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Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics: Online-First Articles

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The lived experiences of a journal editor

ORCiD logo with link | Wenzhou-Kean University | University of Wollongong
Published online: 16 January 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.25082.bur
Abstract
Editing an academic journal in applied linguistics (AL) or English language teaching (ELT) is a complex process that involves much decision-making. Most editors are full-time academics with competing priorities, and therefore more resources are needed, particularly for aspiring and emerging editors, on editorial decision-making and editors’ challenges and experiences. In 2021, I took on the role of editing the English Australia Journal, entailing a steep learning curve. To help me process and better understand issues that I encountered along the way, I began to keep a diary, which, at the end of my four-year tenure, comprised 117 entries with each one containing 70–115 words. Underpinned by a theoretical framework comprising autoethnography and life capital, the aim of this study is to analyse the diary data thematically to gain insights into my lived experiences as a journal editor. Findings show that I encountered five challenges (submissions, workload, review process, forthcoming journal issue, personal struggles) with nine mitigating factors (sense of purpose + meaning, editorial team, pipeline of manuscripts, flexible schedule, manuscript solicitation, reviewer recruitment, dealing with weaker submissions, communication, improvements to copy-editing process) helping me deal with these challenges. The paper concludes with a discussion about ‘uncontrollable’ and ‘controllable’ challenges, as well as the existence of a reciprocal relationship between challenges, mitigating factors, and life capital. This relationship highlights the importance of AL and/or ELT journal editors’ agency in drawing on their life capital to navigate editorial responsibilities, while challenges and mitigating factors also contribute to the extension of one’s own life capital.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
  • 3.Aim of study and research questions
  • 4.Theoretical framework
  • 5.Methodology
    • 5.1Research context: The journal
    • 5.2Data collection and analysis
  • 6.Findings
    • 6.1Challenges experienced as journal editor
    • 6.2Mitigating factors enabling the navigation of challenges
  • 7.Discussion and conclusion
  • Funding and ethics approval
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
References (50)
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