UPDATED 12/2/2019
The individual listings below are the chapbook publishers I found which do not charge submission fees, reading fees, or contest fees. Several are currently open or always open, which I’ve noted below.
Many chapbooks are published via contests and do typically require a fee from $10 – $25. Research each market thoroughly and make sure submitting is worth the fee. Many will provide prize money along with several copies of the chapbook for you to sell and otherwise promote your work.
My most recent chapbook Almost Famous was published by Yavanika Press, listed below. You can download it for free and read more about it here.
For information on putting together your chapbook file to print some yourself or to have them printed, click here.
To check out my online chapbooks, click here.
NO FEE Chapbook Publishers
Alabaster Leaves Publishing (Kelsay Books)
Notes: “We require half of the poems in the manuscript to have been published in magazines and journals. (Your own blog or self-published book does not count as being published.)”
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: “Kelsay Books is an independent literary press run by Karen Kelsay, an award winning poet, whose primary focus is to publish beautiful books in a timely manner. Four imprint companies have been established to accommodate a variety of published poets. We accept unsolicited chapbooks and full-length manuscripts year-round.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/7825/alabaster-leaves-publishing
Anvil Press
Notes: Canadian residents only, Postal submissions only
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Currently updating guidelines and will re-open in the coming weeks
About: “Anvil Press is a literary publisher interested in contemporary, progressive literature in all genres. We must stress that we are a small publisher, publishing 8 to 10 titles per year. In general, we are planning at least 12 months in advance and, at present, are only considering work by Canadian authors. We are not interested in seeing formulaic genre novels: Sci-Fi, Horror, Romance etc.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/1258
BatCat Press
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: Currently open until January 1, 2020
Notes: “BatCat Press was officially founded in 2009, led by managing editor Deanna [Mulye] Baringer and a staff of six intrepid high school students. With the support of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, BatCat Press has grown up and established itself as an independent publisher specializing in handmade limited editions of new works by both first time and established authors.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/4403
Damaged Goods Press
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Rolling
About: “Damaged Goods specializes in queer & trans poetry & flash fiction chapbooks. Our goal is simple: publish four (4) chapbooks a year that revolve around the beauty and terror of queer life. Damaged goods welcomes all gender variant writers. As long as you identify as queer or trans that’s cool–send your work this way.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/16814
Glass Poetry Press
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Re-opening in March 2020
About: “Glass Poetry Press is a micro-press in Toledo, Ohio that publishes poetry chapbooks. We also publish the online poetry journal, Glass: A Journal of Poetry. Our chapbooks are hand-bound and side stapled with full-color card stock covers. Each chapbook is assigned an ISBN. Initial print run is 100 copies and each chapbook will be kept in print as long as there is sufficient demand, to be determined by the press.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/19918
Grey Book Press
Notes: “Manuscripts should have between 16 and 24 pages of poems.”
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Last open first two weeks of November, check site for current reading periods.
About: “Grey Book Press publishes high-quality poetry in a lovably ramshackle way. In accordance with an unpredictable schedule and a near certainty that everything is temporary.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/13724/grey-book-press
Grey Borders Books
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: “Grey Borders Books is a Canadian literary publisher founded in 2002 and based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Starting with Grey Borders Magazine, we have created several imprints over the years including House of Gryhm, Silver Line Editions and Cubicle Press. From June 2011-2016, Grey Borders created and produced a region-wide festival called the Niagara Literary Arts Festival.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/22028/grey-borders-books
Hyacinth Girl Press
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: April – June
Notes: “Hyacinth Girl Press is a micro-press that publishes up to 6 poetry chapbooks each year. We specialize in handmade books of smaller press runs. We consider ourselves a feminist press and are particularly interested in manuscripts dealing with topics such as radical spiritual experiences, creation/interpretation of myth through a feminist lens, and science. We think outerspace, in particular, is pretty darn cool.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/5486
Inner City Stories Chapbook Series
Notes: Submissions are restricted to residents of Calgary.
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: A project of Loft on EIGHTH Press
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26279/inner-city-stories-chapbook-series
Interstellar Flight Press
Notes: “We only publish speculative genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Weird, Surrealism, or any combination of the above.”
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Sept. 15 – Jan. 1
About: “Welcome to Interstellar Flight Press, a new indie speculative publishing house. Our flight plan includes focusing on the most rare and beautiful of books and ideas. We want to feature innovative works from the best up and coming writers in science fiction and fantasy. ”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26409/interstellar-flight-press
Libretto Chapbook Series (LCS)
Notes: Chapbooks are published online.
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Dec. 1 – Feb. 29
About: “Welcome to Interstellar Flight Press, a new indie speculative publishing house. Our flight plan includes focusing on the most rare and beautiful of books and ideas. We want to feature innovative works from the best up and coming writers in science fiction and fantasy. ”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26409/interstellar-flight-press
Luminous Press
Notes: “Luminous Press subscribes to the same aesthetics as Firefly Magazine. However, it is made for longer works such as chapbooks and novellas.”
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: “Welcome to Interstellar Flight Press, a new indie speculative publishing house. Our flight plan includes focusing on the most rare and beautiful of books and ideas. We want to feature innovative works from the best up and coming writers in science fiction and fantasy. ”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/26409/interstellar-flight-press
Maverick Duck Press
Notes: No simultaneous submissions.
Reading Periods: Always open
Submission Fees: None
About: “Maverick Duck Press was founded in 2005 to help give a voice to undiscovered talent in poetry. We are a small chapbook press that publishes limited run, saddle stapled chapbooks. We look for fresh and cutting edge talent with an eye for detail and a powerful voice. Our books are available through this website and via readings from our poets. We do not have the ability to mass distribute like the big publishers, but we’d like to think that we are doing this for art’s sake.”
DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/1670
Newfound Emerging Poet Chapbook Series
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Dec. 1 – 31, 2019
About: “From December 1-31 only, Newfound accepts unsolicited chapbook-length manuscripts from poets who have not yet published a full-length book. Our open submission period aims to advance the careers of emerging writers by printing their work in beautiful, hand-bound editions. Submissions are open to finalists, but not winners of Newfound prizes. One chapbook is selected annually by Newfound staff.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/27719/emerging-poet-chapbook-series
Origami Poems
Notes: Microchaps, previously unpublished
Reading Periods: Jan 1 – Mar 15, May 1 – June 30, Sept 1 – Dec 31 (Closed April, July and August)
Submission Fees: None
Form: Specific format, read guidelines carefully and download their examples
Payment: “Upon acceptance we’ll post your book under your own Bio page. You’ll receive a packet of your Origami micro-chapbooks to read, share, or display on the tiniest of bookshelves.”
DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/7370
Platypus Press
Notes: “At this time, we only consider poetry manuscripts of 35+ pages.”
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: “Founded in 2015 by Michelle Tudor and Peter Barnfather, the press runs alongside our other project: wildness, an online literary journal.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/17774/platypus-press
Prolific Press
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always Open
About: “Although chapbooks are not typically treated the same as full offerings in the marketplace, Prolific Press does purchase and provide a unique ISBN and barcode. We make this investment to help ensure that our chapbooks can be collected and traded long after they are out of print, further preserving the voice of the writer.”
Payment: “Selected authors receive 10 copies and publication as payment for the short collection.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/16281
Rinky Dink Press
Notes: Microchaps, micropoems
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always open
About: “Rinky Dink Press is on a mission to get poetry back into the hands (and pockets) of the people – each of our single author collections can fit in your pocket, but we never sacrifice craft, and despite the tiny format, we refuse to sacrifice style. In short, we’re a microzine press that marries a DIY attitude with skilled poetics and fine-art aesthetics. POETRY: Submit thematically related micropoems (i.e. poems consisting of between 25 & 40 words). Poems can form a cohesive narrative or adhere loosely to a theme of your choosing. Most importantly, we privilege finely-crafted verse, conscientious in its intent. FYI, micropoems are not haiku.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/21001
Seven Kitchens Press
Notes: This press runs four separate chapbook prizes throughout the year. There are no fees to submit to any of them.
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods:
- Robin Becker Chapbook Prize – April 1 – May 15
- Keystone Chapbook Prize – June 1 – July 15
- ReBound Chapbook Series – August 1 – September 15
- Rane Arroyo Chapbook Prize – October 1 until November 15
About: “Our goal has always been to publish the very best poetry and prose we can find in carefully-edited, hand-trimmed & hand-tied chapbooks; to work in close collaboration with authors through the production process; and to present a wide aesthetic range from both established and emerging writers. We hope you’ll browse through our titles and discover writers that you can’t wait to read more of.”
Payment: “Each winning poet will receive 25 copies of their chapbook, which will be designed, printed, and hand-assembled by Seven Kitchens Press.”
Duotrope: Each prize is listed separately.
Sputnik & Fizzle
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: Dec. 1 – Jan. 15
Notes: “We will select three manuscripts for publication from poets at any stage of their careers. Handmade editions are limited to 120 signed and numbered copies, 50 of which will be reserved for the author. Chapbooks will be handbound and printed using a hybrid of digital/letterpress printing and each will include a letterpress edition of one of its poems.”
Underground Voices
Submissions Fees: None
Reading Periods: Always Open
Notes: “Can be a novel, a collection of shorts, a collection of poetry, or a novella. Poetry manuscripts must be a minimum of 65 pages and novella manuscripts must be a minimum of roughly 35,000 words. . . . We will be happy to publish e-books for works shorter than 35,000 words (chapbooks, 5-10 short story collections, etc).”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/13542
WordTech Communications
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods: May and June
About: “WordTech Communications LLC is one of the nation’s largest poetry publishers, bringing out approximately 50 titles per year. Our six imprints focus on lyric, narrative, formal, social, and experimental poetry.We strive to publish a wide variety of poetry that is diverse in style, subject and technique but is unified in its excellence.”
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/listing/1166/wordtech-communications
Yavanika Press
Notes: Publications are digital, see my interview with the press here.
Submission Fees: None
Reading Periods:
May 1 – June 30 for *Limited Edition* mini-chapbooks
July 1 – September 30 for ebooks
About: Chapbooks of Japanese short-forms, mixed genre, flash fiction, vignettes, short scenes/plays, hybrid forms, haibun, and works that resolutely defy categorization.
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Categories: Call for Submissions
