Q: What should I do if the status is Editor Invited after three weeks?

Firstly, we understand you mean ‘withdraw’ and not ‘retract.’ ‘Withdrawing’ is done by the researcher at any stage before the acceptance of the paper, usually because the journal review is taking very long. ‘Retracting’ is done by the journal after the publication of the paper, usually on finding that the data is fabricated or misleading.

Anyway, let’s get to your query. Three weeks is not very long since submission. There may be a genuine reason for the delay, such as the editor being busy or unavailable. You could wait a bit longer, say for a month to be over, and then write them a mail. In case the journal informs you that assigning an editor may take longer, you may then considering withdrawing the paper and submitting to another journal. For the process to withdraw, you may refer to the following resources.

• Should I withdraw my paper if the journal is taking unusually long to process?
• What can I do if the editor does not confirm my withdrawal request?

Hope that helps. All the best for the next decisions on your paper!