Using Chill Subs

Is this page really a full tutorial of all your features?

No. It’s a quick run down of the things you can do on Chill Subs. We have monthly tutorials you can attend (fo’ free). Check our events calendar to sign up for a time that works for you. Also, you can find the latest recording here.

How do I search for lit mags?

Easy-peasy. Go to “Browse,” select “Literary Magazines,” and filter by genre, vibe, fees, bear population, pay—basically whatever floats your boat (or fits your poetry).

How do I search for contests?

Same deal. Click “Browse,” pick “Contests,” and filter by deadlines, entry fees, prizes, or categories. May the best writer (aka you) win.

How do I search for indie presses?

Under “Browse,” hit “Indie Presses.” You can filter by what they publish, submission windows, genres, and even publishing formats.

How do I search for Medium publications?

Check out “Browse,” select “Medium Publications,” and filter by follower counts, open calls, and genres. Medium fame, here you come.

What are bookmarks?

Your literary hit list! Click the little bookmark icon on any listing page, and save mags or presses you’re eyeing for later. You can make endless collections based on any metrics you’ve got.

What are “listing pages”?

These are profiles for each lit mag, contest, indie press, or Medium pub. You’ll find deadlines, payment details, acceptance rates, and basically everything you’d stalk (or try to hopelessly dig deep into) a mag’s website for.

What is the Prose Formatter?

A magical button that turns your messy Word doc into properly formatted prose. Makes your story look professional (even if you still don’t know how semicolons work–and, um, who does?).

What is the Cover Letter Generator?

Stop staring at a blank page wondering what to say. Our cover letter generator grabs your saved bios, formats everything nicely, and spits out a polished letter in seconds.

What is the Submitter’s Passport?

Your handy digital wallet for all your bios, pen names, and contact info—ready to paste into submission forms without any frantic rewrites or embarrassing typos.

What is Rejection BINGO?

A silly little game that makes rejection letters slightly less soul-crushing—or at least helps you laugh through the pain.

How do I track my submissions?

Head to our submission tracker, enter your piece’s details, submission date, response times, and wait happily (or anxiously). We’ll help you stay organized, promise.

What are lists?

Curated collections of mags organized by:

• Community Favorites — Handpicked favorites from our staff, community, and editorial partners.

• Stats-backed — Our statistics-backed lists are based on 189332 tracked submissions from our 53864 users. Track your submissions

• And our Awards Catalog (paid) — Our awards catalog aggregates all of the magazines who win in (and nominate for) literary awards and placement in prestigious anthologies

What are writer profiles?

The new home for your writing—showcase your published stories, poems, books, bio, links, and projects. Automatically syncs to mags you’ve published in. Easier (and cheaper) than building a whole website. This is your portfolio, your writer’s CV, and your homebase on Chill Subs.

What is in your “sandbox”?

Probably cat shit. Kidding. It’s a playground for writers to test-drive features, fiddle around with submission tools, and generally have fun without worrying about messing anything up.

What is your Community Browse?

A way to see what other writers on Chill Subs are publishing, bookmark their favorite mags, and discover new spots to send your work. (Great for stalking.)

How do I use your calendar?

The calendar lets you see upcoming deadlines for lit mags and contests at a glance, making it easy to plan your submissions without stress-induced panic.

What do I need to know to navigate Chill Subs (and indie lit in general?)

• Lit Mag: Short for “literary magazine”—a publication that features poems, stories, essays, artwork, and other creative work.

• Indie Press: Small, independent publishers typically publishing books, chapbooks, or collections.

• Medium Pub: Publications hosted on Medium.com that accept submissions and sometimes pay writers based on readership.

• Contest: Competitions hosted by literary magazines, presses, or other organizations, usually involving submission fees, deadlines, and prizes.

• Sim Subs (Simultaneous Submissions): Sending the same piece to multiple publications at once. Usually allowed, but always double-check.

• Reprints: Work that’s already been published elsewhere. Some places accept these, others say “nope.”

• Cover Letter: Short introduction letter accompanying your submission. Chill Subs has a tool to generate one quickly and painlessly.

• Bio: Short author biography (usually third person, sometimes charmingly awkward).

• Response Time: How long a magazine takes to reply to submissions (usually forever, occasionally less).

• Acceptance Rate: Percentage of submitted work a magazine actually publishes. Lower = more selective.

• Payment: Whether and how much a magazine pays contributors (ranging from contributor copies to actual dollars).

• Reading Period: Specific dates during which magazines accept submissions. Outside these dates, they’re closed.

• Submission Tracker: Tool that helps you keep track of what you’ve submitted, where, and when (and if you’re lucky, when it’s accepted).

• Bookmarks: Your Chill Subs wishlist—a handy way to save interesting mags or contests for later.

• Listing Pages: Pages on Chill Subs with all the submission details for magazines, contests, and presses.

• Vibe: Highly scientific measure of a magazine’s style or feel (completely subjective—please don’t base major life decisions on this).