Getting submissions back a few days or a week after I submit them bugs me. I must be doing something wrong, something that makes it too easy to decline. I’ve gone back and carefully checked the guidelines and rarely find anything. However, there have been hints. One journal closed submissions in the middle of the reading period because they were full. Another lists the reading period: opening date, closing date, or until full. An editor of a journal begged us to submit early.
Contrary to what I expected some journals start reading before the closing date. Late entries may face a issue that is already complete.
I’m changing my workflow and priorities to submit soon after the opening date rather than just before the closing date. Generally, the submission tasks in my TODO list have the opening and closing date. I just have to let them show up on the opening date.
My goal last year was an average of 10 or more active submissions. I met the average, but ended the year with 8-9 active submissions. This year so far, I’m not doing any better. I’ve added the goal of submitting early, not late. This should help my active submissions average if they don’t come back so fast. Also I’m reconsidering journals I gave up on several years ago because my submissions came back too fast.