Not selected? Read me
Thank you for sharing your work with us. We read every submission we receive with care, and the quality of writing continues to be strikingly high. Selection is always a matter of fit rather than merit: each anthology issue develops its own inner character, and not every presented piece will belong to its particular shape. Although we aren’t able to provide individual feedback, we want to leave you with a few thoughts, resources, and possible next steps to help you continue developing your voice and to find the right home for your work.
Why we can’t offer individual feedback
Our editorial team is small. Throughout the process of reading, discussion, selection, editing, and producing each issue, we devote our time to ensuring that accepted work receives the careful attention publication deserves. Offering bespoke feedback on each non-selected piece would significantly slow this process and compromise the focus we owe to the writers we’re publishing.
Declining a piece is never a dismissal of talent. It simply means it didn’t align with the issue’s concept, mood, or balance of forms. Please don’t let this deter you from sending us new work in future cycles; each quarterly theme opens a different door.
Behind the scenes: how we select work
Each submission we receive contributes to the shape of the publication. The pieces we choose for an issue are those that most clearly embody our interests in the uncanny, the reflective, and the emotionally resonant. Our process is collaborative and careful, guided by respect for the time and thought each writer invests.
1. First read: voice and atmosphere
Our first reading is about presence. We look for writing that quickly establishes its world and tone – work that feels confident in how it wants to sound. In prose, we’re drawn to sentences with momentum and texture; in poetry, to rhythm and phrasing that serve meaning rather than embellishment. A clear, consistent voice usually signals that the writer has spent time shaping the work beyond the first draft.
2. Second read: structure and flow
Pieces that stand out move to a second, slower reading. Here, we look for cohesion – how effectively the structure supports the piece’s emotional or narrative development. Strong work doesn’t need to be perfect, but it should feel internally balanced: each paragraph or stanza contributing to the whole with intention.
3. Alignment with the issue theme
Each anthology issue develops its own editorial focus and tonal balance. A piece may be skilfully written but belong to a different conversation than the one the current anthology is having. When we describe something as “not a fit,” that usually means its style or perspective sits just outside the focus we aim to maintain for that publication cycle.
4. Editing potential
For shortlisted work, we consider how it will live alongside other pieces and whether light editorial shaping might strengthen it further. We rarely choose pieces that would require extensive rewriting, but openness to small revisions, or discussion about them, we always value.
5. Final curation
In the closing stage, we step back and look at balance: tone, length, form, theme, and diversity of perspective. Each anthology issue needs variation and rhythm, rather than repetition. Occasionally, we set a well-crafted piece aside because a similar one already meets that tonal or thematic need. Final selection is often about overall composition rather than any single judgment on quality.
A word for our writers
Every submission adds to the conversation we hope to foster. Whether or not your work appears in print, it plays a part in shaping our understanding of what contemporary writing can do. We’re genuinely appreciative of the care you invest, and we hope this glimpse into our process shows how seriously we take the trust of being allowed to read your work.
Next steps and submission resources
Revise and resubmit
Explore magazines whose tone or genre aligns with yours. Reading recent issues will help you gauge editorial preferences.
Join writing communities
Peer exchange builds confidence and sharpens craft. Consider joining:
Critique Circle (Opens Critique Circle, a free, structured peer-review platform with genre-specific groups.)
Scribophile (Opens Scribophile, a well-established online community for detailed manuscript workshops and feedback exchange.)
r/WritingPrompts (Opens Reddit’s Writing Prompts forum for creative exploration and exercises.)
r/HorrorWriting (Opens Reddit’s horror-writing space for discussion and critique.)
r/Poetry (Opens Reddit’s poetry community.)
Disboard (Opens Disboard, a searchable directory of Discord servers, including writing and literary groups.)
Monitor open calls and contests
Build a simple spreadsheet of submission windows to track opportunities. Try:
Chill Subs (Opens Chill Subs, an active database of literary magazines, including ours.)
Nightmare Magazine (Opens Nightmare Magazine, for dark fiction and horror.)
Duosuma (Opens Duosuma, Duotrope’s submission-manager board.)
Duotrope (Opens Duotrope, a comprehensive searchable database for magazines and presses, including ours.)
Submittable Discover (Opens Submittable Discover, for ongoing calls and competitions.)
Lit Mag News (Opens Lit Mag News, a curated newsletter of new opportunities and editorial insights.)
Keep a writing journal
Record where you’ve submitted, what you noticed, and how each experience felt. Over time, you’ll see a pattern emerging, helping you discern where your work fits best and what each round of editing contributes. You may also find that returning to GossamerWight across successive themes reveals something useful: how your voice responds to different imaginative pressures, and which kinds of darkness – or light – you are most drawn to explore.
Want a versatile electronic journal with passcode, biometric, and end-to-end encryption? Day One is a beautifully designed journaling app trusted by writers worldwide.
More tools for your writing practice
Proton Pass (Opens Proton Pass, a secure password manager in which to store your submission platform passwords.)
ProtonMail (Opens ProtonMail, an encrypted email service that enables the safe sending of messages and attachments.)
Proton VPN (Opens Proton VPN, enabling privacy-first browsing while you use submission and other sites.)
ProWriting Aid (Opens ProWritingAid, a comprehensive grammar and style assistant. Use our affiliate link to receive 20% off an annual plan.)
Stay connected
We’d love to see your work again.
Subscribe for prompt notice of open calls and other site features.
Join James Paxton Priestley’s subscriber chat (link below).
Socials: Follow us on Bluesky and LinkedIn. We also post curated content to Flipboard.
Future submissions: Each quarterly anthology has its own theme; what didn’t fit this time for you might be right for the next theme.
A final thought
Rejection is inseparable from the writing life. Every editorial ‘no’ simply helps to guide your work toward the space where it belongs. Keep submitting, refining, and experimenting, and know that your effort matters to the literary community we share.
With gratitude,
James, Denver, Toby… and Miggy!🐾