Why I stopped writing for Harvard Biz Review (for now) – and you can do too

by | Nov 2, 2024

I wrote ​this article​.

Harvard Business Review said was one of the top 30 most influential in its 100-year history.

So, I wrote a follow up article, expecting they’d publish it.

Nope.

My editor had left.

The new editor wanted a ton of edits – and then maybe they’d publish.

It got me thinking:

Why do I want HBR to publish my piece?

So, I stopped sending my articles to HBR & several other outlets.

I was a caged tiger

When I worked in banking, I was restricted from writing for outside publications.

I wrote regularly about markets for my clients.

When I left banking, I went nuts and started writing op-eds for many publications.

I felt like a freed tiger – I could share my views with the world.

But then I realized that the editors at these periodicals change every couple years.

You have to nurture these relationships to get published.

 

A Liberated Writer

So, I started a blog in 2021.

And I felt free. Liberated.

Yeah, I was kind of late to the party.

My audience is much less than writing for HBR or other large periodicals, but I can write whenever want.

This is why Substack has taken off.

So, why are you looking to be published by someone else?

Write for yourself. Build your audience.

And that’s exactly what I decided to do.

By focusing on my own platform, I regained control over my voice and content.

No more waiting for approval, no more heavy-handed edits, no more shifting priorities based on who’s sitting in the editor’s chair.

Now, I write for my own audience — directly and consistently.

I’ve found that while the reach might initially be smaller than with a big publication, the engagement is far greater.

My readers aren’t passive subscribers; they’re active participants in the conversation.

It’s incredibly rewarding to connect with people who truly care about what I’m saying.

They’re here because they value my insights, not because an editor thought my piece was a good fit for a fleeting editorial agenda.

 

Grow your platform

The beauty of building your own platform is that it grows with you.

It’s a long game, but one that pays off in the freedom to express yourself authentically.

No more trying to fit your ideas into someone else’s mold.

So if you’re frustrated with gatekeepers and constantly chasing elusive publishing opportunities, consider this:

Why are you waiting for someone else to grant you permission to speak?

Instead, focus on building your own space—a blog, a newsletter, a podcast—whatever suits you.

You have the tools at your fingertips to reach your audience directly.

Take control of your narrative, share your thoughts without restrictions, and build your own following.

In the end, it’s more fulfilling than chasing bylines in someone else’s publication.

You’re the writer, the publisher, and the voice your audience is here to hear.

0 Comments