Starting an academic journal sounds exciting… until you actually begin. Suddenly there are decisions about scope, peer review models, ISSN registration, editorial workflows, and technology you never knew existed. Many researchers and early-career academics get overwhelmed at this stage, not because the process is impossible, but because reliable and starter-friendly instructions are hard to find.
This guide walks you through everything in plain language. Just the real steps, the common roadblocks, and the things you’ll wish you knew earlier.
Decide the Purpose of Your Journal
Before you even think about names, websites, or submission systems, pause for a moment and figure out why this journal needs to exist. It sounds obvious, but many new journals skip this part and later struggle to explain what makes them different from the dozens already out there.
You don’t need a grand mission statement. Start with small, practical questions:
Is there a gap in your field that keeps bothering you? Maybe certain interdisciplinary topics don’t quite fit into existing publications. Maybe you’re part of a growing research community that doesn’t really have a dedicated home yet. Or perhaps existing journals in your discipline feel too slow, too selective in the wrong way, or out of touch with emerging subjects.
Write down your answers somewhere. You’ll refer back to them more often than you expect.
Most new editors realise, once they reflect a little, that they aren’t trying to compete with big publishers. They simply want a space where meaningful work can be shared without months of waiting or unnecessary hoops. And once you know your reason, it becomes much easier to shape everything else. From the editorial policy to the kind of reviewers you invite, the road ahead becomes clear.
Don’t rush this step. A clear purpose is what keeps your journal steady years down the line, especially when submissions fluctuate or your editorial team gets busy with other commitments.
Define Your Journal’s Scope
When you craft your journal’s scope, imagine explaining it to a colleague while walking between conference sessions. You wouldn’t use long, dramatic sentences. You’d simply say what the journal covers, what it doesn’t, and why it matters.
Try to keep it grounded in reality. Journals with scopes like “Covering all aspects of science and technology, from theoretical physics to rural sociology” usually fail before they publish even one issue. Readers don’t know what to expect, and reviewers don’t know if they’re the right fit.
If your subject area is broad, choose a more focused angle. For instance, if your interest is environmental studies, you could narrow it to environmental policy in developing regions or climate adaptation practices. Over time, as you receive submissions and understand your audience better, you can adjust the scope. It doesn’t need to be perfect from day one.
The important thing is that the scope helps researchers instantly understand whether they belong in your journal’s community.
Choose a Name You Won’t Regret Later
Journal names can turn into little headaches if you rush them. A name that feels clever today might sound confusing or too similar to an existing journal later, which is absolutely not great, when authors start searching for your publication online.
Look for something straightforward, memorable, and not overly academic. “Journal of ___” works fine, but you can also play with simpler constructs like “Environmental Policy Review” or “New Studies in Rural Education.” Just avoid abbreviations that accidentally resemble something else. Researchers love to shorten everything, and you don’t want your journal’s acronym forming an unexpected word.
Before you finalize, do a quick check:
– Is the domain name available?
– Are there journals with nearly identical titles?
– Does the name reflect your focus?
If it feels comfortable saying it out loud, it’s probably a good choice.
Build an Editorial Team That Will Actually Show Up
Starting alone is possible but exhausting. Most successful journals begin with a small, dependable team rather than a large, impressive-looking list of editors who eventually fade away.
Think about people who:
• understand the field
• communicate clearly
• can commit to realistic timelines
• aren’t afraid to make decisions
One honest tip: avoid inviting too many big names just for prestige. Some are wonderful to work with, but others may not actively participate. A journal’s early days rely heavily on responsive editors who can handle submissions, not just add shine to your homepage.
A balanced team of senior researchers for credibility, mid-career scholars for experience, and enthusiastic early-career academics for energy, usually works best.
Decide on Your Peer Review Model
Peer review can take different shapes, and you don’t have to copy the traditional double-blind method if it doesn’t suit your goals. The common models are:
–Single-blind (reviewers know authors; authors don’t know reviewers)
– Double-blind (neither side knows)
– Open review (identities open, sometimes even public reviews)
– Post-publication review (rare but growing)
None is perfect. The trick is choosing the one that fits your discipline’s culture and your editors’ capacity.
If your community is small, double-blind might be difficult because everyone knows everyone’s writing style. If you’re trying to build trust and transparency, open review might work better. The model you choose early on shapes the journal’s tone and workflow, so give it some thought instead of jumping to the default option.
Draft Clear Editorial Policies & Guidelines
Many journals overwhelm authors with pages of strict guidelines written in dense, formal language. You don’t need that, especially not in the beginning.
Start simple:
– What types of manuscripts do you accept?
– How long should submissions be?
– What’s your stance on ethics, plagiarism, and conflicts of interest?
– What happens if reviewers disagree?
Write these points in plain language that real researchers can follow without squinting at the screen. You can add more detailed sections later as your journal matures.
The goal is clarity, not complication.
Apply for an ISSN
An ISSN is like a journal’s ID number. It doesn’t magically make you legitimate, but authors expect to see one. The application is usually free and handled through your national ISSN center.
You’ll need basic details like journal name, scope, editorial contact, publishing format. It’s not a long process, but don’t postpone it because some indexing platforms ask for it early.
If your journal has both print and online versions, you’ll get two ISSNs. Most new journals start as online-only, which keeps things simple.
Select a Publishing Platform
You don’t need fancy software on day one. Many beginner journals use simple submission systems or platforms like OJS, Dryfta, Scholastica, or even structured inbox workflows until submissions grow.
Choose something based on:
– ease of use
– affordability
– reviewer management
– revision tracking
– long-term scalability
What you absolutely don’t want is a system that requires your authors to create four different accounts or upload files one by one. The smoother the experience, the higher the chance that good researchers will return with future submissions.
Decide on Your Publication Frequency
Don’t promise monthly issues unless you have a large editorial team and a steady submission pool. Most new journals start with:
– two issues per year, or
– a rolling publication model (publish articles as they’re accepted)
Rolling publication reduces pressure and helps you build content without waiting for the “perfect issue size.” As your submissions increase, you can shift to traditional issues if needed.
Create a Simple, Clean Journal Website
Your website doesn’t need heavy design. Researchers mainly care about:
– clear instructions
– past issues
– how to submit
– editorial team
– publication ethics
Avoid clutter. Make navigation obvious. And ensure your homepage doesn’t look like a university portal from the early 2000s.
A clean journal website also helps potential reviewers decide whether they want to collaborate with you. If your site looks abandoned, they may hesitate.
Prepare Author Guidelines That People Will Actually Read
Many guidelines feel like they were written for legal compliance rather than humans. Keep yours friendly. Use examples where helpful, but don’t bury authors in unnecessary details like font kerning or citation spacing.
Most editors eventually refine guidelines once they’ve handled a few messy submissions. It’s part of the learning curve. Start with essentials and expand as real situations arise.
Set Up a Smooth Submission Workflow
Think about the journey an article takes from submission to publication. Who checks the formatting? Who assigns reviewers? How do you track delays? Writing this out helps you avoid confusion once submissions start rolling in.
Map out the journey in the form of a manuscript-
- Submission
- Initial checks
- Reviewer assignments
- Review decision
- Revision
- Final acceptance
- Publication
Deciding who handles what prevents messy back-and-forth later. Even a simple checklist can save your sanity.
Build a Reviewer Database Early
Reviewers don’t magically appear when you open submissions. Start collecting names early from the people you trust, colleagues you have met at conferences, scholars whose work you respect.
Send personal invitations instead of mass emails. Reviewers are more likely to respond when they know why you thought of them specifically.
Decide on Your Article Processing Fees (or Keep It Free for Now)
New journals often begin fee-free to encourage submissions. Once you gain traction, you can reassess costs. If you ever introduce fees, be transparent about where the money goes, whether it’s hosting, DOI registration, editorial tools, etc.
Hidden charges destroy trust quickly.
Register DOIs for Articles
DOIs make your articles easily discoverable and citable. Services like Crossref allow journals to register DOIs, though it comes with a membership cost.
If you can’t afford it initially, it’s fine. DOIs are useful but not mandatory at launch.
Ensure Long-Term Archiving
One thing authors worry about is whether a journal will disappear after a few years. Archiving services like LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, or institutional repositories help preserve your content.
Even simple backups on institutional servers are better than nothing.
Prepare for Ethical Issues Before They Land in Your Inbox
Plagiarism, duplicate submissions, author disputes….these things happen even to new journals. You don’t need a 15-page policy, but you should know how you’ll respond.
Clear procedures make decision-making faster and less stressful.
Start With a Soft Launch
Instead of publicly announcing your journal with fanfare, quietly publish a small initial issue or a set of accepted papers. This gives researchers something to look at and makes your journal feel alive.
Most authors hesitate to submit to a place with zero published content. A soft launch solves this.
Promote the Journal in Places Where Your Audience Already Exists
You don’t need expensive marketing. Academic Twitter (X), conference mailing lists, relevant associations, and your personal networks usually work fine.
Share calls for papers sparingly. Too many announcements feel spammy. A steady, respectful presence builds trust faster.
Review and Refine as You Grow
Your journal will evolve. Scopes shift, workflows get smoother, reviewer pools grow, and your community becomes clearer over time. That’s normal.
At the end of every publishing cycle, take a little time to reflect on what worked, what annoyed you and what needs fixing. A journal is a long term project where small improvements accumulate into something strong and sustainable.