be banned from commenting?
A: Yes, our Terms of Service apply to all users. You will still be able to access content, but violations of our Terms of Service will suspend your commenting activity.

Q: What does it take to get banned?
A: See the section on "why was my comment removed?" above. We no longer have the staff resources to consider a commenter's past conduct when making a decision to ban them. If you break the rules, you're out.

Q: Will you tell me when I’ve been banned, or tell me why? And can I be reinstated?
A: Due to staff time limitations, we cannot respond to individual questions about why a particular person has been banned. Bans are permanent. Based on the severity of rule violations, we have the ability to render a commenter’s posts invisible to everyone but themselves. And we reserve the right not to tell the banned user that this is happening, because to create and maintain such communication is a strain on staff time.

Q: Why don't you make people use real names?
A: Because we don't have the resources to verify that names are real, and people can easily impersonate someone else.

Q: Why don't you pre-screen all of the comments?
A: We do actively moderate and pre-screen the comments for threads on some stories we think will be particularly controversial. But we don't have the staff resources to read and approve every comment on our site before it is posted. That's why we provide readers the tools to help us keep the conversation civil through the "flag" and "like" links.

Q: Why do you require registration in order to comment?
A: Several reasons:

• It's the only way to allow such tools as comment rating
• Adding the step of having to be registered and logged in deters the hit-and-run troll
• It allows us to better control the legitimacy of commenters, and to ban those who break the rules more easily
• It's the best way to keep spam out of the comments

Q: Can I comment with my subscriber account, or do I need to register separately?
A: Your subscription includes access to post comments. You do not need to register separately. However, if someone else in your household would like to comment under their own identity, they would have to register separately.

Q: What is the "Like" link for?
A: You are allowed to recommend an individual post once.

Q: Can I change the way I view the comments?
A: Yes. By default, the comments begin with the newest first, then chronologically to the oldest at the end of the comment thread. At the top of each comments page (above the first comment) you can reverse this by clicking the "Oldest" link. You can also click "Top Comments" to see the comments with "likes" listed in order of most "likes."

Q: Can I remove a comment after I've posted it?
A: No, so please be absolutely sure you want to make such a comment publicly. Comments are indexed by search engines, and they also could remain on our site for many years. You have the option to edit a comment for up to five minutes after you post it.

Q: Why do you have comments?
A: Because we want seattletimes.com to be a town square for our community. We want the stories, blogs, columns and editorials we provide to be a starting point for conversation, not a dead end. What separates seattletimes.com from The Seattle Times in print is our ability to interact with you. That means answering your questions, hearing your concerns, listening to your ideas. Commenting on stories is part of that community conversation.

Billing and payments for subscriptions

Q: How are digital subscriptions billed?
A: We accept major credit and debit cards (Visa, Master Card, American Express) or you can set up your subscription to deduct directly from your banking account. Most digital-only subscriptions are automatically billed every four weeks.

Q: How are home delivery subscriptions billed?
A: New subscriptions are automatically renewed, and you will be charged in advance of each billing cycle unless you choose to cancel. We offer a variety of payment methods for home delivery subscriptions, including automatic billing by credit card or checking account.

Q: I have an issue with my bill. How do I take care of it?
A: For billing problems, please contact Customer Service at customercare@seattletimes.com or 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

Q: I am not getting my bill. How do I fix this?
A: For billing problems, please contact Customer Service at customercare@seattletimes.com or 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

Q: How do I cancel a subscription?
A: Please call Customer Service at 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada) to cancel a subscription.

Q: Can I get a refund for weeks for which I've already paid?
A: Yes. If you cancel before your current renewal date, you will receive a refund for the portion of your paid subscription that was not used.

Q: How can I convert to electronic billing notifications?
A: If you'd like to eliminate the paper statements you receive each time your bill is due, you can switch to email notifications. Click here to access your account settings. If you change your mind, you can visit the same page to restart paper statements. Please be aware that you may receive a print statement up to two weeks after making this change, as some statements may already be in progress.

Home delivery issues and vacation holds

Q: Where do I send comments or requests about newspaper home delivery?
A: Please send comments and requests regarding home delivery to customercare@seattletimes.com or call Customer Service at 206.464.2121 or 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada). You may also manage your subscription online.

Q: How do I report a home delivery issue?
A: Go to our subscriber services site, and select "Report a delivery issue" under "My Account."

Q: How do I place my home delivery on vacation hold?
A: As a service for print subscribers, we can temporarily stop your print newspaper delivery. During this time, although your newspaper will not be delivered, your subscription continues. To place your home delivery subscription on vacation hold, go to our subscriber services site, and select "Place a temporary hold" under "My Account." You will continue to have full access to all our digital platforms, including seattletimes.com, mobile apps for smartphone and tablet, and the digital Print Replica.

Q: When I go on vacation, can I put my digital subscription on hold?
A: Digital content is available anywhere there is an Internet connection, so we don’t offer vacation suspensions for our digital products. When you put your print subscription on hold, your digital access will not be affected.

Permissions and Licensing

Q: Do I need permission to use content from The Seattle Times?
A: Yes. With the limited exceptions described on this page, all use of content from The Seattle Times requires permission from our resale department.  Please see our copyright statement for information on copyright.

Note: If the content you are interested in is credited to a source other than The Seattle Times, please contact that party directly. The Seattle Times is not able to grant permission for content not produced by our staff.

Q: Do I have to pay to use Seattle Times content?

A: Yes. We charge licensing fees for all reuses of our content with a few exceptions (see below for what you can do with out requesting permission). Licensing fees are calculated on a variety of factors, and we offer lower rates for non-profits and smaller companies.  Because of the complexities, we require all requests be submitted in writing by filling out our Permissions and licensing form at seattletimes.com/permissions.

Q: What am I allowed to do without requesting permission?
A: You may generally print or share content on a limited basis. Please read below for common types of usages that we  allow without permission:

 Reprinting articles: You may make up to 10 copies of an article for personal use, to share with family or friends.

 Embedding content: You may embed or share content such as video, articles, and social media posts as long as you use the associated sharing tools to directly post the content to your personal or business social media account (Twitter feed, Facebook page etc.),

 Linking to seattletimes.com: You may use a headline  from The Seattle Times along with a summary that links directly to the article on seattletimes.com from your website, social media account or via email. Please note that readers who visit seattletimes.com may encounter limited access if they do not subscribe to The Seattle Times.

You may not directly post any images, multimedia or text in any media without prior consent from The Seattle Times.

Q: Can I buy photos or illustrations that appeared in The Seattle Times?
A: Yes, most of our staff photos are available for sale as prints. Visit the Seattle Times photo store  to find a gallery of our most requested photography. To order an image you cannot find in the photo store, please fill out our photo request form.

Q: Does The Seattle Times release photos that were not published?
A: No, we only sell photographs and illustrations that appeared in the newspaper or on our website. No outtakes are available for sale or licensing.

Q: Can I republish an article in my print publication or website?
A: You may license content produced by The Seattle Times under certain circumstances. If you are interested in making copies for business or commercial use or republishing  text, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center.

Q: What about photos? Can I use a photo in my publication or website?
A: We license staff photos on a case-by-case basis.  If you are interested in licensing an image for reuse, please fill out our permissions & licensing request form for a quote.  To expedite the process, be sure to note as much information as you can about the photo (i.e. publication date, photographer name etc.) and state your intended use when filling out the form. All requests must be in writing.

Q: May I alter images?
A: No. Even if you license or purchase one of our images, photographs and graphics must be used as published. We allow limited re-sizing, but you must not crop, overlay text or make any changes to the original photograph or graphic.

Q: Does The Times provide a research service?
A: We do not typically provide research services. To request a reprint of an article, you must first gather all the necessary information about the article, such as headline and date published. To order a photo, you must provide us with a description, publication date,  photographer's name.

Q: May I use quotes or excerpts from an article?
A: In rare cases we allow quotes to be used if the use does not alter the original intent of the article. This is done on a case-by-case basis with careful review by our staff. Please fill out our permissions & licensing request form with specifics on your request.

Q: My business appeared in The Seattle Times, and I'd like a copy of the article to keep as a memento. How do I request one?

A: We offer three options for those who want a keepsake for their scrapbook or for display in their home or office:

Keepsake pages display articles exactly as they appeared in the newspaper and come in a variety of sizes. Visit The Seattle Times Photo Store to order high quality reproductions suitable for framing.

Custom reprints highlight the specific article you request in a custom design that separates it from other articles and ads in the newspaper. Prices vary based on the amount of design work necessary and the usage of the custom reprint.  Fill out our permissions & licensing request form to get a quote.

Back issues of The Seattle Times newspapers featuring your article, click here or email backissues@seattletimes.com. Back issues are complete newspapers, and are available for papers published within the last six months.

Q: Can I use The Seattle Times logo on my Web site?
A: Prior permission is required from The Seattle Times for the use of any of our logos or mastheads. To obtain permission, please fill out our permissions & licensing request form with complete information on how you wish to use our logo.

Q: What if I have more questions about using Seattle Times content?
A: Please contact our resale and permissions department at resale@seattletimes.com during business hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Classified Advertising

Q: How do I place a classified ad?
A: Use our online form to place an ad in the newspaper, online or both. Select the type of ad you wish to place from the menu at the top of the page. For further assistance, please call 206.624.7355.

Q: How do I edit the text or photos in my classified ad?
A: Log into your account to manage your online classified ads. For Autos, Employment or Real Estate ads, please select the appropriate option from the menu at the top of the page. If you've forgotten your password, there are password reminder links located near each login form. If you need further assistance with your online-only ad, please email support@nwsource.com.

Corrections to print classified ads can be made by calling our Classified Advertising
Department.

• Local: 206.624.7355
• Washington state: 800.624.7355
• Out of state: 800.628.8285

Q: When are the classified ads updated?
A: Online classified ads are updated within the hour. For print classified updates and deadlines, please call 206.624.7355.

Newsroom submissions, questions, feedback, find an obituary

Q: How do I send the newsroom my question or feedback about an article, photo or news coverage?
A: We welcome your questions and feedback about our content. Please use our online contact form.

Q: How can I give you suggestions or feedback related to the functionality, usability or features of seattletimes.com?
A: We welcome your feedback about our digital products. Use our online contact form or call us at 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).

Q: How do I contact the newsroom with a news tip or story idea?
A: Send us a brief description via email or call us at 206.464.2204. You may also use our online contact form.

Q: I would like The Seattle Times to correct a published article. How do I request that?
A: At The Seattle Times, we strive to make news reports fair and accurate. If you have a question or concern about our news coverage, please send us your comments via email or call us at 206.464.3310. If applicable, please include a link to the article.

Q: How do I find an obituary?
A: For paid death notices, search by the full name (first and last), date or keyword on the Obituaries page. These notices are archived online for one year. To locate articles on prominent individuals who died during the current week, check our News Obituaries page. You can also search our online archive for news obituaries published since Feb. 1, 1996. Obituaries posted prior to that date are available on microfilm at your public library periodical archive. For historical obituaries, you can also search our digitized newspaper pages from 1900 through 1984 by accessing our fee-based Seattle Times Historical Archive.

Q: How do I send a letter to the editor?
A: Letters (not exceeding 200 words) must include your full name, address and telephone number for verification. Letters become the property of The Seattle Times and may be edited for publication. High volume prevents our acknowledging receipt of submissions. Email your letter to letters@seattletimes.com, fax it to 206.382.6760 or mail it to: Letters Editor, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.

Q: How do I submit an event for the entertainment and recreation listings?
A: To submit your event for inclusion in Seattletimes.com and The Seattle Times entertainment and recreation calendars, fill out the event submission form or fax your press release to 206.464.2239. Event submissions for the newspaper must be received at least 14 days in advance of publication. Listings are free, but inclusion is not guaranteed. We reserve the right to edit items for content and space.

Q: How do I get a copy of a photo that ran online or in the print edition?
A: Photos of our staff-produced, published photos may be purchased for personal use. Find more information and an order form here. If you have more questions, email photosales@seattletimes.com or call 206.515.5058.

Q: May I put one of your articles or photos on my website, newsletter, book, etc?
A: Seattle Times content may not be reproduced, publicly displayed or distributed without express, specific permission. Any such use of The Seattle Times’ content without prior written permission constitutes a violation of federal copyright law. For permission to reprint or reuse an article or photo, please contact our permissions department at resale@seattletimes.com or call 206-464.3113.

Q: May I submit photos to be published in the paper or online?
A: Yes, you may send us your photo from a recent weekend in the Northwest or a travel photo from a recent trip outside the region. Submit images online here. If you have a breaking news photo, please feel free to send it to photo@seattletimes.com. Include the “who, what, when, where and why,” and be sure to include your contact information. If we want to use your photo, we will contact you.

How to submit a letter to the editor

Letters to the editor are an important part of the Opinion section. Our readers share a wide range of perspectives on current issues.

Letters that are well-written, have a clear opinion and responsive to current events are more likely to be chosen for publication. The Seattle Times editors always try to give preference to the paper's critics in choosing letters to be published. Opinions that differ from those presented elsewhere on the editorial and opinion pages are also given priority. The Seattle Times also seeks to publish letters from a range of readers of diverse backgrounds. Letters represent The Seattle Times’ broad readership rather than serve as a platform for officials of organizations or government agencies.

When submitting a letter, please include the topic or headline and date of the article, editorial or opinion piece to which your letter refers.

Letters to the editor should be 200 words or fewer. A writer decreases his or her chances of being selected for publication if the letter exceeds that length. Please do not expect us to publish letters from a single writer more frequently than once every three months to give other readers a chance to express their opinions. If your letter is selected for publication, you may be contacted for identity verification or if we have questions about its content.

You may mail, fax or email your letter, and all letters must include your full name (no initials), address and telephone number(s) for verification. Only your name and city of residence are published. Letters become the property of The Seattle Times and may be edited.

Mail to: Letters Editor, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111

Fax to: (206) 464-2261

Email to: letters@seattletimes.com

Writing guidelines: Dos and Don’ts

DO: Have an opinion and state it forcefully — Many letters submitted are explanations of an issue or a restatement of a news article, rather than knowledgeable arguments about an issue. Those won’t make the cut.

DO: Be civil and constructive — It’s perfectly appropriate to strongly criticize ideas, reasoning or positions that you disagree with. But it is not appropriate to make personal attacks.

DO: Present an organized opinion — It's usually better to begin with the premise of your opinion and topic being addressed, rather than assembling the facts and presenting a conclusion at the end.

DO: Be timely — We prefer letters about current events rather than something that happened months ago. Address issues covered by The Seattle Times in the past several weeks. Make sure a letter submission contains the most recent updates on a news topic.

DO: Include name and contact — Include your full name (no initials), address and telephone number(s) for verification. Only your name and city of residence are published. We do not publish letters written anonymously or under pseudonyms.

DO: Cite sources and provide context — Please include Web URLs for statistics, facts and reports mentioned in your letter submission. This helps the editor fact-check letters.

DO: Submit a letter only to The Seattle Times — If your letter has been sent to another publication or published elsewhere in print, on a personal blog or on Facebook, we will not be able to use it.

DO: Submit as text  — Please include the text of the submission in the body of the email or in an attached Microsoft Word document. Please do not send us files in PDF format.

DO: Keep letter submissions to 200 words or fewer

DON’T: Send a PR pitch or send a letter as part of a mailing campaign — Don’t submit a letter related to your organization’s event or as part of a mailing campaign. News tips should be sent to newstips@seattletimes.com.

DON’T: Demand review of editing or headlines — Most editors are willing to discuss editing changes for brevity or clarity but are seldom patient with nitpicks. Titles on letters submitted are rarely used because of specific formatting requirements for print and digital publication. Headlines are written by someone who specializes in that skill.

DON’T: Use specialized jargon — Use common English.

DON’T: Follow-up contact — There's no need to call first to ask if we're interested. If we want to publish it, we'll contact you within five business days.

DON’T: Demand a letter to be removed once published — The Seattle Times does not remove content online once it has been published. If something needs correcting, please follow-up with the letters editor.

Questions?
Contact the editor and producer for Opinion digital engagement, (206) 464-2763

How to submit an Op-Ed

The Seattle Times welcomes submissions of guest commentaries. We receive more than a hundred unsolicited Op-Eds every week and have spots for only a few.

To be considered, a submission should have a strong opinion and be no longer than 650 words.

A guest column is for making arguments or comments on public policy or issues in the news. It is not a place for organizations or agencies merely to report on programs.

We give highest priority to local writers writing about local topics.

We require first-publication rights for print and online to all of our Op-Ed submissions. If your Op-Ed has been published elsewhere in print, on a personal blog or on Facebook, we will not be able to use it.

When we use a freelance article from you, you retain ownership of any copyright to the article and the right to resell it, subject to our right to edit, publish, republish and reproduce the article in publications and reprints of The Seattle Times Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates. This includes non-exclusive rights to use the article, in whole or in part, in electronic media, including searchable databases and electronic publications in any form and medium, which may include commercial database services where your work may be individually accessed.

Where to Send

Please send your submission by email: oped@seattletimes.com

If you do not hear from us within five business days, we will not be using your submission.

Please include the text of the submission in the body of the email or in an attached Microsoft Word document.

We do not publish Op-Eds written anonymously or under pseudonyms.

Please include a headshot of the author, minimum size 200 KB, and a biography of 30 words or fewer.

Please include Web URLs for statistics, facts and reports mentioned in your Op-Ed submission.

Writing guidelines: Do's and Don'ts for Op-ed Writers

DO have an opinion and state it forcefully. Many opinion pieces submitted are explanations of an issue rather than knowledgeable arguments about an issue.

DO be civil. It's perfectly appropriate to strongly criticize ideas, reasoning or positions that you disagree with. But it is not appropriate to make personal attacks.

DO present the case from the top down. It's usually better to begin with the premise of your opinion rather than assembling the facts and presenting a conclusion at the end.

DO be timely. Editorial sections prefer articles about current events rather than something that happened last year.

DO be patient. We usually work at least a week in advance.

DON'T submit Op-Eds that are written by organizations and then shopped around for an author or authors. That's a petition, not an Op-Ed.

DON'T key the Op-Ed off an invented "public awareness" event, such as Intellectual Property Day or Public Hospital Week. Indeed there might be something valuable and newsworthy to say about issues related to those or other areas, but the Op-Ed will be judged on its authentic news value, not on a created awareness event.

DON'T demand review of editing or headlines. Most editors are willing to discuss editing changes for brevity or clarity but are seldom patient with nitpicks. Titles on articles submitted are rarely used. Headlines are written by someone who specializes in that skill.

DON'T submit the same piece to different publications at the same time. Editors hate to see a piece on their desk appear in another print or online publication. As a general rule, ride one horse at a time.

For questions:
Mark Higgins, deputy opinion editor / digital, (206) 464-2094

Website redesign

Q: Why did The Seattle Times update the website?
A: We’ve updated the website to create a better user experience across multiple platforms, so our readers can get news that matters in just the right size for any device.

Q: How do I navigate the new website? Where do I find the comics, games, obituaries, etc.?
A: Things look a little different at seattletimes.com, but the content you value is still there. We reorganized the website with readers in mind, providing multiple ways for you to find your favorites. At the top of each page, you’ll see the main categories for the page you’re on. (For example, the home page features the top level sections of seattletimes.com. If you go to the Sports section, you will see the main sports categories and links to local teams.)

You can always go back to the main categories of seattletimes.com by clicking on the new navicon menu located on the top left corner of any page.

Q: Where did the blogs go?
A: Blog content is now posted directly to the relevant section or subsection. Sports-related posts (such as Husky or Seahawks Blogs) can be found in Sports, All You Can Eat is now in Food, and so on.

Q: Why did you change the design of the blogs?
A: The blogs were updated to reflect the new look and feel of the website, which improves the reading experience across devices (desktop, tablet and smartphone).

Q: Why is there so much white space?
A: We’ve redesigned our website layout for a better mobile experience, which requires more white space and bigger text.

Q: How do I make sure I’m seeing everything the new seattletimes.com has to offer?
A: Update your browser so you can get the best out of the Web, including the new seattletimes.com. Visit updatemybrowser.org for easy step-by-step instructions.

Q: Why are some pages not updated to the new design of The Seattle Times website?
A: The majority of our pages are in the new design and we’re working toward updating everything to the new look and feel. You can look forward to even more improvements to the site, as well as new features which we’ll be rolling out as they are ready.

Q: I got a 404 page with a broken link. What do I do?
A: We are sorry if you find a broken link, but if you see something wrong, please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible. Contact us at seattletimes.com/contact to share your feedback. We value your input.

Q: A recent update to Google Chrome disabled Java by default, which prevents some games and puzzles on seattletimes.com to work correctly. As a Google Chrome user, how do I reenable Java to continue playing these games?
A: There are two options:

Option 1: Use a browser other than Chrome (IE or Firefox) as they both have not disabled Java.
Option 2: You can re-enable Java in Chrome version 42 and later by following these steps:

1. In your URL bar, enter: chrome://flags/#enable-npapi
2. Click the Enable link for the Enable NPAPI configuration option
3. Click the Relaunch button that now appears at the bottom of the configuration page

Q: Since the website has been updated, will there be any updates to The Seattle Times mobile apps?
A: One of our goals is to create an optimized experience for readers on any device. In addition to updating seattletimes.com, we are also updating The Seattle Times' mobile apps.

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More information

Q: How do I get more information?
A: If you would like more information or have additional questions, please use our online contact form or contact Customer Service at customercare@seattletimes.com or 1.800.542.0820 (mobile phones only outside of the U.S. and Canada).