My first paper submission was rejected without review. My second was rejected after review with feedback so critical I nearly gave up. By my seventh submission — which eventually became my first published paper — I had learned more about scientific communication than in any formal course.
The First Draft Is Never the Real Work
This is the hardest lesson for new researchers: writing a first draft is just clearing your throat. The real paper emerges through revision. I now routinely write 4–6 full drafts of every paper before submission.
The first draft is for getting ideas onto paper. The second is for logical structure. The third is for clarity. The fourth is for concision. By draft five, you should be cutting aggressively.
Dealing with Rejection
The peer review system is imperfect. Papers get rejected for legitimate reasons — methodological weaknesses, overclaiming conclusions, insufficient literature coverage — and for less legitimate ones.
Develop the ability to honestly distinguish between the two. When feedback is valid, incorporate it gratefully. When it’s not, respond respectfully but defend your position with evidence.
Writing in English as a Non-Native Speaker
Writing academic English when it’s not your first language is genuinely hard. I’ve found that reading widely in your field — not for content, but specifically to notice how authors phrase things — is the most effective practice.
To Future Researchers
Keep submitting. The paper that eventually changes your field may have been rejected twice first.