Acceptance Process
Upon receipt, every submission to Chatterbox! is automatically sorted and assigned into 1 of 3 head editors’ folders. These assignments are split according to workload, rather than content.
This initial editor serves as a first reader. They will vote “yes," “maybe,” or “no” on the submission. “Yeses” and “maybes” move to the next round and are assigned to the two remaining editors for review. The piece is then discussed at a biweekly staff meeting, where all three editors share their perspectives and reading experiences.
Pieces that receive unianimous “yes” votes, or two “yeses” and one “maybe” in the second round are slated for acceptance as soon as possible.
We do it this way for a few reasons:
1) To ensure every contributor & every piece knows they have the full support of our editorial team prior to publication.
2) To ensure each submissions receives individualized time, care, and attention.
3) To ensure the tone and mission of Chatterbox! remains editorially cohesive.
After acceptance:
One editor will become the point person. The point person is typically the editor who had the strongest connection with the accepted piece.
The point person will share the contract with Author, arrange a time to conduct the corresponding interview, and work closely with the Author to address any global or line-level edits (see our Editorial Process statement below).
The remaining two editors serve as final proofreaders for all transcribed and edited materails.
The final piece and interview will be published on the site and shared across our social media platforms on Instagram & Bluesky.
Editorial Process
Chatterbox! editors approach revision as a highly collaborative process.
Each piece requires a highly individualized approach; no two editorial experiences will be the same. We start the revision process from a top-down angle, focusing on globally applicable edits, structural adjustments, and character suggestions.
From there, we focus on rendering, synthesizing, and expanding on individual beats. Sentence-level edits, polishing punctuation, and tense consistency will be the final checks.
The Author reserves the right to decline any and all comments and/or suggestions on their piece—Chatterbox! editors are only here to sharpen the story, never to mold it to our own vision.
Stylistically, Chatterbox! follows Chicago Manual Style, but will happily bend the rules to serve the story in the case its form or voice demands it.
Interview Process
Chatterbox! editors hope to understand the heart of every narrative before providing substantive comment on the draft.
That said, we prefer to interview authors prior to the revision stage, so we may better learn the core intentions of the piece.
Interviews may be conducted via Zoom or asynchronously, determined by the Author’s preferences. Interview drafts will be shared with the Author for review prior to publication.
The conversation will cover a range of topics, including but limited to: craft, inspiration, practice, and close-reading questions about the accepted piece.