Academy of Management Review (AMR) and wondering “What am I getting myself into?” Or perhaps you have already taken the plunge and you’re surprised by the intensity of the (not wholly pleasant!) emotional experience at different stages of the process. You might be wondering,“Are these ups and downs ‘normal?’” and “If publishing theory is such a ride, how can I become more resilient as a theorist?” In this editorial, we seek to uncover and demystify the psychological experiences of writing for AMR. What does it feel like to write new theory? What is the emotional experience of a revise and resubmit (R&R) at AMR? What goes through authors’ heads when they receive a final decision, whether a rejection or an acceptance? In considering these questions, we hope to normalize the common ups and downs of those who submit to AMR. In other words, we want to say: you are not alone! Your lived experiences with the journal (eg, excitement, anxiety, elation, frustration, or anger) are shared, even among current and former editors. As a result, we seek to make the emotional journey of writing theory more explicit to learn from others’ challenges and triumphs along the path of peer review at AMR.

With that goal in mind, we polled the current AMR Editorial Review Board (ERB), seeking their insights on the psychological experiences of AMR writing. In doing so, we uncovered not just how the theory writing process is commonly experienced but also how it can be improved with coping strategies that develop resiliency. Our hope is that, by identifying these experiences and strategies, the challenges and obstacles of writing good theory will become more manageable for both new and experienced members of the community.