Q: Is it normal for a PLOS ONE manuscript to remain at “Editor Invited” for more than three weeks?
My PLOS ONE manuscript has remained at “Editor Invited” since 17 June 2026, after passing the technical check. I understand this may mean the journal is still inviting an Academic Editor. I have already sent a polite status inquiry to the Journal Office but have not received a response yet. Is it normal for this status to last more than three weeks? When would it be appropriate to follow up again?
Answer: This is highly unusual and it is also unfortunate that you have not yet received a response. That is a long time, and the concern is that the manuscript is possibly assigned to someone who may be on leave/away, since it is an academic holiday time for many professors. Remember, editors and peer reviewers are also often full-time academicians themselves. There is no harm in sending another follow-up email - and perhaps even looking for another method of contacting the journal like a phone number or secondary email ID. Do make sure all communication involves the manuscript ID. In case of journals like PLoS ONE, there is a very systematic manuscript submission/processing platform and things are highly automated. It could be that there is a technical glitch and things got stuck somewhere - so getting the attention of a person will be important to make sure your manuscript receives the attention it deserves. Wishing you good luck with the submission process and outcome!
