How I Choose Journals for My Papers: A Peek Into My Process

One question I get asked fairly often—especially by grad students and early career scholars—is: How do you choose where to submit your papers? There are so many journals out there, and honestly, there’s no single right way to go about it. But I thought I’d share my process in case it’s helpful to others.

I Start With a Journal in Mind (Yes, Even Before I Finish Writing)

As soon as I begin drafting a paper, I’m already thinking about where I want to send it. It’s not just about the journal. It’s also about the audience I most want to reach. Having a journal in mind early helps me shape the piece: its framing, tone, structure, and even its length.

For instance, I recently wrote a paper on ways to “crip”—that is, to challenge and transform—sex education. I knew from the start that I wanted this work to reach an audience of both scholars and sex educators. I wanted to speak to people actively working in this space, especially those unfamiliar with disability studies or crip theory.

So, I looked into journals like Sex Education and the American Journal of Sexuality Education. I had already published in Sex Education, and while I loved that experience, I also like to try new venues when I can. This helps me test the waters: see how different journals receive work like mine, assess their openness to “crip” perspectives, and get a sense of how they treat authors. Plus, the work had relevance beyond Canada (where I live), so a U.S.-based journal felt appropriate too.

My Main Considerations

To break down my process a bit more systematically, here are some of the questions I ask myself when deciding on a journal:

1. Who is the audience?
   Who needs to read this paper? Who might benefit or be challenged by it? For me, it’s often about making sure the right people—not just the usual suspects—engage with the work.

2. Do I have a tentative journal in mind early on?
   Yes! Having a journal in mind from the beginning helps shape the paper. If things change as the paper evolves, that’s okay—but starting with a plan makes a difference.

3. Impact factor? Not for me.
   I know this matters to some people, but for me, it’s more about fit. I’d rather my work be in the hands of the right readers than chase a high-impact journal.

4. Have I published there before?
   If I have, I often try to branch out. I’m intentional about submitting to new journals so I can learn about their review processes, editorial openness, and whether they’re good spaces for disability-focused work. I want to be able to recommend (or caution against) journals to others based on actual experience.

5. What do my colleagues say?
   Sometimes I ask around—what were your experiences with X journal? Was the process supportive or frustrating? I value these peer insights, especially from people working in critical disability and sexuality studies.

6. Generalist or niche?
   Depending on the paper, I ask whether it makes more sense to go with a specialized journal or aim for a generalist one where the topic might really shake up conversations. There’s value in both approaches.

This isn’t a formula—it’s just what works for me. Everyone’s priorities are different, and mine tend to center on accessibility, audience, and the ethics of publishing. I believe our work deserves to be in spaces that care about the communities we’re writing with and for.

At the end of the day, one of the best pieces of advice I received from a mentor was this: use publishing as an opportunity to broaden the readership of your work—not just speak to those who already “get it.” That really stuck with me. What if I brought my disability lens into spaces that haven’t been engaging with it as much? That’s why I’ve been intentional about not publishing only in disability journals, but also in gender and sexuality ones. It’s about expanding conversations, not just deepening them in familiar territory.

If you’ve got your own process, I’d love to hear it. Let’s keep demystifying the publishing game—together.