Unable to complete journal paper by deadline, is this a problem? Main Question:  

I submitted an abstract to a well known journal (in the field of Civil, Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering) a couple months ago and the abstract was accepted.  Due to major changes in unrelated circumstances, it will not be ready/adequate.  Is this a problem?  

Background:

I am a graduate student at an American engineering university.  I submitted a journal paper a couple months ago and it was accepted.  However, my circumstances changed over the past months, and completing this paper is no longer a priority nor plausible.  

My funded research (unrelated to the said journal paper) is requiring too much of my time, and I am likely planning to leaving the program.  Also, my wife would prefer me to leave the program and pursue an engineering job with a salary.  To further compound problems, my personal computer (which carries the work corresponding to the paper) has broken down permanently (that is, the computer is completely dead).  

As a result, my priorities have dramatically shifted to job applications and interviews.  At this point, completing the paper by the due date (one week) is no longer a priority, nor feasible.  However, I would like to one day return to a career in academia and get a PhD.  Would neglecting to submit this paper negatively effect my reputation?  In your opinion, would this hurt my professional relationship with my advisor (who was working on the paper with me)?  Would this hurt my ability to publish in the future with this journal?
I will focus on the journal, as your plans and relationship with your advisor really need to be worked out between you and them, and follow much the same lines.

Withdrawing from submitting an anticipated journal paper is not the end of the world.  Yes, people will think less of you than if you submitted it, but it is better than either writing a bad paper or dragging the process out indefinitely.  Sometimes bad stuff happens, sometimes plans change, and journal editors will not be shocked or startled.  Moreover, they will likely be happier to have a clear "no" than an open unresolved question.

To handle this as best you can, you just need to make sure that you communicate your change of plans clearly, e.g., emailing something along the lines of:


  Due to a chance in circumstances, I will be unable to submit this paper in a timely fashion.  My apologies and thank you for your patience.


No further explanations or excuses are needed, just a clear statement that you aren't going to write the paper after all.