Porkbelly Press is an independent micro press based in Cincinnati, Ohio, specializing in handbound, small and open edition runs of chapbooks, micro chapbooks, zines, broadsides, and the literary magazine Sugared Water. Established in 2014, the non

Porkbelly Press is an independent micro press based in Cincinnati, Ohio, specializing in handbound, small and open edition runs of chapbooks, micro chapbooks, zines, broadsides, and the literary magazine Sugared Water. Established in 2014, the non-profit press is queer-friendly and feminist, welcoming works from writers across the identity spectrum. Their catalog favors literature and poetry leaning heavily toward fabulism, folklore, and magic, often featuring confessional or intimate poems and personal lyric essays. (porkbellypress.com) Porkbelly Press also publishes the body image zine Love Me, Love My Belly, an annual print zine dedicated to the acceptance of self and imperfection as beauty. (porkbellypress.com) The press operates on a curated catalog with open calls for submissions in January (chapbooks), July (micro chapbooks), and various times of the year for other projects such as broadsides, anthologies, zines, and literary magazines. (porkbellypress.com) Their mission is to create books that are a delight to read and hold, bound by hand using traditional bookbinding methods, favoring quality materials, lightfast inks, and heavy papers. (porkbellypress.com)

Porkbelly Press

POETRY MICRO CHAPBOOKS
Porkbelly Press seeks tiny manuscripts of poems, micro creative nonfiction, micro fictions, or hybrid texts from poets & writers around the world. We're reading offerings of 8 to 10 pages in manuscript format (multiple pieces or a one or two longer works), or 8 to 10 pages of micro-prose (no more than about 150 words each).
Submit no more than 1 chapbook per genre until you receive a reply. Simultaneous submissions considered. Reading submissions in courier typeface makes us very sad—it's difficult for our eyes. Please use Garamond or Times New Roman 12 point if you have either of those.
Pieces should be tightly linked in some way (theme, voice, image, place, etc), or some kind of exploratory arc. It should feel like a stand-alone cluster of work, even if it's part of a larger body. 


OPEN READING PERIOD
Submission period: July 1 - July 31.


We prefer free verse poems or prose poems, and will consider both lyric and narrative. We have a fondness for all kinds of work including confessional-style poetry. Each chapbook in our catalog (porkbellypress.com/poetry) features an excerpt on its catalog page. Browsing these is a great way to see what we like! 

If you're writing work set inside of a specific culture, please let us know whether or not you are a member of that culture.
Chapbook Editions
We'll produce each chapbook in an open or small edition—the exact format will be determined at press time. For samples of our work, please see the current catalog: porkbellypress.com. 
In addition to our regular size chaps, we'd like to offer these small works to introduce readers to a variety of poets and writers—a little  something to give folks a taste of your voice. We prefer that a piece or two be unpublished, but do not require it. The micro chap should not have already appeared in its entirety in a longer work. (Please don't send us a micro chap composed entirely of work from your already-published full length collection.)   


Requirements for Submission
8-10 pages of poetry, prose poetry, micro fiction, or micro creative nonfiction. .doc, .docx, .rtf formats accepted.
Short bio including blog or website link (if applicable) and links to any books or chaps currently available (so we can promote you).
Dedication & acknowledgements do not count against page total. Table of contents is not necessary.
Payment for Accepted Works  
10 copies of your micro chapbook (paper covers) or 3 if we do a sculptural  cover. (We've got bookbinders & artists on staff, and we like to leave ourselves open to inspiration.) Discount on author/poet copies (about 30% depending on production method/costs).

Very Important Note
If you find you've made a mistake with your submission, please request an edit rather than withdrawing & resubmitting. Our queue is limited & every submission takes up a space.

Micro Chapbook - Poetry

Porkbelly Press seeks tiny manuscripts of poems, micro creative nonfiction, and micro fictions from poets & writers around the world. We're reading offerings of about 8 to 10 pages in manuscript format (multiple pieces or a one or two longer works), or 8 to 10 pages of micro-prose (no more than about 150 words each).
Submit no more than 1 chapbook per genre until you receive a reply. Simultaneous submissions considered. Reading submissions in courier typeface makes us very sad—it's difficult for our eyes.
Please use Garamond or Times New Roman 12 point if you have either of those.
Pieces should be tightly linked in some way (theme, voice, image, place, etc), or some kind of exploratory arc. It should feel like a stand-alone cluster of work, even if it's part of a larger body.
Submission period: July 1 - July 31.
We welcome hybrid texts, incorporating elements of various genres: poetry, art, fiction, essay.
If you're writing work set inside of a specific culture, please let us know whether or not you are a member of that culture.
We'll produce each chapbook in an open or small edition edition—the exact format will be determined at press time. For samples of our work, please see the current catalog: porkbellypress.com. In addition to our regular size chaps, we'd like to offer these small works to introduce readers to a variety of poets and writers—a little  something to give folks a taste of your voice. We prefer that a piece or two be unpublished, but do not require it.
The micro chap should not have already appeared in its entirety in a longer work. (Please don't send us a micro chap composed of work in your already-published full length collection.)
8-10 pages of poetry, prose poetry, micro fiction, or micro creative nonfiction. .doc, .docx, .rtf formats accepted.
Short bio including blog or website link (if applicable) and links to any books or chaps currently available (so we can promote you).
Dedication & acknowledgements do not count against page total. Table of contents is not necessary.
10 copies of your micro chapbook (paper covers) or 3 if we do a sculptural  cover. (We've got bookbinders & artists on staff, and we like to leave ourselves open to inspiration.) Discount on author/poet copies (about 30% depending on production method/costs).
Very Important Note
If you find you've made a mistake with your submission, please request an edit rather than withdrawing & resubmitting. Our queue is limited & every submission takes up a space.

Micro Chapbook - Hybrid

Porkbelly Press seeks tiny manuscripts of poems, micro creative nonfiction, and micro fictions from poets & writers around the world. We're reading offerings of about 8 to 10 pages in manuscript format (multiple pieces or a one or two longer works), or 8 to 10 pages of micro-prose (no more than about 150 words each). Submit no more than 1 chapbook per genre until you receive a reply.
Simultaneous submissions considered.
Reading submissions in courier typeface makes us very sad—it's difficult for our eyes. Please use Garamond or Times New Roman 12 point if you have either of those.
Pieces should be tightly linked in some way (theme, voice, image, place, etc), or some kind of exploratory arc. It should feel like a stand-alone cluster of work, even if it's part of a larger body.
Submission period: July 1 - July 31.
While we will consider micro, flash, and short fiction, we prefer multiple micro or flash pieces to one short story. We're seeking, in particular, micro fictions of about 150 words (or fewer) per piece.
We'll produce each chapbook in an open or small edition—the exact format will be determined at press time. For samples of our work, please see the current catalog: porkbellypress.com. In addition to our regular size chaps, we'd like to offer these small works to introduce readers to a variety of poets and writers—a little  something to give folks a taste of your voice. We prefer that a piece or two be unpublished, but do not require it. The micro chap should not have already appeared in its entirety in a longer work. (Please don't send us a micro chap composed of work in your already-published full length collection.)
8-10 pages of poetry, prose poetry, micro fiction, or micro creative nonfiction. .doc, .docx, .rtf formats accepted.
Short bio including blog or website link (if applicable) and links to any books or chaps currently available (so we can promote you).
Dedication & acknowledgements do not count against page total. Table of contents is not necessary.
10 copies of your micro chapbook (paper covers) or 3 if we do a sculptural  cover. (We've got bookbinders & artists on staff, and we like to leave ourselves open to inspiration.) Discount on author/poet copies (about 30% depending on production method/costs).
Very Important Note
If you find you've made a mistake with your submission, please reques an edit rather than withdrawing & resubmitting. Our queue is limited & every submission takes up a space.

Micro Chapbook - Fiction

Porkbelly Press seeks tiny manuscripts of poems, micro creative nonfiction, and micro fictions from poets & writers around the world. We're reading offerings of about 8 to 10 pages in manuscript format (multiple pieces or a one or two longer works), or 8 to 10 pages of micro-prose (no more than about 150 words each). Submit no more than 1 chapbook per genre until you receive a reply. Simultaneous submissions considered.
Reading submissions in courier typeface makes us very sad—it's difficult for our eyes. Please use Garamond or Times New Roman 12 point if you have either of those.
Pieces should be tightly linked in some way (theme, voice, image, place, etc), or some kind of exploratory arc. It should feel like a stand-alone cluster of work, even if it's part of a larger body.
Submission period: July 1 - July 31.
We'd love to see your image-rich essays, your micro essays or flash essays, or one 7 page essay on something you're passionate about.
We'll produce each chapbook in an open or small edition—the exact format will be determined at press time. For samples of our work, please see the current catalog: porkbellypress.com. In addition to our regular size chaps, we'd like to offer these small works to introduce readers to a variety of poets and writers—a little  something to give folks a taste of your voice. We prefer that a piece or two be unpublished, but do not require it.
The micro chap should not have already appeared in its entirety in a longer work. (Please don't send us a micro chap composed of work in your already-published full length collection.)
8-10 pages of poetry, prose poetry, micro fiction, or micro creative nonfiction. .doc, .docx, .rtf formats accepted.
Short bio including blog or website link (if applicable) and links to any books or chaps currently available (so we can promote you).
Dedication & acknowledgements do not count against page total. Table of contents is not necessary.
10 copies of your micro chapbook (paper covers) or 3 if we do a sculptural  cover. (We've got bookbinders & artists on staff, and we like to leave ourselves open to inspiration.) Discount on author/poet copies (about 30% depending on production method/costs).
Very Important Note
If you find you've made a mistake with your submission, please request an edit rather than withdrawing & resubmitting. Our queue is limited & every submission takes up a space.

Porkbelly Press

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