When I became a senior editor, I received a note from a past editor in chief of a major journal. They congratulated me & said: be prepared for uncomfortable moments.
I asked why?
They responded: bc the authors now know who you are.
Most of the time, I have found authors are great.
Authors whose work that I’ve accepted vary - some thank you and others act as if you don’t exist. They never express ill-will.
An aside, as an editor, never expect gratitude - it’s not appropriate - if the process works, the authors have earned the paper acceptance.
Authors who I’ve rejected vary more - some thank you & ask you to thank the review panel, some say thank you & ask for a chance to resubmit, and some say thank you & ask for a meeting - most say nothing.
Yet, there is always the outlier - that will meet you & yell at you.
I’ve had the outlier happen once - in the many papers that I’ve managed.
The outlier informed they had a famous author team and stomped off.
The outlier still has not published in our field’s top journal.
Typically, encounters with authors are much more civilized - and I’m happy to meet with them - if given time to prepare.
If you become an editor, a few tips on managing rejected authors.
First, give a decision a week or two to settle in.
Most authors really want to learn what went wrong. They can’t hear you if they are emotional.
So make sure the author has time to let emotion settle.
Second, listen to the author.
Most angry authors just want to be heard. They want you to know their opinion.
Once heard, they usually accept the decision.
Third, be prepared.
Skim the paper and review package. Be sure you know why you made a decision.
Fourth, don’t be afraid of I don’t know.
Hear the author out & fact check. It’s possible you really made a mistake.
I have reversed a decision or put together a new panel if a mistake was made.
Fifth, don’t be afraid of authors.
At a recent conference, I had a coffee with one author & a lunch with another.
They were great conversations & I may collaborate with one.
Finally, you can’t hide.
If you avoid authors, your life will be miserable.
If you meet authors, you will find most are interesting people who want to do better.
It can be uncomfortable, but seeing authors you reject goes with the position.
There is a side benefit to being willing to meet authors - if you write reports knowing that you will see people in the future, then you will write more measured reports. It’s easier to see the other person on the other side of the review process.
I hope this helps other editors - I wish someone had shared similar advice with me - when I was first invited to serve as an editor.
Best of luck.
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