View Full Version : Glimmer Train Press
Cassie88
05-10-2005, 12:45 AM
I received an email the other day from Glimmer Train Press. Fiction Contest is now open... May 1st....Check out their site for more details. Has anybody ever submitted to them?
Cassie
stormie
05-10-2005, 01:19 AM
Yes, but not to their contest. Really nice rejection letters!
arrowqueen
05-10-2005, 01:38 AM
From what I've heard, they have a very good reputation.
Maryn
05-10-2005, 02:05 AM
They 'put out a good rag,' meaning that the quality of their fiction (and contest winning stories) is generally first-rate. It's a highly competitive market--but if you win or they buy from you, you've got bragging rights.
Me, I've got rejections from them.
Maryn
Me to. Cruise their site. It's a first rate writing lesson.
Lyra Jean
05-14-2005, 01:48 PM
Joining the line of rejection from GlimmerTrain. Maybe we could start a club? heehee
maestrowork
05-14-2005, 07:32 PM
We'll call it the "Glimmer Train Wreck."
Ray, proud owner of 3 rejections
DTKelly
05-16-2005, 01:27 AM
I've gotten one rejection from them, out of one entry! That's 100%, folks. :Trophy: :D
awaitingthemuse
05-16-2005, 12:15 PM
I have submitted something to them, fully expecting a rejection.
BlueTexas
05-20-2005, 03:11 AM
Got my first rejection from this this afternoon. Pretty timely-3 weeks?
sgtsdaughter
05-20-2005, 03:31 AM
Got my first rejection from this this afternoon. Pretty timely-3 weeks?
Sorry to hear that . . . I'm still "in process" with them. Who knows.
brokenfingers
05-20-2005, 03:54 AM
Glimmer Train is one of those on my To-Do list.
Still not there yet.....
submitted something to them recently. really long shot, of course, but you never know.
whistlin_smithy
05-28-2005, 09:21 AM
Yes, but not to their contest. Really nice rejection letters!
Yes from me too. And yes, a really nice rejection letter. CRICKET magazine also has a nice rejection letter with a very nice hand written note, Zoetrope also sends out nice rejection letters but kind of a weird format, oh yeah, and Guideposts has a very courteous...Oh wait. You just wanted to know about Glimmer Train, didn't you. Sorry. Some of us like to collect rejection letters and can point you to all the best ones if you are interested in becoming a genuine rejection letter collector.
Good luck with your collection,
whistlin_smithy
Lyra Jean
05-28-2005, 07:15 PM
Oh yes I collect rejections. I keep them all stapled in one of those black/white bound notebooks. I call it the "Book of Sorrows: stories of rejection"
stormie
05-28-2005, 08:11 PM
Yeah, I keep my rejections in a large--very large--box that has a black and white marbelized cover, similar to my first copybook when I was six and wrote my first "book of jokes." That got rejected,too.
Anyway, someone here has to be accepted by Glimmertrain. Right??
lauram
06-01-2005, 07:35 PM
I used to keep my rejection letters, but then got tired of having a three ring binder for them. I'm sure that I still have some sitting in my room somewhere.
I thought that I had submitted to Glimmer Train in the past, but I think I would've remembered a nice rejection letter. :)
I need to look them up again. Maybe I'll start my rejection collection anew with a nice rejection from Glimmer Train...
billyf027
07-07-2006, 04:12 PM
Someone once said that the two sisters that own or edit(or both) the magazine write all the stories under different names thus rejecting everyone else.
I thought no way but then you never know, maybe they write most of them.
I have read some stories in their publication I thought were poor but thats just my thoughts.
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 05:41 PM
Someone once said that the two sisters that own or edit(or both) the magazine write all the stories under different names thus rejecting everyone else.
I thought no way but then you never know, maybe they write most of them.
I have read some stories in their publication I thought were poor but thats just my thoughts.
That's probably the strangest thing I've ever heard, and it would be a huge surprise to all the writers I know who have been published by Glimmer Train. Especially all the famous writers published by Glimmer Train.
No, the sisters do not write any of the stories under pseudonyms. Not only would this be silly and self-defeating, it would be far too easy to check. For that matter, all the writers who have appeared in Glimmer Train are not only real, you can easily check on almost all of them.
I suspect whoever came up with this notion was simply a person who couldn't write well enough to make the cut.
Kate Thornton
07-07-2006, 05:44 PM
I have never known anyone who was accepted by Glimmer Train. I have been writing for a long time & know a lot of writers well enough to have asked about Glimmer Train. I submitted to them several years ago (well, ten, time flies) so I too belong to the "Wreck".
That said, they really *do* publish stories by real people sometimes - 'Telemetry' by Matt Bondurant was in the Sept 2005 issue. He's a real person!
They have very strict acceptance standards and do not smile on genre fiction. They are strictly a lit mag from what I can tell by reading the issues. I think if I had a very high quality lit story, I would first shop it to The New Yorker or Atlantic, though, then to Glimmer Train - just my opinion, and since I write genre, it's not likely that I will have anything for any of those venues!
The two ladies who own the magazine, Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda Swanson-Davies, began the venture in 1990 and are indeed sisters. They do not write the stories themselves - you can google their authors for info. But they do have a very specific (dare I say narrow?) idea of what they want. Literary fiction is not always everyone's cup of tea.
They get a lot of submissions - and I think one or two or ten rejections shouldn't stop anyone from submitting - their response time is good, the pay is good, and who knows? You might get in!
Kate Thornton
07-07-2006, 05:47 PM
I suspect whoever came up with this notion was simply a person who couldn't write well enough to make the cut.
LOL! Yes, I agree!
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 06:24 PM
I have never known anyone who was accepted by Glimmer Train. I have been writing for a long time & know a lot of writers well enough to have asked about Glimmer Train. I submitted to them several years ago (well, ten, time flies) so I too belong to the "Wreck".
That said, they really *do* publish stories by real people sometimes - 'Telemetry' by Matt Bondurant was in the Sept 2005 issue. He's a real person!
They have very strict acceptance standards and do not smile on genre fiction. They are strictly a lit mag from what I can tell by reading the issues. I think if I had a very high quality lit story, I would first shop it to The New Yorker or Atlantic, though, then to Glimmer Train - just my opinion, and since I write genre, it's not likely that I will have anything for any of those venues!
The two ladies who own the magazine, Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda Swanson-Davies, began the venture in 1990 and are indeed sisters. They do not write the stories themselves - you can google their authors for info. But they do have a very specific (dare I say narrow?) idea of what they want. Literary fiction is not always everyone's cup of tea.
They get a lot of submissions - and I think one or two or ten rejections shouldn't stop anyone from submitting - their response time is good, the pay is good, and who knows? You might get in!
They do want only literary fiction, but from what I've been told, it's unbelievable how many writers submit genre fiction. Definitely not a way to get accepted.
PeeDee
07-07-2006, 07:16 PM
They do want only literary fiction, but from what I've been told, it's unbelievable how many writers submit genre fiction. Definitely not a way to get accepted.
Which is really a tragedy, because I adore GlimmerTrain, but I veer into genre too often to think they would be interested in me.
clintl
07-07-2006, 07:27 PM
They do want only literary fiction, but from what I've been told, it's unbelievable how many writers submit genre fiction. Definitely not a way to get accepted.
The listing in Ralan's market list might be to blame for that:
http://www.ralan.com/
GLIMMER TRAIN STORIES (http://www.glimmertrain.com/writguid1.html) - quarterly print; LITERARY genre work considered (from the horses' mouth) (fic). Pay: $700/story. Words: <12k. RT: 12 weeks. Reprints: No. E-subs: online form only (http://www.ralan.com/sfpro/listings/info/glimmertrain.htm). Linda Burmeister Davies & Susan Burmeister-Brown, Editors (Q).
Reading Periods: Jan, Apr, Jul, & Oct (Monday postmark OK for Sunday deadline)
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 07:42 PM
The listing in Ralan's market list might be to blame for that:
http://www.ralan.com/
I suspect the Ralan listing does give many writers the wrong idea about what Glimmer Train wants. Don't we all believe our writing is good enough to be called "literary."
JonMoeller
07-07-2006, 07:57 PM
Been rejected by Glimmer a few times myself. Seems like a nice operation, but I'm not cut out to do literary fic. I'll start writing about the priest struggling with atheism or whatever, and then two paragraphs later, the brain-eating mutant zombies show up.
argenianpoet
07-07-2006, 08:19 PM
I submitted once and waited almost four months for a lousy rejection letter; that's a long time to wait for a rejection. Of course, I don't know if they considered my story "literary". Just what in the heck is literary any way? That has always confused me for some reason!
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 08:46 PM
I submitted once and waited almost four months for a lousy rejection letter; that's a long time to wait for a rejection. Of course, I don't know if they considered my story "literary". Just what in the heck is literary any way? That has always confused me for some reason!
My favorite definition of "literary" fiction is "Ordinary people facing ordinary problems."
I'd also suggest reading literary writers such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Raymond Carver, etc.
But there's only one way to know what the editors at Glimmer Train. or any other specific magazine, consider literary fiction, and that's by reading the stories they buy. Expecting to sell to a magazine without reading several issues is just not a smart move.
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 08:47 PM
I submitted once and waited almost four months for a lousy rejection letter; that's a long time to wait for a rejection. Of course, I don't know if they considered my story "literary". Just what in the heck is literary any way? That has always confused me for some reason!
Four months isn't very long at all. Not too far from average. Especially if someone at a magazine likes your story.
PeeDee
07-07-2006, 08:55 PM
Publishing aside, I recommend GlimmerTrain magazine. It's a good read anyway. I still prefer Asimov and Analog and their ilk, but that's just how I'm wired. I happily read GlimmerTrain now and again.
nevada
07-07-2006, 08:56 PM
Four months is nothing. I once waited one year, yes that's right, twelve months for a rejection. Swore I never would submit to them again then turned around and did anyway. Never submitted to Glimmer yet. That's next on my list.
Lee_OC
07-07-2006, 09:22 PM
I submitted to Glimmer Train and received a rejection letter in 2 months.
Siddow
07-07-2006, 09:44 PM
I've got two Glimmer Train rejections! Woot!
My favorite definition for literary fiction is a story where nothing much happens, and the ending is ambiguous.
Ah, Siddow, the best of it is when universal things happen, and endings are able to sweat out some answer to those universal happenings.
Dollywagon
07-07-2006, 10:15 PM
Glimmer Trains rejections give a maximum of 12 weeks.
I waited 10.5 for mine.
The submissions guidelines that they link you to, are worth both the submission and rejection though;)
True stuff, Dollywagon. They hand-feed you as to what they're looking for. They even give a detailed explanation of what they feel is published or unpublished material. Would that all pubs were that generous.
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 10:36 PM
I've got two Glimmer Train rejections! Woot!
My favorite definition for literary fiction is a story where nothing much happens, and the ending is ambiguous.
I lot of people seem to have this definition. It makes writing literary fiction that sells almost impossible.
Jamesaritchie
07-07-2006, 10:37 PM
True stuff, Dollywagon. They hand-feed you as to what they're looking for. They even give a detailed explanation of what they feel is published or unpublished material. Would that all pubs were that generous.
But you still have to read the stories, if you want to have a real chance of selling to them.
I've got two Glimmer Train rejections! Woot!
My favorite definition for literary fiction is a story where nothing much happens, and the ending is ambiguous.
And mine is Writing that Takes Itself Much too Seriously to Be Enjoyed...:tongue
:D:D:D
Jamesaritchie
07-08-2006, 01:11 AM
And mine is Writing that Takes Itself Much too Seriously to Be Enjoyed...:tongue
:D:D:D
I wouldn't give a penny for any writing that doesn't take itself seriously, no matter what the genre.
Kate Thornton
07-08-2006, 01:49 AM
And mine is Writing that Takes Itself Much too Seriously to Be Enjoyed...:tongue
:D:D:D
Lots of Literary fiction is very enjoyable - I know there is that whole depressing school of fiction where it is always raining and there is enough introspection to make one want to retch, but there is also lit fic that is uplifting, fun, funny, enjoyable and still very well-written, written by a writer who takes the craft seriously. I love reading the fiction in The New Yorker. I look forward to their annual fiction issue.
If it isn't well-written by a writer taking the craft seriously, no matter what the subject or genre - then it has no chance of being enjoyable to read (or saleable I would think.)
Kate Thornton
07-08-2006, 01:55 AM
I just thought of a book I think is good literary fiction - a story of love, romance, rock & roll and death:
The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie
It's one of my favorite contemporary books.
James and Kate:
LOL.
It was said tongue in cheek, folks :tongue
:D:D:D
Hmm, the tongue should press againt the cheek so all would see the protrusion. I missed it.
Hmm, the tongue should press againt the cheek so all would see the protrusion. I missed it.
:tongue
See?
:D:D:D
Penguin Queen
07-08-2006, 02:55 AM
Jamesaritchie
My favorite definition of "literary" fiction is "Ordinary people facing ordinary problems."
<...> My favorite definition for literary fiction is a story where nothing much happens, and the ending is ambiguous.
I dunno. I write literary fiction (I dont know how to do any other kind.. I'm eaaaarnest :tongue) and all sorts of things happen, a woman is created from spinach by the light of a full moon, a whip turns into snakes and a stick into a cormorant, a woman lives for a thousand years as a ghost & then comes back to life, and another one falls in love with an octopus. (This is not all the same story.
Sadly.)
Mind you, most of them do have ambiguous endings though.
;)
Edit: Oh yes, and what I meant to say.. Ive got a couple of Glimmer Train rejections. They were pretty quick off the mark as I recall... three weeks or so.
Siddow
07-08-2006, 04:26 AM
I try to write literary fiction. Apparently Glimmer Train doesn't think so. But I'll keep trying, and they can keep on telling me what a good read it was! So encouraging, so darned encouraging. I wonder if they'll ever switch to "It was NOT a good read." Maybe after twenty rejections? :-)
billyf027
07-08-2006, 05:18 AM
We must both be good wirters. I had two rejections they said were good reads!
lol
argenianpoet
07-16-2006, 09:03 AM
Four months isn't very long at all. Not too far from average. Especially if someone at a magazine likes your story.
What are you saying: that four months mean they actually considered my short story, but rejected it at the end? Would this in turn mean that rejections are sent to the author faster if they really don't like the work? Just curious...
badducky
07-16-2006, 09:10 AM
I've been getting rejected by them for nigh on three years now.
I figured I'd take a short break, and come at them with this thing I'm working on about baboons...
Nothing can be more literary than creatures that fling poo, if I have anything to say about it.
argenianpoet
07-16-2006, 09:12 AM
My favorite definition of "literary" fiction is "Ordinary people facing ordinary problems."
I'd also suggest reading literary writers such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Raymond Carver, etc.
But there's only one way to know what the editors at Glimmer Train. or any other specific magazine, consider literary fiction, and that's by reading the stories they buy. Expecting to sell to a magazine without reading several issues is just not a smart move.
I agree with you one-hundred percent, although I guess that's always been my downfall; not reading the magazines I send my stories off to. But then again, those magazines are not sold where I live, so that is one reason I have not read them. Can't win for losing...guess that just means I'll have to try harder. Although, I don't want to have to subscribe to a bunch of these magazines just to read them, and I am pretty sure that the public library where I live does not have these magazines either. The college*laugh*is a small community college the locals call Harvard on the Hill and I doubt it will be of much help either, but I will check. Thanks.
badducky
07-16-2006, 11:56 AM
poo flinging is an ordinary problem if you happen to live near baboons.
'Glimmer Train', like most literary magazines sells back issues from the website.
Buy a couple and they'll arrive at your door.
It's 38.9 degrees C and I'm feeling tetchy. Please don't complain about not being able to get hold of American literary magazines when they have websites and sell back issues from them.
Home is NZ. I'm in Japan. I can get back issues of any magazine I want sent to my post box wherever I am. So can you.
argenianpoet
07-17-2006, 09:08 PM
I've been getting rejected by them for nigh on three years now.
I figured I'd take a short break, and come at them with this thing I'm working on about baboons...
Nothing can be more literary than creatures that fling poo, if I have anything to say about it.
LOL! That's funny!
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