I just received one of the most thorough but harshest reviews of a paper I’ve had in a long while. It’ll still get published, but WOOF, that stings.
First, someone spending that much time on my work means they deeply care about their role as a journal referee, so I’m grateful for that. I don’t believe I’ve ever written a review commentary that long – they clearly spent hours of their time.
Second, I share this for the students and early career academics out there. I’m an established individual in my field and this is far from my first publication. Sometimes students look to researchers, professors, academics, etc, like we’re untouchable and have it all figured out. This year I even had a student tell me I was intimidating. Intimidating? I am person who watches cartoons by choice and loves theme parties. I view myself as a deeply unserious person. I had to work to keep my face straight hearing this feedback.
That said, I remember looking at some of my 30-40-50-something professors and attorneys as a law student and thinking “I can’t imagine ever being that capable of handling life.” So keeping that in mind, while I don’t feel particularly “capable” day-to-day, I recognize I’ve accrued some skills. I’ve racked up some bullet points on the ol’ C.V.
The point is, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, someone out there will always think your writing is a disorganized mess or that your idea is shaky at best (and sometimes they may be right, so be open to that). Especially when the reviews are anonymous. Someone will always “know better” and tell you how to fix your work. Some of this feedback will be good. Some will be shit. You have to play the game, but the point is you also have to keep valuing what you bring to the table.
Because you do bring something good to the table. The reality is most journals and publications, outside of the prestige placements, are actively looking for papers.
I fail a lot. It’s a general theme in my life. I’ve started grand adventures professionally that didn’t just crash and burn. They created noxious gas. They were the Hindenburg.
There are also the small, simmering failures. Things that just didn’t quite hit. I’ve also had some great, big, huge, glorious wins. You have to roll with it – and immediately add them to your CV and University staff page when you get a good one.
Put your voice out there and find value in what others have to say, then find humor in it all. This world is ridiculous and the feedback to your incredibly niche, technical paper that very few human’s will ever read or think about is simply not that important.
How small these things are in the grand order of the universe.
Elsbeth Magilton 