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Thursday, July 5, 2007

Glimmer Train Wreck


This is a rejection that used to come as an auto-notify email from Glimmer Train. It says: "Although we won't be publishing this particular piece, we do thank you for sending [title of story]. It was a good read." It was just a form email, though. They didn't really mean that yours (or anybody's, or everybody's) was a good read. Now they have a whole new system that rejects via your account, which announces the status of your submission, without need of a letter. I prefer it that way, actually. Once I had kind of a run in with one of the Glimmer Sisters; I don't remember whether it was Linda or Susan, but she yelled at me for (allegedly) not following some vague directions I couldn't even find on the website, but then she instantly wrote back an apology note, saying she hadn't had her coffee and would I please excuse her, or something like that. It was weird. I can't find the email or I'd post it. Anyway, it made me shy away from ever submitting again, not that the Glim was ever going to publish little old me.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is an old post but I wanted to add a note that GT still uses that little "it was a good read" trick in their rejection notes. With links no doubt to buy subscriptions to their writing newsletter. It's just a trick to get the amateurs to think that their story was actually read, pondered, and considered ... and feeling good they happily buy a sub.

I think it's a cheap trick. It was NOT a good read. It was a quick skim and no, not what they are looking for at this time. Anything that was a "good read" would be paid for and published in their mag.

Otherwise, I think GT is actually pretty good, mucho better than every other "journal" that I know of. They're the closest thing (AFAIK) to the Golden Age short story markets in terms of topic and theme, and they actually pay.

Anonymous said...

A little late here, but I found this post googling "glimmer train rejection." I was wondering if it's common for them send a link to their Editor's Perspective page with their form rejections.

I clicked on the link they sent me thinking it might go to my account where an editor had left some actual feedback, but it turned out to be a 6-page manifesto of why nobody is good enough for them. For every example the cite of why a piece might have failed to capture them, I can think of a timeless short story that commits the same sin. But the most pretentious part of it was their various takes on Literary Fiction. Here is a gem:

'Although plot is lower on the literary totem pole than in, say, a mystery, what goes on in a story must follow some logic.'

I know they don't mean that plot is unimportant, but that's an odd comparison to me; it could be construed that they think Literary Fiction = plotless fiction. But they do publish many plotless doozies, so maybe they really DO think literary = plotless. Those chicks need to get over themselves in a bad way. Does everybody get this link?

http://www.glimmertrainpress.com/writer/html/EditorsPerspective2004.pdf

zcdearthyo said...

Well I just got one and it said everything except "it was a good read" lol.

Anonymous said...

I have submitted for the fiction open contest that closed on January 31st (and I didn't submit it until last minute, because I didn't know about it until then). All I can find is that they now use the online submission system for the most part (which is how I submitted) and it said that the results would be out by April 30th (two days away from now). Do they still send rejection emails; and do they send them after the fact? I understand I did get accepted, as I've read in forums that they will notify you a week beforehand if you were even a finalist, but I was curious whether I'd receive a rejection at all. Does anyone know? Thanks for reading my question. :-)

Ariel Beller said...

yeah that form letter with the link to the editor's religion is pretty stupid, but a result of inundation. the standards in the editors note are pretty bad and off-key sort of art school shit. but it's their publication they can do what they want.

Jacob Weber said...

I know they know my e-mail address, because they send me stuff all the time. But when I end up losing in a contest, I only find out about it if I continually sign in and look for my status of submissions. I eventually see "complete," which means "piss off."

They always make a big deal about how these two sisters run the whole deal, but I hope they have some help with reading. Otherwise, there is no way two people can give all that they get a reasonable read.

GT publishes decent-to-excellent work, with at least one story in every volume I think was garbage and one I think was great. It's not the finest literature being written, and I think I'm going to just do myself a favor and quit wasting time and money with them. I don't buy lottery tickets for the same reason.

Another Voice said...


Another Voice said...

You folks surprise me! I feel that Glimmer Train is pretty compassionate to writers whom they reject (like moi). I've had other rejection notices that really stung, but G.T's "Keep trying!" attitude seems to me to indicate that they know how hard it is to write, and how easily a sensitive soul can be discouraged.

Joanna St. John said...

I agree with Another Voice. I have found Glimmer Train to be very compassionate in their rejection process. I actually made a "top 50" list in a contest and therefore was given honorary mention. They were so effusive in their congratulatory email, that it gave me the will to push on with my writing. I've submitted to them many times, and, except for the honorary mention, my work has always been rejected. Rejection is hard, but rejection from Glimmer Train is much more civilized and compassionate. Plus both Linda and her sister really have devoted their lives to literature. I am glad they are out there. Believe me, I've gotten some nasty rejections. Theirs are very classy.

Anna sophia said...

@joanna St. John, do they send out rejections for contests before the actual results are announced on their site? or is it after the fact.
I entered the Fiction open (ending August 25 2017) with results expected November 1 2017, and haven't heard anything yet.

Anonymous said...

Hi Anna Sophia - I have submitted to their contests a few times and noticed that they notify you on/around the 23rd of each month. I was notified on the 23rd when I received an honorable mention, and again another time when my story did not place at all. So you can probably expect to hear today/this week either way. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Latest rejection from Glimmer Train: Thank you so much for sending ASPIRING WRITER'S STORY. This July/August 2017 Fiction Open drew an extraordinary batch of stories—the competition was tough. Your story didn't place this time, but we enjoyed reading your work. Thank you for sending it!

Writer, Rejected said...

Wait. Did it actuallysay ASPIRING WRITER’S STORY as an error? Or were just putting it in anonymous terms?

tea_leaf_reader said...

I entered the short fiction contest, winners to be announced November 1. I received a rejection letter today, October 25, 2017. I assume it was a form rejection, it did address me by name and mention the title of my story. I guess hope springs eternal and we grasp at the faintest of straws. So I am entering the words they sent - if others who submitted got exactly the same, or maybe different wording, it might be instructive to know.
This was the language of the rejection:

Although "[title of work entered here]" did not place in the July/August 2017 Very Short Fiction contest this time, we're glad to have read the piece and hope to see more of your work in the future!

Best regards,

Susan & Linda
Glimmer Train Press

Anna sophia said...

Yup. I submitted two stories, one got the rejection same as anon and another one said:
Although "X" did not place in the July/August 2017 Very Short Fiction contest this time, we're glad to have read the piece and hope to see more of your work in the future!