Despite a significant increase in the number of articles handled by the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (JAC), improvements in the editorial system and its associated technology have allowed us to improve manuscript processing times significantly. However, the sustained annual increases in submissions to JAC have necessitated a re-evaluation of the criteria for acceptance of manuscripts, and an increase in the rejection rate. We are aware that authors who have had papers rejected may be puzzled when they judge the articles would have been accepted in previous years. This Editorial has been written in the hope that an appreciation of these factors on the part of authors will encourage submission of higher quality articles for consideration by JAC.