I have just changed the projected submission turnaround time for EPAA to reflect my reality, and here’s a reason for that reality: I just spent four hours crafting a response to a manuscript submission.
In this particular case, I think the manuscript is publishable with work, but it does need work, and I needed to reread the reviewers’ comments a few times, reread the manuscript one more time, revise my notes on the manuscript, and write the letter. I think the resulting letter gives specific recommendations to the authors that should allow them to revise successfully (and make reader reception much better), but it’s a time-intensive process.
Incidentally, I enjoy this part of editing a great deal, especially if an author replies with a much stronger paper. Maybe that’s an incentive to spend a lot of time crafting revise-and-resubmit directions, but I think it’s wise for the journal.