How to deal with manuscript rejections.

[@beevee9295]

Thank you this video really helped. Academia can be a very isolating career, so you don't offer get to compare experiences. This video really helped me come to terms with getting rejected and seeing it as a constructive process. Thank you

[@mrillig]

Glad you found this helpful! It still stings to get rejected....but yes, it's part of the normal process.

[@ManicMaidenASMR]

I’ve sent my manuscript to over 20 different agents and got rejected. The one that hurt the most was one saying it had no “spark”. It took me 3 years to even finish my manuscript because of depression so now that I’m finally done, it hurts that my work isn’t good enough. It really does and makes me wonder if I should just give up I’ve wasted so much time editing this thing

[@mrillig]

Sorry to hear about your manuscript rejection. I hope things take a turn for the better eventually!

[@marekmutwil6416]

Thanks for these videos! I think there is another important reason not to ignore reviewer's comments, even when your manuscript is rejected: it is likely that you might get the same reviewers when you resubmit... They will not be happy to see their comments ignored!

[@mrillig]

Thanks for watching! Yes, you're absolutely right, and this has also happened to me when I was reviewer for the same paper in different journals. Typically in these situations I excuse myself, because the paper might deserve some other reviewers - but I would send a note to the editor if the paper is essentially unchanged.

[@peachykeen824]

I just received a mail of desk rejection ...this video helped me to overcome the rejection depression ..and yea it's informative too. I'll follow your strategy.

[@mrillig]

Sorry about your rejection; glad the video was helpful. Good luck with your manuscript!

[@vvvvvvv2204]

Tanks for valuable points. Could you please mention the main reasons for that let to rigect

[@mrillig]

Rejection has many reasons, and for desk rejections it is typically not worth thinking about. Main reasons for rejection after review are problems with experimental design and data analysis.

[@thesuperproify]

Ive been desk rejected 5x times. Im too sad😢

[@mrillig]

I feel your pain. Don't give up.

[@yanasosnovskaya864]

Very nice video! Gives good advice for resubmitting to other journals!

[@mrillig]

Glad you find it useful!

[@pinkblossomsky]

Thank youuu!! It's funny how I got better comments and insight from the reviewers that rejected my manuscript than from my "advisor" who never ever gave me any feedback at all. She never went through my initial proposal with me, she never checked my progress even when I specifically asked, and of course...she never read my manuscript thoroughly. What's more....she never even suggested journals to publish in! I had to look within the vast ocean of possibilities just for her to tell me: "And how do you think you're going to pay for that?" I naively though the school did. The next journal options I gave her she said: "Those are not included in the school's acceptable journals list." What??? I didn't even know such list existed! Why couldn't she have just given me some guidance instead of letting me walk around like blind person bumping into everything?! Sorry for the rant. I just wanted to say, I'm actually more grateful to the peer reviewers who rejected me than my own "advisor." I'll take heed of their advice as best as possible and wish for the best. Thanks for your video! ❤ Oh, yeah. The other "funny" thing is I won't be able to run the tests they suggested because three (not 2 nor 1) pieces of equipment I need are broken down which, btw, she is in charge of... Yeah, so, it won't be easy to improve my manuscript. About this point...I don't know what to do. I am at a loss here..

[@mrillig]

Thanks for writing! I'm really sorry you're having such a bad experience with your advisor. Navigating the publishing landscape is not easy, and it is definitely an advisor's job to help with that. We have extensive discussions about the target journals in my lab, since there is a lot to think about. Perhaps you can ask other lab members or other faculty members for help. And yes, sometimes it is a good thing a paper is rejected when something fundamental is wrong with it; better the issue is fixed than a paper is published for everyone to see. Good luck with your paper!

[@pinkblossomsky]

@@mrillig Thank you for replying!

[@saltator1802]

It's one thing when your paper gets rejected by journals 1, 2, and 3. But when your *book* manuscript gets rejected by publishers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 it's rough! It would actually be easier for me to deal with if it were personal.

[@mrillig]

Rejection always sucks; some papers of mine have also been rejected more than 3 times (I used to keep very close track of this for several years). I hope you will be successful eventually with your book.

[@fatimahassan3188]

I hope you made it! :)

[@saltator1802]

@@fatimahassan3188 Thank you! But I've grown so weary of proposals that it's in the process of becoming an online database instead.

[@fatimahassan3188]

@@saltator1802 You should try publishing preprint. That will give you an independent idea of your work’s importance. I do believe that editors can have their bias in every aspect from topics to organization and methodologies. I just got Desk rejected because they said my paper had no theoretical framework, when the issue was that I did not give the heading of a Theoretical Framework, instead I chose to give a more idea-oriented heading. 😃 All that work of yours will find good audience if you publish preprints.

[@justinjustin4366]

Thank you so much

[@mrillig]

glad you found this useful!

[@mrillig]

Interested in more about rejections? there is also a video on grant rejections: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJypZaOYhpJ_qM0 Wishing you success with your next paper and grant! :)

[@margtaji9297]

Hi! Thank you for this video, it made me feel better! Out of curiosity, what should you do if your paper was rejected after review, but you did not receive any feedback or comments? Thank you!

[@mrillig]

Glad the video helped. About your question: I have never heard of a paper being rejected after full peer review without comments. Perhaps this was not sent out to review but was "reviewed" within the editorial office. But even then there would be some assessment normally, even if only a sentence or two.

[@anastasiostsogkas]

Good job!

[@mrillig]

Thank you!