The aim of this paper is to give a short description of the nature ofbooks and journals, their respective editors, and the difficult process andproprieties involved in publishing papers. It describes some of the mainfeatures of the publication process, so that readers may be in a better positionto make judgements about published work and writers may be, tosome extent at least, prepared to face the difficulties that inevitably lie intheir path. Emphasis is given to the need to deal with rejections and theoften substantial revisions requested by editors. While some of the featuresof publishing are common to all disciplines, this paper is specificallyintended for economists.