The Profession of Journal Editing

Abstract

Scholars usually think of journal editors with some ambivalence. Editors are, first of all, gatekeepers. When one’s article is accepted, the image is of the kindly doorkeeper, opening the way to publication. When an article is rejected, the editor is the evil troll lurking under the bridge, barring the way. The editor’s second generally recognized role is that of emender: to some, a kindly mentor; to others, an interfering Miss Thistlebottom. Beyond that, many give little thought to what editors do. Yet often editors also direct a journal’s intellectual development, manage its finances, create its graphic image, design and manage its Web presence, and set the tone for its relationship with readers and contributors. And given the extent of their influence on academic disciplines and on the careers of their colleagues, it seems equally reasonable to consider what can be done to ensure that they are well prepared for their editorial responsibilities. Is the editing of scholarly journals a profession? At first blush, certainly not! Except for editors at university presses and other scholarly publishing institutions, few people edit full time or for their entire careers. Most journal editors serve part-time, for a few years.1 Moreover, few journal editors have any training for their positions. They are chosen by their colleagues or by a publisher because of their reputations as scholars, and preparation for the job usually involves little more than a meeting with the previous editor and the ritual handing down of files. (The sciences are an exception: