FAQ
What all should I include in the cover letter for my submission?
The bare basics are all we ask for: your name, the name of your piece. Trigger warnings, if applicable, are appreciated.
The rest we leave to your discretion. We’re not picky!
Optionally, we always appreciate a shout out to a piece that appeared in Chatterbox that made you want to submit and/or resonated with you.
I’ve made some revisions to my recent submission and would like to resubmit. What should I do?
Please reply to the original chain email letting us know you’d like to resubmit. If we haven’t begun reading your piece yet, we’ll be happy to read the updated version.
If it’s already in process, we will respectfully decline and continue reading the original version. If your changes are substantial, please withdraw and resubmit your piece, at which point the review process will start over.
Can I include multiple small submissions in a packet to meet your length requirements?
Please only send one piece at a time, 4,000 to 10,000 words—we cannot accommodate multiple smaller submissions to meet this range.
Since the submissions we receive are inherently on the longer side, we want to ensure each one the time and attention it deserves. This methodology allows us to accomplish that!
Do you offer expedited submissions?
Not at this time, sorry! Though we do aim to get back to submitters within 60 days.
If you haven’t heard back from us within 90 days, and are wondering what gives, please query us by replying to your original email submission and we will get back to you ASAP.
Do you accept work that’s been posted on social media/blogs ?
Sorry, we don’t. Chatterbox! asks for First North American Serial Rights, which means we retain the right to publish your piece first.
Upon publication, all rights revert back to you, at which point you’re more than welcome to re-publish the piece on social media or your private blog (though we would appreciate if you noted that it appeared in Chatterbox! originally).
How do rights work for the interview portion?
Because the companion author interviews are conducted, drafted, and edited by Chatterbox! editors, interview rights remain with us.
However, we encourage authors to share, re-publish, and circulate their interviews widely!
Do you consider poetry, art, or nonfiction?
Currently, we only consider fiction. That said, we have high hopes to expand our genre considerations & our masthead in the future.
Do you consider fiction with multiple authors?
Yes! Our inaugural story is a co-authored piece; we’d be happy to consider work with multiple authors. Team work makes the dream work, as they say.
Do you consider work in translation?
While we don’t seek it out explicitly, we’re open to translated works, so long as the translator can provide evidence of the original author’s consent (where applicable).