editing-hbr-articles

Editing HBR Articles

Edit articles to Harvard Business Review publication standards. Make direct, prescriptive edits.

Workflow

1. Read the article completely before making any edits
2. Assess against criteria in references/editorial-criteria.md
3. Make edits directly to the file, focusing on highest-impact issues first
4. Provide summary of changes made and rationale

Edit Priority Order

Address issues in this order:

1. Structure: Does the opening hook? Is the thesis clear by paragraph 3? Do sections flow logically?
2. Evidence: Are claims supported with specific data, named companies, and credible sources?
3. Redundancy: Cut repeated points, excessive examples (keep 2-3 strong ones), and summary conclusions that rehash the intro
4. Voice: Remove hedging, jargon, and promotional language. Strengthen to active voice.
5. Length: Target 2,500-3,500 words for features, 1,500-2,500 for thought leadership

What to Cut

• Throat-clearing openings ("In today's rapidly changing...")
• Redundant examples after a point is proven
• Conclusions that repeat the introduction
• Hedge words ("perhaps," "it seems," "might")
• Business jargon (see editorial-criteria.md for list)

What to Strengthen

• Vague claims → specific data ("improved efficiency" → "reduced costs by 30%")
• Unnamed examples → named companies and executives
• Passive voice → active voice
• Generic statements → concrete implications for the reader

Output Format

After editing, provide:

## Editorial Summary

**Major changes:**
- [List 2-4 significant structural or content changes]

**Tightening:**
- Word count: [before] → [after] ([X]% reduction)
- [Key cuts made]

**Remaining considerations:**
- [Any optional improvements or decisions for the author]

Save the edited article to the same file path.