MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS

Thank you for your interest in Stanchion Books.

Chapbook Submission Guidelines
Stanchion is currently closed for prose (short stories, flash fiction, essays, prose poems, hybrid) and poetry chapbook submissions. I hope to begin working on full length books in due time.

• Chapbook manuscripts should be between 30-70 pages (A5 page size), not including title page, pages intentionally left blank, etc.

   

• Only full chapbook manuscripts will be accepted.

   

• Each author may submit one chapbook manuscript per reading period. 

   

• All manuscripts should be presented in Times New Roman, size 12 font, formatted as a PDF,

  submitted via email, and titled: YOUR LAST NAME_TITLE OF CHAPBOOK.pdf

   

• Please include a brief bio with your submission. We'll be working together so I'd love to get to know you, where you're from, what you love, etc.\

• A title page with your name, genre, and page count, and a table of contents is required. Please also include an acknowledgements page, if applicable.

   

• Individual pieces (poems, prose, etc) may have been previously published, but at least 2/3-ish of the total manuscript must be unpublished.

   

• Simultaneous submissions are cool. If selected for publication by Stanchion, please immediately pull your submission from other presses. Conversely, if your manuscript is selected by another publisher, please let me know straightaway. Also, congrats on that!

   

• Finally, no bigotry, racist, homophobic, or misogynistic content, as well as any abuse, rape, or gratuitous violence toward women, children or animals will be tolerated or considered.

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What Stanchion Books is Looking For Right Now

Submissions are currently closed, but when open again, Stanchion will be reading novellas, collections of short stories, flash fiction, poetry, essays, or a hybrid mix of writing. All genres will be considered, as will novellas. A narrative arc or a throughline on a collection isn’t required, but I sure do love a well and cleverly told story.

The Financial Stuff
Stanchion believes in transparency and fairness, and thoughtfulness and kindness at every turn. I want to work with authors who understand, appreciate and reciprocate these values.

Here’s how publishing your chapbook/book with Stanchion will work, from a financial standpoint:

• No submission fees.

   

• Stanchion authors will receive a lump sum payment of $200 for the initial press run of 100 copies of their book, paid upon publication via PayPal. For each additional press run of 100 copies, the author will receive additional payments, escalating in $50 increments. For example, the 2nd printing nets the author $250, the 3rd $300, and so on, capping at $400. This is in lieu of royalties (which are an administrative nightmare). See below for a table outlining all of this.

   

• Authors receive 15 free copies of their book for every press run of 100.

   

• The above two points mean that the more books we sell together, the more money you will make and more free copies of your book you will receive to hand-sell at readings, in your community, at local bookstores, etc. It probably goes without saying, but the money you make from personally selling your own book is your money completely.

   

• While the book is still in print through Stanchion, authors are not permitted to make their books available for sale online through their own websites, blogs, etc unless they are sold as 'signed copies' thus making them a different product than Stanchion is selling. All other online orders must be directed to StanchionZine.com or other online retailers where Stanchion has decided to make them available (such as Amazon, Etsy, etc). This benefits both of us, because the goal is to get into multiple printings and get you paid more.

   

• Each book Stanchion publishes will also be made available as a PDF/in an e-reader format. 100% of the proceeds from these digital sales stay with Stanchion, to help fund additional printings, promotions, mailings for blurbs/reviews, etc.

   

• All Stanchion chapbooks will have a full-color color cover with black and white interior pages, and be either staple or perfect bound, depending on size. Stanchion and the author will work together on cover design ideas/aesthetics, and the author will be asked to sign off on the final cover art.

   

• Stanchion and the author may each choose to terminate the contract at any point, with cause. At that time, no additional copies of the book will be printed, but the remaining stock will continue to be for sale, and Stanchion retains digital rights to continue selling the PDF/e-reader version for 12 months following the date of termination.

   

• Finally, I will only seek to publish authors who are eager to form a working relationship (because selling literature is hard work), and who are kind & thoughtful people willing to graft (informal British usage of the word) alongside me to sell their book. I'll be all in on your book, to get it into as many hands & places as possible. I need you to be right there too.

   

As with the magazine, Stanchion Books is a safe, open place to submit your writing. No matter where you're from, what you look like, or who you love, you're welcome to become a part of the Stanchion family. 

Thank you for considering this burgeoning press a worthy home for your writing.

I tried to be thorough here, but it’s likely that I’ve missed something. If you have any additional questions, please reach out.

-- Jeff Bogle, Stanchion Founder & Editor-in-Chief