Publishing at Nature Research journals – insights from inside

The publishing process in a peer-reviewed journal may look like a black box, especially to early career scientists. Using the example of Nature Research journals, I will give some insights in the editorial process; what happens to the manuscript after submission, what are the stages a paper goes through, how decisions are taken, how do we choose reviewers, and what do we as full-time editors add to manuscripts. Furthermore, I will discuss what we look for in submitted manuscript and what the editorial criteria are for sending a paper out to review. I will also provide an overview of the hierarchy and the relationship among the different Nature-branded journals.