{"id":44562,"date":"2026-01-07T19:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/?p=44562"},"modified":"2026-01-22T11:46:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T06:16:39","slug":"from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","title":{"rendered":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-(--header-height)\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"c7801e41-41d7-4894-b40d-8ee640f9d7fd\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-3\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"user\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pt-12 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"user\" data-message-id=\"c7801e41-41d7-4894-b40d-8ee640f9d7fd\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden items-end rtl:items-start\">\n<div class=\"user-message-bubble-color corner-superellipse\/1.1 relative rounded-[18px] px-4 py-1.5 data-[multiline]:py-3 max-w-[var(--user-chat-width,70%)]\" data-multiline=\"\">Have you faced a desk rejection? After all the months of work on your paper, learning it never got past the editor&#8217;s desk can be disheartening!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:c9d4b4e9-8236-4467-8828-96176168ae5f-1\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-4\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"00571c89-1e6f-4bed-a758-bbc104e7b1b7\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling\">\n<p data-start=\"267\" data-end=\"566\">Rejection is an almost universal experience in academic publishing. Even seasoned researchers with strong publication records receive desk rejections and critical reviewer comments.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"568\" data-end=\"749\">For many authors, a desk rejection without any explanation &#8220;why&#8221; can be particularly frustrating. The truth is, many rejected papers are not \u201cbad science.\u201d Instead, they fall short in ways that editors notice quickly but authors often overlook.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"568\" data-end=\"749\">Common Reasons Papers Get Rejected<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1090\" data-end=\"1203\">Below are some of the most common reasons papers get rejected, and how authors can address them before submission.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#reason-1\">1. Poor journal fit: the fastest route to desk rejection<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#reason-2\">2. An unclear research question or contribution<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#reason-3\">3. Weak structure and lack of narrative flow<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#reason-4\">4. Language and presentation issues that obscure meaning<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"reason-1\" style=\"padding-top: 80px; margin-top: -80px;\">1. Poor journal fit: the fastest route to desk rejection<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1271\" data-end=\"1398\">One of the most common reasons for rejection happens before peer review even begins: the paper simply does not fit the journal.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1400\" data-end=\"1475\">From an editor\u2019s point of view, \u201cfit\u201d is not just about topic. It includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1478\" data-end=\"1537\">Whether the study speaks to the journal\u2019s target audience<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1540\" data-end=\"1619\">Whether the methods and scope align with what the journal typically publishes<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1622\" data-end=\"1707\">Whether the manuscript engages with conversations already happening in that journal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1709\" data-end=\"1861\">Editors often decide within minutes whether a paper belongs in their journal.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1863\" data-end=\"2211\"><strong data-start=\"1863\" data-end=\"1883\">How to avoid it:<\/strong><br data-start=\"1883\" data-end=\"1886\" \/>Before submission, study the journal closely. Look beyond the aims and scope statement. Read recent editorials, examine the types of papers published in the last year or two, and note how authors frame their contributions. Adjust your introduction to clearly show how your work fits into that specific scholarly conversation.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"reason-2\" style=\"padding-top: 80px; margin-top: -80px;\">2. An unclear research question or contribution<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2420\" data-end=\"2643\">Editors regularly encounter papers that are methodologically solid but difficult to place. The research question may be vague, or the paper may fail to clearly articulate what is new, different, or important about the work.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2645\" data-end=\"2670\">Common red flags include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"2673\" data-end=\"2708\">A broad or unfocused introduction<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2711\" data-end=\"2772\">A literature review that summarizes rather than synthesizes<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2775\" data-end=\"2841\">A contribution that only becomes apparent deep in the discussion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2843\" data-end=\"3007\">Editors are not looking to guess why a study matters. If the contribution is not clear early on, the manuscript risks rejection, even if the results are interesting.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3009\" data-end=\"3310\"><strong data-start=\"3009\" data-end=\"3029\">How to avoid it:<\/strong><br data-start=\"3029\" data-end=\"3032\" \/>State your research question and contribution explicitly and early. Ask yourself: <em data-start=\"3114\" data-end=\"3179\">What gap does this study address? Why does that gap matter now?<\/em> Revisit your abstract and introduction after completing the manuscript to ensure they accurately reflect the paper\u2019s core message.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"reason-3\" style=\"padding-top: 80px; margin-top: -80px;\">3. Weak structure and lack of narrative flow<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3510\" data-end=\"3666\">Academic papers are arguments, not data repositories. Yet many submissions read like collections of loosely connected sections rather than a coherent whole.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3668\" data-end=\"3730\">From an editor\u2019s perspective, structural problems can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"3733\" data-end=\"3783\">Overlong introductions that delay the main point<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3786\" data-end=\"3850\">Results presented without clear links to the research question<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3853\" data-end=\"3913\">Discussions that repeat results rather than interpret them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3915\" data-end=\"4043\">Even high-quality data can lose impact if the paper\u2019s structure does not guide the reader logically from question to conclusion.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4045\" data-end=\"4282\"><strong data-start=\"4045\" data-end=\"4065\">How to avoid it:<\/strong><br data-start=\"4065\" data-end=\"4068\" \/>Outline your manuscript as a narrative. Each section should have a clear purpose and connect directly to the central argument. Use signposting to help readers understand where they are and why each section matters.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4284\" data-end=\"4442\">Reading the manuscript from the perspective of a non-specialist editor rather than the study\u2019s author can reveal gaps in logic and flow that are easy to miss.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"reason-4\" style=\"padding-top: 80px; margin-top: -80px;\">4. Language and presentation issues that obscure meaning<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"4510\" data-end=\"4689\">Editors do not expect perfect English, but they do expect clarity. Language problems become a reason for rejection when they interfere with understanding or signal a lack of care.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4691\" data-end=\"4713\">Common issues include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"4716\" data-end=\"4782\">Sentences that are grammatically correct but difficult to follow<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4785\" data-end=\"4811\">Inconsistent terminology<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4814\" data-end=\"4877\">Failure to follow journal formatting and reference guidelines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4879\" data-end=\"4985\">These issues often suggest to editors that the manuscript has not been thoroughly prepared for submission.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4987\" data-end=\"5245\"><strong data-start=\"4987\" data-end=\"5007\">How to avoid it:<\/strong><br data-start=\"5007\" data-end=\"5010\" \/>Treat language editing and formatting as integral parts of the publishing process, not final afterthoughts. Separate content revision from language polishing to ensure that the manuscript adheres strictly to the journal\u2019s guidelines.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5247\" data-end=\"5348\">Clear presentation is not cosmetic! It reflects professionalism and respect for the editorial process.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"6320\" data-end=\"6356\">Rejection As Insight, Not Failure<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"6358\" data-end=\"6613\">While rejection can feel discouraging, it is often a diagnostic tool rather than a verdict on a researcher\u2019s ability or ideas. Many rejected papers are eventually published after reframing, restructuring, or targeting a more appropriate journal.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6615\" data-end=\"6861\">Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success. Strong papers do not just present good research; they communicate it clearly, position it thoughtfully, and respect the needs of their readers.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6863\" data-end=\"7008\">For further reading: learn more about what to do to avoid desk rejection from Editage Insights guest editor Michaela Lavender in her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/what-to-avoid-when-submitting-your-manuscript-straight-form-the-editors-desk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">article on what to avoid when submitting your manuscript to a journal.<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6863\" data-end=\"7008\">Remember, successful publishing is as much about <em>perspective<\/em> as it is about <em>persistence<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6863\" data-end=\"7008\"><strong><em>Want an expert-driven pre-submission check and comprehensive formatting? Check out Editage\u2019s <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/desk-rejection-shield?utm_source=editageinsights&amp;utm_medium=article-boilerplate&amp;utm_campaign=from-desk-rejection-to-revision\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Desk Rejection Shield Service<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em> and clear that first hurdle in journal publishing!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you faced a desk rejection? After all the months of work on your paper, learning it never got past the editor&#8217;s desk can be disheartening! Rejection is an almost universal experience in academic publishing. Even seasoned researchers with strong publication records receive desk rejections and critical reviewer comments. For many authors, a desk rejection [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2830,"featured_media":44563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2390,2376],"tags":[1729,1036,210],"new_categories":[],"new_tags":[5832,5831,5833],"series":[],"class_list":["post-44562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journal-submission-peer-review","category-reasons-for-rejection","tag-desk-rejection","tag-journal-submission","tag-manuscript-writing","new_tags-desk-rejection","new_tags-manuscript-rejection","new_tags-research-paper-rejection"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Editage Insights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Editage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Radhika Vaishnav\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Editage\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Editage\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Radhika Vaishnav\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Radhika Vaishnav\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/cfb91810fc32f1ddf3dafe11979983b2\"},\"headline\":\"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\"},\"wordCount\":863,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png\",\"keywords\":[\"desk rejection\",\"journal submission\",\"manuscript writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Journal Submission &amp; Peer Review\",\"Reasons for Rejection\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\",\"name\":\"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00\",\"description\":\"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/\",\"name\":\"Editage Insights\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Editage Insights\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/editage-insights-logo-1-scaled.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/editage-insights-logo-1-scaled.webp\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":324,\"caption\":\"Editage Insights\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Editage\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Editage\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/cfb91810fc32f1ddf3dafe11979983b2\",\"name\":\"Radhika Vaishnav\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b5e04fb73cbbddafa7669600f52347a55f84baac5963f042e31b4179a9f58d32?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b5e04fb73cbbddafa7669600f52347a55f84baac5963f042e31b4179a9f58d32?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Radhika Vaishnav\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/radhika-vaishnav-0\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights","description":"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights","og_description":"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection","og_url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","og_site_name":"Editage Insights","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Editage","article_published_time":"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Radhika Vaishnav","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Editage","twitter_site":"@Editage","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Radhika Vaishnav","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew"},"author":{"name":"Radhika Vaishnav","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/cfb91810fc32f1ddf3dafe11979983b2"},"headline":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew","datePublished":"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew"},"wordCount":863,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png","keywords":["desk rejection","journal submission","manuscript writing"],"articleSection":["Journal Submission &amp; Peer Review","Reasons for Rejection"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew","name":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew | Editage Insights","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png","datePublished":"2026-01-07T13:52:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-22T06:16:39+00:00","description":"Thinking like an editor early in the writing process can dramatically improve your chances of success and avoid desk rejection","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/ChatGPT-Image-Jan-7-2026-07_12_11-PM.png","width":1536,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/from-desk-rejection-to-revision-what-editors-wish-authors-knew#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"From Desk Rejection to Revision: What Editors Wish Authors Knew"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/","name":"Editage Insights","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#organization","name":"Editage Insights","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/editage-insights-logo-1-scaled.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/editage-insights-logo-1-scaled.webp","width":2560,"height":324,"caption":"Editage Insights"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Editage","https:\/\/x.com\/Editage"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/cfb91810fc32f1ddf3dafe11979983b2","name":"Radhika Vaishnav","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b5e04fb73cbbddafa7669600f52347a55f84baac5963f042e31b4179a9f58d32?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b5e04fb73cbbddafa7669600f52347a55f84baac5963f042e31b4179a9f58d32?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Radhika Vaishnav"},"url":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/radhika-vaishnav-0"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2830"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44562"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44562\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44741,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44562\/revisions\/44741"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44562"},{"taxonomy":"new_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/new_categories?post=44562"},{"taxonomy":"new_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/new_tags?post=44562"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=44562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}