The Working Guide to Editorial Systems
I’m delighted to introduce a new initiative being launched here at Writer’s Camp. The Working Guide to Editorial Systems is designed for editors, reviewers, and authors who want to understand not just how publishing is supposed to work—but how it actually works in practice
What is the Working Guide?
The WGES is not a blog, nor is it a book. It is a working resource—a collection of focused, decision-driven entries that address the real questions editors face every day:
- How many reviewers do I actually need?
- What should I do when reviews don’t agree?
- What is ICMJE? How should I use its recommendations in my journal policies?
- How do editors work with publishers?
Each entry is built around a specific question and offers practical, experience-based guidance grounded in real editorial work.
Why This Guide Exists
Most guidance about scholarly publishing describes an ideal system—one with abundant time, reviewers, and resources. But most journals don’t operate under those conditions. The Working Guide for Editorial Systems is built for the system as it actually exists:
- with constraints
- with competing demands
- with imperfect infomation
The WGES focuses on judgment, decision-making, and editorial reasoning, not just rules or procedures.
What You Will Find Inside
- Short, focused entries you can read and use quickly
- Real-world editorial scenarios and decisions
- Clear explanations of how systems function (and sometimes don’t)
- Practical guidance you can apply immediately
New entries will be added twice per month, building a resource you can return to again and again.
Who Are Our Contributors?
We have a distinguished panel of contributors with a wealth of editorial experience and knowledge.
WGES Contributors
- Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN
- Director, Writer’s Camp; Editor-in-Chief, The Writer’s Camp Journal
- Editor, Visions: Science of Rogerian Scholarship
- Editor Emerita, CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing; JHPN; NA&E
- Peggy Chinn, PhD, RN, FAAN
- Founding Editor, Advances in Nursing Science
- Associate Editor, The Writer’s Camp Journal
- Lisa Marshall, BA
- Managing Editor, CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing
- Diane Monsivais, PhD, CNE, ANEF
- Editor, Research and Theory for Nursing Practice
- DaiWai M. Olson, RN, PhD, CCRN, FNCS
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neuroscience Nursing
- Jacqueline Owens, PhD, RN, CNE
- Editor, OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing
- Roger Watson, BSc, PhD, FRCP Edin, FAAN
- Editor-in-Chief, Nurse Education in Practice
- Editor Emeritus, Journal of Advanced Nursing
- Maureen “Shawn” Kennedy, MA, RN, FAAN
- Senior Editor for Content Review, The Working Guide to Editorial Systems
- Editor Emerita, American Journal of Nursing
Access and Subscription
The Working Guide to Editorial Systems is part of Writer’s Camp’s editorial mission and is available by subscription. Subscribe now at a special Founders rate (in place until April 30th) to support the launch of this new initiative. If you prefer, you can subscribe on an ongoing monthly basis.
Unsure? Still deciding? Here are two articles that are available at no charge to help you see what the WGES has to offer:
- What Decisions Must an Editor Make that Authors Never See? –Leslie Nicoll
- Why Do Editors Reject Manuscripts Without Peer Review? –Roger Watson
Join Us!
If you are working as an editor, or have aspirations to become one, the WGES is designed to support you in making sound, thoughtful decisions in real world conditions.
Subscribe to the Working Guide for Editorial Systems
Access to the WGES is included for participants in the Editorial Leadership Intensive and select partner programs.