[Alternating Current Press]: Little Pigeon Chapbook Series (free form)

This is a chapbook-publication open-reading period of Alternating Current Press. Please know what it is before submitting.

Chapbooks for the series should be between-ish 10-ish to 40-ish pages of material and must have a single theme of some sort. We are seeking themed or linked pieces with a hook, and we are especially interested in themes with a historical or science bent. We want to hear from marginalized and underrepresented authors, and we are an LGBTQUIA2+ safe-space.

Selected manuscripts receive publication on Alternating Current Press, which includes distribution through Ingram, Asterism, and all major online retailers.

Submissions open: Year-round

Selections made: Within 6 months

Publication: 2026/2027/2028

• We’re seeking chapbook-length manuscripts that have a single theme of some sort. We are seeking themed or linked pieces with a hook, and we are especially interested in themes with a historical or science bent. We are not interested in material that is not linked in some obvious way.
• Please note the chapbooks in this series are 4” x 6”, with 3” x 5” of working text space. Long lines will get broken, and horizontal concrete poetry or writing with a large shape will not work in this space. Prose forms and left-aligned forms with shorter lines work best in this space.
• All genres, styles, and subjects considered that can work within a small setting, including poetry, hybrid, prose poems, experimental, flash stories, flash memoir, one-act plays, textual/visual, etc. Choose the category of best fit.
• Chapbooks should be between-ish 10-ish to 40-ish pages, for a soft guideline.
• Manuscripts must be geared toward an adult readership. We do not publish books for children.
• All work must be in English and must be the author’s own. Single work by multiple authors considered. We will also consider reliable side-by-side (English and a second language) translations for this category. We do not consider A.I.-generated works.
• These manuscripts are not read incognito. It doesn’t matter if your identifying information is (or isn’t) inside your submission file, as long as your Submittable contact information is correct.
• If you need to adjust a submission, please use the Request to Edit option through Submittable. Please don’t request to edit for minor flaws, however—all accepted work will go through an editing process and will have the chance to be updated before publication, and your work will not be disqualified for a missing comma.
• All authors must be at least 18 to submit.
• Simultaneous submissions allowed. Please withdraw your manuscript through Submittable if it is accepted elsewhere.
• Previously published pieces are considered if they have never been published as a group in a standalone print volume.
• Submit via Submittable only. We do not accept email submissions. Please note that we have rolling submissions that sometimes close at the end of one month and reopen at the beginning of the next month to help us regulate flow. If the portal isn’t open, please don’t email us; just come back later.
• Straight or scholarly nonfiction should have proper citations.
• This is a free form that is unique to you and shouldn't be shared with others. There is an $8.99 fee for each manuscript submitted for anyone able to pay.
• Each paid submission comes with a digital copy of our latest Little Pigeon chapbook, currently black has every right to be angry, a collection of poetry about the historical and contemporary experience of being Black in the United States, by Ashley Elizabeth ($7.99 value). There is an additional option to purchase the winning Electric Book Award print book (publishing in 2027/2028) as an add-on for a deep discount ($6.99 off the final cover price, U.S. shipping only). If there is no winner selected for a chosen year, advance book purchases will roll over to the next year. If you purchase this option, please make sure to keep your Submittable mailing address current in your profile.
• We will send a response to every submission, and we try our best to respond within 6 months. Form response only, unless we are interested in publishing your book. We are regretfully unable to provide feedback. If you have not heard back after 6 months, please feel free to follow up (kindly), but more than likely, we’re just running behind, so thank you for your patience.
• All manuscripts submitted through this portal automatically qualify for the annual Electric Book Award, with no separate submission process. Please see the EBA website page for more information.

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