Website
Type Of Organization
Digital
Mission Statement / Editorial Focus
Drawing on our understanding of indie-lit publishing, it is clear that small presses are overworked and are essentially operating as charities. The time required to design, format, edit, print, promote, and distribute each book is immense, and as a result, small presses receive far more submissions than they can accept. Here's a snapshot of the current landscape: Small presses receive numerous submissions daily but can publish only 5 - 10 books a year, resulting in an acceptance rate of less than 1%.
A paperback priced at $15 leaves little to no earnings for the author and press once the bookstore, distributor, and printing costs are covered.
The typical timeline from acceptance to publication is 1 - 2 years.
This unavoidably low acceptance rate of < 1% is fundamentally at odds with the original mission of most small presses, which is, to accept avant-garde writing that would normally be rejected by large, traditional presses. Low acceptance rates place both the press and writers in a difficult situation. To play the odds, authors must submit to hundreds of presses and network extensively— in short, a bunch of things that are disagreeable to the artist’s spirit. This situation leads to frustration all around. Writers are disheartened by the low acceptance rates and lengthy timelines, while presses, despite their altruistic efforts to realize the dreams of writers, find themselves criticized for their limited capacity. Self-publishing has somewhat alleviated this issue for genre fiction, but it remains less appealing for literary fiction. The mission of Dumbo Press is to tackle these issues by creating a streamlined indie press where multiple parts of the publication and promotion process are either automated or outsourced to the writer themselves. We focus on (1) publishing quality writing, (2) publishing fast, and (3) having a reasonable acceptance rate so authors feel comfortable submitting to us.
Is Your Group Affiliated With A University, Portal Or Other Agency?
no
Primary Editor/Contact Person
Kameron Hansen
Contact Title
Managing member
Publishes
essays, fiction, nonfiction, poetry
Representative Authors
Sylvia Plath, Kurt Vonnegut
Accepts Unsolicited Submissions
Yes
Submission Guidelines URL
Simultaneous Submissions Accepted
yes
Reading Period
Year round
Reporting Time
1 - 5 weeks
Author Payments
none, royalties
Number Of Unpaid Staff
1
Year Founded
2023
Number Of Issues Per Year
1
Ads?
no
Average Page Views Per Month
n.a.
Average Unique Visitors Per Month
n.a.
Publish Print Anthology?
yes
Fiction
60
Poetry
20
Essays
20
Name
Kameron Hansen
Title
Founder, Chief Editor
How Did You Arrive At Your Current Position?
I arrived at my position by wanting to connect with the writing community and pave a smoother path for writers to publish their work. My background is in chemical physics, I try my best to juggle that career with my love for art and writing.
What Is The Staff Structure At Your Magazine/press?
Right now it is only me, but I am looking for more people to join the team!
How Are Submissions Processed In Your Magazine/press?
I read the incoming web feature submissions (short stories, poetry, flash, essays, etc.) and decide if it is a good fit. If yes, then the work gets posted to our website and promoted on our social media channels.
What Do You Look For In A Submission?
High craftsmanship, whether that is in the form of narrative, prose, or both.
What Advice Do You Have For First-time Submitters?
Don't sweat it! This is a good place for you to be submitting.
Digital
