How to Respond (Politely) to a Negative Peer Review
Dos and don’ts for defending your scholarly writing from a harsh critique.
Peer review can be stressful, even for the most seasoned scholarly writers. Will the reviewers “get” your book project or pan it? There is always a degree of uncertainty. But a negative review does not necessarily mean your manuscript won’t get published. How you respond to harsh criticism can be as important as the criticism itself in determining whether you ultimately get a book contract. [...]
A quick refresher on the process: Academic presses might seek peer reviews (aka readers’ reports) of a book proposal, of sample chapters, or of a full manuscript. Editors use the reports when deciding whether to seek board approval to offer you a contract, invite you to revise and resubmit (R&R) for another round of reviews, or reject the project. Your editor may also ask you to write a response to the readers’ feedback and explain your plans for revision. This is where you’ll need some political and rhetorical savvy...."
For the full article, visit: https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-respond-politely-to-a-negative-peer-review
Similar articles / articles in the series: https://www.chronicle.com/author/rebecca-colesworthy
Approaching an editor: https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-approach-a-book-editor
Writing a "timely" book: https://www.chronicle.com/article/should-you-turn-your-dissertation-into-a-book
Book contracts: https://www.chronicle.com/article/when-will-i-get-a-book-contract