Manuscript Prep time

[green8715]

I know any answers to this question will vary greatly depending on one's discipline, but figured maybe some of those in the humanities could offer their experience.

 

I am entering my 3rd year as PhD student and quickly realizing how nearly impossible it seems to submit a manuscript in what I would deem a timely manner. I am currently working on a manuscript (really the only major thing I have been trying to submit since i started in this program) for a little over a year now. Lately it had seemed like i was very close to being able to submit to a journal, but today was asked by my advisor to change certain variables and measures - which will in turn result in major revisions to all other sections of the paper. Large changes to the theoretical model or statistical analyses are basically what seem to keep everyone working on manuscripts for many years.

I was excited to think I might submit after a year of work on this, since most in our lab seem to get manuscripts out after 2+ years of revisions.

 

This is my first time working on any manuscript, let alone one I am first author on. I have no idea if my expectations to submit within a year are unreasonable, or if others spend years working in a seemingly endless feedback loop of major revisions to the conceptual or statistical structure of their manuscripts.

 

Thanks for any feedback!