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Dithering Chaps

About

Dithering Chaps is an indie publishing house, listed by the National Poetry Library. We’re a great choice for poets who want their work treated with care, curiosity, and genuine attention.

We only publish a handful of chapbooks each year. That’s because we want to give each manuscript the time, thought and affection it deserves.

We read slowly.

We edit collaboratively.

We design with intention.

Yes, there is dithering - mostly over the small details that make a book feel right in the hand: the texture of the paper, the spacing between lines and poems, the quiet architecture of the page. Large presses don’t have the time to dither - we consider it part of our craft.

Our aim is simple. It’s to bring new and exciting poetry to a wider audience by making chapbooks that feel both beautifully crafted and deeply human.

Fees Notice: This project charges fees (or requires purchases) for all submissions. (Note: About 14% of publishers always charge fees.)
The fee is GBP £10 (average for publishers that charge).
Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United Kingdom
Established in 2024

Publication Medium

Print Publication Print Publication

AI Policy

Human-created work preferred, but limited AI use may be permitted in some circumstances (see their site for details)

Statistics Synopsis

Regular Speed
Dithering Chaps's overall average response time is within a normal range for publishers.

Poetry Open Fee-based

Dates:

Rolling Deadlines: Check cutoff dates.

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poetry Chapbook: 30 - 60 pages.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

No monetary advance + >= 15% royalties Provides free copy/copies No monetary advance. ≥ 15% royalties. Provides free copy/copies. Details: 25% royalties on sales; 3 free copies.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

Dithering Chaps Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 4 reports from 4 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
51 min | 120.0 mean avg | 107.0 median | 215 max days (69.1 std dev)

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 60 days. (75.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 60 days.)
The most common submission fee paid: GBP £10.00.
Most recent response reported was received on 20 Jun 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 30 Apr 2026.
Date compiled: 07 Sep 2026 19:20 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • For book publishers, it is standard to submit a cover letter, synopsis, and sample instead of the full manuscript. Do this unless otherwise instructed.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 06 Jul 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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