How long should manuscripts be

First, in some instances, the English language in the manuscript must be improved. This may be performed using an editing service. Whether this step is completed before or after acceptance is at the discretion of reviewers and editors.

Indeed, some journals will accept the manuscript and perform subsequent editing or instead require the author to complete the editing process. Then, an invoice for the publishing fees is submitted to the corresponding author, which is subsequently paid prior to journal formatting. Once paid, the journal performs typesetting and manuscript proof development, which are approved by the editorial staff and proof management staff prior to being returned to the authors for review.

Finally, the proofs are reviewed by the authors involved in the study. Any requested corrections are returned to the journal until proof approval is granted. At this stage, the manuscript will often be published online in advance and, in some cases, in print.

Weeks or months later, the manuscript information is transferred to PubMed or other central repositories for indexing. This general timeline varies by journal, the length of the peer review process, and uniqueness of each manuscript. Furthermore, various journals often have status descriptions that indicate the step that the manuscript is at during the review and publication process.

Once your manuscript is submitted to a journal, it is important to keep the manuscript number handy! It will be used to track your manuscript through the peer review process and provide any other updates regarding your manuscript status.

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One of the big advantages of self-publishing is that you can create your own rules. And you know what? Some readers actually prefer a shorter book. If you pick up a title that is pages or more, you might think twice before reading it. Bottom line: There is no hard and fast rule for how long your manuscript should be when you self-publish.