Simultaneous submissions without simultaneous peer review.

This article proposes an "exclusive option" system to enable simultaneous manuscript submissions across multiple, disconnected academic journal platforms without duplicating peer review efforts. Borrowing from legal and financial concepts, this method allows authors to submit to several journals at once but grants only one journal an exclusive right to conduct peer review within a specified timeframe, preventing overlapping reviews and multiple acceptances. The article discusses the advantages and drawbacks of both single and simultaneous submission systems, details how the exclusive option would function, and examines its potential impacts on authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers. It also addresses concerns about increased editorial workload, possible author misconduct, and the broader implications for academic publishing markets, suggesting that such a system could enhance author leverage and promote a more competitive and timely publication process.