submission guidelines
Please read our guidelines plus FAQs carefully and scroll down before proceeding to our Submittable page's surf button below. You can submit from anywhere in the world. Watch our video as well covering the guidelines on our submissions bucket page. We typically extend deadlines if we do not hit our open window caps. We DO NOT accept submissions via e-mail for our designated sub-section; we only use Submittable. We do permit simultaneous submissions.
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FAQ
How are submissions reviewed?
Your submission undergoes multiple team rounds of blind reading (essentially you must get through three levels). We do concealed reads on our initial reading team levels 1 & 2 to ensure fairness. Your cover letter and name are concealed in all categories, excluding interviews, photography, and audio submissions. Only until the final round does our editorial staff reveal your cover letter or ask for your bio confirmation upon acceptance. You can choose our TOMORROW PEOPLE TICKET OPTION to skip the line and have an editor provide a 1-2 week decision.
How many times can I submit?
Unlimited now per year unless specified by the editor and only initial 1st time submissions are free on about 50% of subcategories except for our feedback option, chapbooks, and now online tank. Send your best, experimental or even declined writes too! Have fun! You can submit unthemed writes to the general bucket too which allows up to three poems whereas other categories and challenges require only one poem for review at a time. Note: We do not consider social media or personal space shares as previously published at this time, however, it mustn't be poetry that has already been featured through a non-personal channel e.g. another community hub account, literary journal, press, or magazine and we advise you pull it down in advance, especially if submitting to one of our featured publication mailing lists.
When will I hear back and do you charge reader fees?
We may close a bucket depending on the number of submissions received at any time and hope to establish a regular submission schedule in the future. Our turnaround time varies for review and we do our best to respond sometimes at least within 3-4 months currently due to life events. Anything outside of this time or 60-120 max days, assume it was not accepted in the rare event that you don't see a message from us, however, WE DO send acceptance and rejection or decision letters back to everyone though via Submittable but sometimes messages are missed or end up elsewhere so always check your Submittable sub status box and account directly too to see the progress status. Do inform us if your work is accepted elsewhere. The first time to submit to our print issues, most challenges, Substack is free along with 50% of categories as of OCTOBER 2024 no longer over 80%. 2nd time or more submissions for certain categories as specified on our Submittable forms incur a $5-8 cost, the $8-20+ audio feedback fees are non-refundable. Photo and art donations incur no sub fees. At times we enable our expedited TOMORROW PEOPLE ticket review option where you''ll receive a SPEEDRACER decision within 1-2 weeks from our editor. Contests are $5-$14 per entry. We do have fees waived for disabled writers on the chapbook series and few other categories—please choose the appropriate checkbox for this.
What else should I include?
Your preferred publication name, your social media handles Twitter, Instagram, and your profile photograph to accompany your poem or feature in the magazine. If you’re the author of a poetry book or collections, do share. Going forwards please keep identifying information off of your document name and work content as we try to align with blind/concealed reading practices or it will be declined. There are some submission types such as interviews and spoken word which are not blind reads of course. We only ask for a photo after acceptance and its optional. If you don’t wish to provide a photo of yourself, then a photo of a pet, shoes, a fave thing in nature or some other personal fun photo would suffice too. 2-3 photos to choose from. We typically only put photos in print issues, but VFORROW will sometimes integrate them at times
Please keep it PG-13. Images and poetry that promote violence or may appear to be attacking in nature shall not be accepted.
Provide a 5-8 sentence bio, ideally 5 sentences.
What about publication rights?
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You retain rights to your work and we just ask that you mention or credit Dipity Literary Magazine or Dipity Press as the first publication place in any future reshares.
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Do you pay writers, and how can I support further?
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At this time, we cannot pay writers due to no significant funding, but we would love to work towards doing so in the future. We typically pay artists up to $100-$200 for chapbook cover art and up to $30-$75 for interior chapbook art, depending upon sales of the previous chapbook, and our budget, so it can vary or often be much lower. We cannot put interior art in all chapbooks. Also, we award in some challenges, such as the revamped Surf Rock Poetry Prize, $50 for our favorite accepted poem in a round. For our single spoken word releases, we do not pay royalty checks out, and you agree that any streams royalties go towards helping keep dipity operations up and running. Royalties sadly are pretty minimal nowadays since distributors take most away from artists that's why we offer publication as a form of payment and facilitate donation button options akin to fellow small presses for some categories, such as chapbooks, where 5 print copies are delivered to the author. Again, you retain 100% ownership of your words and work, though always that is absolutely important. You can also donate in the menu of our site to help support dipity's future growth goals. All fees and issue purchases help alleviate maintenance costs and assist with future publication projects such as our chapbook series.
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Where can I purchase print versions of the magazine?
We use a company similar to MagCloud. We distribute our physical print issues to Amazon, Barnes & Noble. Abes Books, Thriftbooks, Target.com, and a few other major online bookstores. You can purchase a digital subscription out on Cafeyn (choosing the region or country closest to you) via web or their mobile app. We cannot mail deliver a physical magazine copy to all contributors at this time either, but you may order additional copies online via bookstores or directly through our website. We also give a deep discounted link to contributors, previews upon request, and discount codes. Additionally, Dipity Lit Mag with your permission may choose to publish writes online only under the featured web archival online features tank section instead if not selected for print. All online publications are eligible to be placed potentially in print one day and we'll inform you if that's ever done as we startup a spin-off additional B&W version in the future.
What is your reader circulation?
We're growing slowly each year. While we have print issues available through various online bookstores such as Amazon, B&N, and another version on our website, our issues are available digitally through the Cafeyn web + mobile app catalog subscription platform. We are gradually growing our distribution partners list.
If my chapbook is accepted can I resell it?
You are permitted to resell just print and signed author physical versions of your publications—we can only provide 5 physical copies as payment. Our micro series does not have international shipping, unlike our mid to full-length series at this time, besides digital versions, but we are able to send copies to authors internationally. You may not mass distribute digital versions out to others—please honor one digital download per person. We have licensing and usage agreements between each artist we work with and cannot transfer the artwork for your own usage or publication outside of dipity.
What are the guidelines for mid to full-length dipity.press chapbooks?
We accept mid to full-length chapbooks and now micro-chapbooks (PLEASE see the guidelines for micro-chapbooks at the VERY bottom as they differ) Multiple chapbook submission entries are permitted in each window.
Your mid to full-length chapbook(s) must be themed or have a distinct singular focus e.g. flower species, birds, movies, love, heartbreak, queer love, food, grief, environmental impact, horror, sci-fi. Please leave your name off of the document file name and DO NOT include it inside the document anywhere. Each chapbook submission must contain a minimum of 21 to 24 poems and must be at least 30 pages IN TOTAL including a title page, author page 5-8 sentences in third person (only after acceptance) leave it blank with BIO PAGE HERE, description, and table of contents, an acknowledgments page; in a Word.doc. Each on their own page is preferred. We are no longer able to publish chapbooks with interiors under 30 pages. We'll resize the font and style so no worries, but ensure we can read the font e.g. Times New Roman. Please only put your cover letter and chapbook description(s) in the Submittable form box (it is concealed from our reading team).
REMINDER NO previously published poems (we want to see completely new poems). Read our Submit FAQ page too. Each poem should fit on one page, but if you must continue, indicate within the title e.g. cont'd. We'd prefer again to see each poem fit on one page so 24 poems would be typically ideal if you're not using sections to add pages too etc.
We DO NOT accept Ai generated writing.
REMEMBER that our chapbooks will not be 8.5 x 11 and closer to approximately an A5 (5.2 x 7.8) saddle stitch booklet so your poems must fit this much smaller A5 page size therefore within or way under 30 lines single-spaced including line breaks would be ideal.
While you can submit your poems on an 8.5 x 11 Word.doc, chapbook submissions that consist of poetry that fits the size limitations will only be considered. We will choose the font style and standard size for it so no worries there.
All submission processing and reading fees are non-refundable. If you make a submission mistake we can open it for editing just message us through Submittable.
You are permitted to have sections in your chapbook [single title pages named] such as part 1 [title] and part 2 [title], and part 3 [title] as well.
EXAMPLE LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS
Page 1. [Chapbook no. Page For Us ]
Page 2. Title Page - Title Only [Do NOT Include Your Name]
Page 3. Description of Chapbook Here [Leave Blank]
Page 4. Author About Page - Third Person [Leave Blank We'll Ask for this After or You Should Input it in Your Submittable Cover Letter Form Section Instead ] Followed by Your Chapbook Title(s) or About Collection Description(s)
Page 5 leave blank - dipity press + author copyright pages
Page 6. Acknowledgments or Dedications Page
Page 7. Table of Contents
Pages 8 - 30 [ For 21+ Poems Minimum + [Preferably A Miminum [30 Required Pages] At Least Which Includes the other intro pages] Each poem must be titled.
Page 31 - Leave Blank For Us OR You're welcome to create a playlist of songs on this page (meaning pair one song to each poem in order of appearance that you feel represents the vibe of that poem). You can share it with us via Spotify or YT playlist you create if that's easier than typing.
We will choose one or more chapbook manuscripts for each open window. The winner(s) for these will receive:
5 chapbook print copies minimum and publication as payment instead within a year. Acceptance decisions are made on average in about 60-180 days or within about 3-6 months max after your submission or ASAP. We CANNOT provide cash award amounts at this time for our chapbooks but may in the future if enough submission interest is generated or seen for dipity. press's existence may be able to.. Royalties nowadays are quite tough to maintain for small presses therefore we believe a donation-based page to support each accepted poet's chapbook would be better suited along with other forms of payment e.g. physical copies as payment. As time goes on, Dipity Press may be able to facilitate cash prizes and bump up the number of physical print copies.
Print bookstore listings at a minimum + digital eBook or PDF listing.
You retain 100% rights to your work and can include these poems in new or future publications and all that we ask is that you acknowledge Dipity Press as the first publication appearance (optional but preferred) followed by the year.
You will receive a signage agreement over these terms if selected. Those selected will get a direct donate button for your chapbook on our website [ we are creating a new donate to poet chapbook page space to direct traffic towards to support poets further long-term]. Readers and visitors of the Dipity Press chapbooks series will be able to donate to you.
This is open to poets of all ages and international and we are not accepting translations at this time. Whether or not we integrate art into a chapbook depends upon funding from the previous in the series.
Each initial chapbook fee for both series is now $18 with the option of submitting another manuscript e.g. 3 for additional smaller fee ranging $2-$4. Fees def suck and we hope to eliminate them one day and increase the amount of print copies to authors in our series. All sub fees and purchases of your chapbook go towards helping maintain dipity, supporting the artists we work wih, fund contests, and future literary arts community publication projects or initiatives such as saving towards paying writers, promoting work, website maintenance fees, and our operation expenses since we do not have any significant funding or support at this time.
Each accepted chapbook will receive a cover design by an artist which will be either collage-based, photography, or illustrative. We will pick your cover art. Selected chapbooks receive promotion through the shared dipitylitmag and press social media channels such as Threads etc. and our Substack. You're welcome to share through our podcasts and audio streaming channels too if you let us know (optional).
The dipity. press chapbook subs will be judged by Jazz Marie (VFORROW) and volunteer staff readers will aid in eliminating any chapbooks that do not comply with guidelines or are not what we were looking for etc.
We may close this window early in the event of reaching caps or an extremely high submission volume OR may extend it if there are not enough subs in each window. Thank you so much in advance for considering us as a home for your work!
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What are the guidelines for dipity.press micro-chapbooks?
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Similar to the above, but a few differences in terms of # of poems and where others can read it.​
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Multiple chapbook submission entries are permitted in each window. Your micro-chapbook(s) must be themed or have a distinct singular focus e.g. flower species, birds, movies, love, heartbreak, queer love, food, grief, environmental impact, horror, or sci-fi. Please leave your name off of the document file name and DO NOT include it inside the document anywhere.
Each micro-chapbook submission must contain ONLY 11 poems and include a title page, author page 5-8 sentences in third person (only after acceptance) leave it blank with BIO PAGE HERE, a description, and table of contents, an acknowledgments page; in a Word.doc. We'll resize the font and style so no worries, but ensure we can read the font e.g. Times New Roman. Please only put your cover letter and chapbook description(s) in the Submittable form box (it is concealed from our reading team levels).
REMINDER NO previously published poems (we want to see completely new poems). All poems must be titled. Read our Submit FAQ page too. Each poem should fit on one page.
We DO NOT accept Ai generated writing.
REMEMBER that our chapbooks will not be 8.5 x 11 and closer to approximately an A5 (5.2 x 7.8) saddle stitch booklet so your poems must fit this much smaller A5 page size therefore within or way under 30 lines single-spaced including line breaks would be ideal.
While you can submit your poems on an 8.5 x 11 Word.doc, chapbook submissions that consist of poetry that fits the size limitations will only be considered. We will choose the font style and standard size for it so no worries there. ONE page per poem (do not carry a poem over to the next page).
All submission processing and reading fees are non-refundable. We do have fees waived on the micro-chapbook series for disabled writers—please choose the appropriate checkbox for this. If you make a submission mistake we can open it for editing just message us through Submittable.
EXAMPLE LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS [Note For Micro-Chapbooks The Intro Pages 1-5 May Be Condensed]
Page 1. [Chapbook no. Page For Us ]
Page 2. Title Page - Title Only [Do NOT Include Your Name]
Page 3. Description of Chapbook Here [Leave Blank]
Page 4. Author About Page - Third Person [Leave Blank We'll Ask for this After or You Should Input it in Your Submittable Cover Letter Form Section Instead ] Followed by Your Chapbook Title(s) or About Collection Description(s)
Page 5 leave blank - dipity press + author copyright pages
Page 6. Acknowledgments or Dedications Page
Page 7. Table of Contents
Pages 8 - 19 [ For 11 Poems]
Page 20 - Leave Blank For Us OR You're welcome to create a playlist of 11 songs on this page (meaning pair one song to each poem in order of appearance that you feel represents the vibe of that poem).
We will choose one or more micro-chapbook manuscripts for each open window. The winner(s) for these will receive:
5 micro-chapbook print copies at a minimum and publication as payment instead within approximately a year. Acceptance decisions are made on average in about 60-180 days or within about 3-6 months max after your submission or ASAP. We CANNOT provide cash award amounts at this time for our chapbooks but may in the future if enough submission interest is generated or seen for dipity. press's existence may be able to. Royalties nowadays are quite tough to maintain for small presses therefore we believe a donation-based page to support each accepted poet's chapbook would be better suited along with other forms of payment e.g. physical copies as payment. As time goes on, dipity. press may be able to facilitate cash prizes and bump up the number of physical print copies.
You'll receive a U.S. print link on our site (no international shipping at this time for our micro-chapbooks series to the public), but if you're located in outside of the U.S. we will ship you 5 copies and the micro-chapbook can be purchased via download in our Shack section as it'll become part of our digital series.
You retain 100% rights to your work and can include these poems in new or future publications and all that we ask is that you acknowledge dipity. press as the first publication appearance (optional but preferred) followed by the year.
You will receive a signage agreement over these terms if selected.
Those selected will get a direct donate button for your chapbook on our website under a new page Shortys similar to Chappies [ we are creating a new donate to poet chapbook page space to direct traffic towards to support poets further long-term]. Readers and visitors of the Dipity Press micro-chapbooks series can donate to you. They can also grab digital downloads of just our micros as others will predominantly digitally read the series.
This is open to poets of all ages and international and we are not accepting translations at this time. We do not integrate art into the interior in all micro-chapbooks at this time.
All sub fees and purchases of your chapbook go towards helping maintain dipity, supporting artists, fund contests, and future literary arts community publication projects or initiatives such as saving towards paying writers, promoting work, website maintenance fees, and our operation expenses since we do not have any significant funding or support at this time.
Each accepted micro-chapbook will receive a cover design by an artist or staff which will be either photography collage-based or illustrative. We will pick your cover art.
Selected chapbooks receive promotion through the shared dipitylitmag and press social media channels such as Threads etc. and our Substack. You're welcome to share through our podcast too if you let us know (optional).
The dipity. press micro-chapbook subs will be judged by Jazz Marie (VFORROW) and volunteer staff readers will aid in eliminating any micro-chapbooks that do not comply with guidelines or are not what we were looking for etc.
We may close this window early in the event of reaching caps or an extremely high submission volume OR may extend it if there are not enough subs in each window. Thank you so much in advance for considering us as a home for your work!
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