How Do People Keep Going After Rejections in Academic Publishing?

Letter Twenty: Dear Rejected

Academia can, frequently, be a place that people try to characterize as objective and emotionless. I have always been confused how people can celebrate the science of emotions or the science of human behavior, while at the same time trying to frame research & science & academia as a place devoid of emotions or humanity.

It is normal and okay and important that the experience of academic publishing has an emotional impact on you, because you’re a human. A process for navigating this system is something to be developed; be gentle with yourself as you figure it out.