Development editor assistance in preparing manuscripts

The Consulting Psychology Journal^® is dedicated to publishing articles that draw on the experience of using psychological science to deliver consulting services to organizations. We recognize that the skill set for developing and delivering effective psychological interventions does not necessarily include the same skills required for journal writing.

Therefore, each year we choose four prospective authors with a background in consulting psychology to receive assistance from a development editor in preparing a manuscript for submission to Consulting Psychology Journal. Prospective authors are chosen quarterly by the journal editor based on a review of proposals.

The intention of this resource is to provide support to experts who have a promising idea for advancing the field of consulting psychology but little experience with academic writing and publishing (in general, and for an APA publication in particular).

Read about the development editor assistance award winners.

Prospective authors are encouraged to review the instructions to authors and submit a Prospective Paper Proposal via the online submission portal.

The proposal should provide author name(s), affiliation and contact information, a provisional title, and a summary of the core idea for the paper in 1,000 words or fewer. The summary should include a statement of a common problem or situation in consulting psychology, an explanation of why it is important, and a description of a solution to address it.

It would also help to include a brief account of the author's (or authors') experience with the problem and the solution, plus an indication of why the support of a development editor would be helpful.

The journal editor will review submissions and choose one each quarter to be written with the facilitation of the development editor.

The decision will be based on

• the significance of the topic
• the quality of solution/idea
• the potential of the paper to present the solution in clear practical steps
• the level of need for support

The author (or authors) of the chosen submission and the authors of those not chosen will be informed of the decision at the end of each quarter (in April, July, October, and January). Those proposals that are not selected can be resubmitted for consideration in another quarter.

The author(s) of the chosen proposal will work with the development editor, who will facilitate the writing of a manuscript by means of the following two stages.

Conceptual stage

In the conceptual stage, the strategy for the paper is articulated. The author supplies the development editor with resource material about the problem and solution (this can be in any form — emails to clients, proposals, work notes, and so on).

Then, in collaboration, the author and development editor will address the following:

• The audience and purpose of the paper will be spelled out—who is it for, what is its key issue, and how will it help the reader solve or deal with that issue?
• The basic terminology to be used will be determined and defined.
• The basic argument of the paper will be articulated, and the structure of the paper outlined.

Draft process

The paper will be drafted in an iterative, three-draft process:

• The author will write a first draft—getting down in his or her own words as completely as possible what the consulting problem is, explaining what he or she knows about the problem, and what can be done about it. Drawing on the conceptual work already done, the author will lay out the "universe" of relevant ideas.
• The development editor works with this material to put together a second draft: a "correctable text" with a strong introduction laying out the problem, a brief review of prior attempts to address the problem, and the promise of the current solution. It will also project, filling in with available material, the remainder of the paper. This draft will define the boundaries of what to cover and not to cover.
• The author will then, with the support of the development editor, correct and extend this draft, until it is ready for submission.

Once a manuscript is ready for submission, the author will submit it for consideration for publication in the Consulting Psychology Journal, where it will be subject to the same blind peer-review processes as any submission. The paper may or may not be accepted for publication. Working with the development editor does not guarantee acceptance for publication.

If, upon completion of the peer review, the author receives an invitation to revise and resubmit, the development editor will help the author create a strategy for responding to the action letter and peer-review comments. The development editor will also review and provide feedback on revised drafts of the paper.

It should be understood that the role of the development editor is to facilitate the articulation of the author's own original ideas and the expression of those ideas in the author's own words. The development editor will provide a structured process, feedback, and editorial guidance for creating a manuscript to be submitted to Consulting Psychology Journal. The development editor is neither a ghostwriter nor a contributor of ideas, analyses, or other substantive content.

The development editor will be available for up to twenty (20) hours from the first meeting with the prospective author until the first submission of the manuscript. If the author receives an invitation to revise and resubmit, the development editor will be available for up to five additional hours to work on a revision.

To find out more about Martin Wilcox, the development editor for Consulting Psychology Journal, visit his websiteopens in new window.