Contacting paper author

[MyArseNill]

A few months ago I reviewed a paper. I really enjoyed the paper but I made extensive comments/revisions because I could see there was potential but wanted to make the paper the best it could be possibly be.

Now the paper is out and it's a PhD student's paper.

Would it be weird/unreasonable to contact the author and say I reviewed it, I made extensive comments (sorry if I was the dreaded reviewer 2), but I'm really glad to see it in print and how much I enjoyed reading it?

I've been reading a lot on Twitter about how great it is when junior academics get emails saying that people (particularly senior people) have liked their work and I feel I want to say something to this woman (also in the spirit of female academic support). But is this insane?

I'm pretty junior, and, if the experience has been good (by which I mostly mean constructive, as it sounds like this was), I love discovering who my reviewers were! It can also be the start of a really useful ongoing conversation, especially if both parties have got shared interests in research, which it sounds like you do. So I'd say contact her!

I think that would be really nice actually and not creepy at all. The only concern would be if the journal had any policies about not unblinded yourself (can’t imagine they would as it’s in print now, but who knows). I’ve often wondered who reviewers are and what they would think of the final manuscript, so I think that would be really lovely.

Can you not just say that you like the paper without letting her know that you were the reviewer? I think that would be a nice thing to do.

I'd just contact her saying you liked the paper. That sort of feedback would mean a lot to an ECR. I would not say you were the reviewer.

I'm sure the student would be flattered, although I'd disclose that I did review it. It could be awkward if her reply is to bitch about the mean reviewer!

I'm the minority (as usual) & find the whole idea very cringy & inappropriate.
But since I'm in minority, if you go ahead, let us know how the author responds.
Most the stuff I reviewed recently was open review which I increasingly like best, anyway.

But to the extent there is an argument in favour of blind review, I'm not sure you're not violating a principle of it. It could be seen as conflict of interest if you built a personal /professional relationship on back of fact of having reviewed that paper.