How Do I Get an Op-Ed Placed in Business Media? 7 Steps

To get an op-ed placed in business media, write one finished argument from your own expertise, keep it within the outlet's word limit, send it through the outlet's published submission route, and offer it to one editor at a time. The Washington Post caps submissions at 800 words and reads only completed articles. The New York Times asks for a form submission and your background.

Last updated: October 23, 2026.

Step 1: What argument will the op-ed make?

An op-ed makes one claim that a reasonable reader could reject. The New York Times describes a guest essay as an argument defined and substantiated with evidence, and the Washington Post asks for a clear point of view supported by specific evidence.

Consider two hypothetical drafts. One says a company raised a funding round. The other says the industry's standard hiring test screens out its best candidates. The first is a press release. The second is an op-ed.

The prestige attached to this format is old. I wrote about the Times op-ed's changing status, and the lesson holds: editors want an argument they have not run before.

What do editors look for in a guest essay?

Editors look for timeliness, resonance and a fresh perspective, according to the Washington Post's own submission page. The Post asks whether the piece is pegged to something in the news, whether it will interest Post readers, and whether it is an argument the paper has not heard many times before.

The New York Times lists its own markers of a strong essay. It wants writing that challenges readers who may not agree with the author, gives specific and original insight into a hard problem, and anticipates the questions readers will have about news that affects their lives.

Neither outlet requires a famous title. The Post says you do not need special expertise or an important title, and that senators, business leaders and heads of state are held to a particularly high standard because they already have other platforms. A founder should read that as a warning: a senior job title earns no credit by itself, and the argument has to carry the piece.

Step 2: Which outlet should get the first look?

The first outlet should be the one whose readers can act on your argument, because each target outlet requires an exclusive submission. A second submission must wait until the first review window closes.

A trade outlet can fit a specialist argument better than a national page. Banking Dive seeks opinions from experts in the industries it covers. The Washington Post receives hundreds of submissions a day and can run only a handful of outside contributions on most days.

Editors answer directly for what they publish. The fallout over a Times op-ed in June 2020 is the case I covered at the time, and it is a reminder that an editor reads your claims as their own risk.

Step 3: How long should the op-ed draft be?

An op-ed draft should match the shortest limit among target outlets, which is 800 words at the Washington Post. The New York Times notes that guest essays typically run 800 to 1,200 words, and Banking Dive states its average submission is roughly 1,000 words.

An 800-word draft can go to any of the three outlets without cutting. A longer draft limits options to one outlet before submitting anything.

Step 4: What proof does the editor expect?

Editors expect every factual claim to carry a source before they commit to the piece. The New York Times asks writers to include sources, as hyperlinks or in parentheses, for key assertions. The Times also asks for an annotated copy listing a source for each fact if the essay is accepted, and will not publish a fact it cannot verify.

Banking Dive fact-checks every piece and may ask for two to three rounds of edits and fact checks. Keep a source file in the same order as your claims to answer editorial queries the same day.

How are op-eds edited before they run?

Op-eds are edited for clarity, logic and organization, and then fact-checked, before they run. The Washington Post says its editors do not alter a writer's opinions or voice, and that contributors sign off on every change before the final version is published.

The Times requires fact-checking before publication, and says it will not publish a fact it cannot verify. Banking Dive edits for style, fact-checks, and asks authors to be ready for two to three rounds. Plan for the piece to come back with questions, and answer them quickly, because timeliness is one of the criteria the Post names.

Step 5: How do I submit the op-ed to each outlet?

Submit the op-ed through each outlet's dedicated online form, verified against the outlets' published routes on October 23, 2026. Check each submission page before sending, because routes and limits change.

What should the submission include?

The submission should state who you are, why you are qualified to make the argument, and where your sources are. The Times asks writers to explain the professional or personal background that connects them to the argument, and to include sources for key assertions.

The Post asks for the writer's full name, home address, email address and telephone numbers, and asks writers to disclose any personal or financial interest in the subject. A founder writing about their own industry should state that interest plainly in the first lines of the note. Banking Dive's form asks for name, job title, company and email, plus a brief description of the piece and any notes for editors.

Step 6: When should I follow up or move on?

Move on when the outlet's own response window closes, because all three outlets treat silence as a decline. The Times allows a submission elsewhere after three business days, the Post says to assume rejection after a week, and Banking Dive states that no reply within three weeks means the piece is no longer under consideration.

A chasing email is less useful than a revision. Tighten the opening, check the claims against the next outlet's rules, and send the draft to the next editor on your list.

Which mistakes get an op-ed rejected?

The most common reasons to be turned down are written into the outlets' own rules. The Times discourages essays that are mainly responses to other Opinion pieces, and points those writers to its letters page. The Post will not consider anonymous or pseudonymous pieces, and will not take a piece that has been submitted or published elsewhere.

Banking Dive says it reserves the right to decide whether a piece is promotional, biased or not grounded in fact, and it asks for pieces that add value to an ongoing industry discussion. A product pitch dressed up as an argument fails that test. So does a piece that borrows another writer's words, since Banking Dive requires distinctive words from a source to be quoted and attributed.

Can I use AI to write the op-ed?

Several business outlets now bar AI-written op-eds, so the draft must be written by the named author. Banking Dive states that AI-generated submissions will be rejected. Fast Company's editorial policy, updated August 24, 2026, states that it does not publish AI-generated articles, as set out in its editorial and AI policy.

Fast Company allows authors to use AI tools for brainstorming, research support, and copyediting, while the author remains responsible for every fact. Read the target outlet's current policy before using any tool.

Step 7: What should I do after the op-ed runs?

After the op-ed runs, link to it rather than reposting the full text, because exclusivity terms can continue after publication. Banking Dive keeps exclusive rights for at least 30 days, and the Times requires that an essay has not appeared elsewhere in any form.

One placement is a single data point rather than an entire reputation. My practitioner's plan to become a thought leader covers what to publish and measure next. Choose the outlet from the table, read its submission page this week, and send the finished piece before starting the next draft.