Q: Can I keep the suggestion of transfer by a journal on hold or do I have to refuse the transfer before considering other journals?

Diving straight away into the response, if you are not interested in the transfer, you do not need to respond to the editor. However, it would be courteous to do so, as this was probably your first journal of choice and there may be a need to submit to it again in the future. (At that time, you would want an editor who would recall their previous transaction with you in a positive way.) The communication would also be necessary as the transfer window is so short.

Now, these suggestions of transfer can sometimes be a bit tricky. At times, editors may know the exact scope of the related journal. At other times, they may not be too sure. However, you are likely to take time either way – by submitting to the sister journal and waiting for their response versus hunting for and submitting to another journal.

Our suggestion would be to proceed with the transfer – unless there’s a very strong and logical reason for not wishing to submit to them. If they accept, well and great. If not, onto the next journal. :-)

For more insights into these transfer suggestions and decisions, you may refer to these related queries by other researchers:

• Should I transfer my manuscript as suggested by the journal that rejected my paper?
• Should I transfer my manuscript as suggested by the journal editor?
• What to do if I was advised to transfer my manuscript to an unknown journal?

Additionally, if the task of seeking a new journal is likely to prove challenging, you may consider our Journal Selection service to ease the process for you.

Hope that helps. And all the best for however you decide to proceed.