A quick letter from the editors here. We’re now preparing to start shipping issue 001 of Chisel to subscribers soon, so annual subscribers should look out for an email requesting address and shipping info before the end of this month.
And if you haven’t already subscribed, be sure to secure your copy before it’s too late! In the meantime, we’re pleased to announce that we’re looking for contributors for future issues…
Chisel is a twice-yearly print magazine and twice-weekly digital newsletter animated by the virtues of beauty, obsession, and play.
Although we have recently wrapped commissions for issue 002 of the magazine’s print edition, we are actively seeking new contributors for chiselmag.com and are eager to hear pitches from talented writers for consideration for both our digital edition here on Substack and for issue 003.
To pitch a piece for Chisel, email us at submissions@chiselmag.com and include the following information:
Your pitch for the article, in no more than a paragraph
A sentence or two about yourself
Links to writing you’ve published elsewhere (self-published work counts)
Please do not send us already-completed pieces, as we aren’t able to read unsolicited materials.
Though we are a small magazine, we pay competitive rates for submissions.
What makes a Chisel piece?
Chisel is interested in essays, critical reviews, reported features, and stories that explore themes of beauty, obsession, and play. We love writing that engages with culture, but we prioritize the timeless over the timely.
Here are a few pieces from volume 001 of Chisel that we think are great examples of the range and quality bar we aim for:
A manifesto from Anu Atluru about work, life, and art. “It’s the work you do in the dark that earns you the light,” she writes.
Mikhail Klimentov weighs the worth of the 3,500 hours he spent in the game Valorant in this personal essay.
Terry Nguyễn examines the allure of cinema-as-dream in this film review.
Alexander Sorondo meditates on great books and the toll they take on their authors.
Other Guidelines
While we do publish fiction and poetry, we almost exclusively select these by commission from writers whose work we know
We do not publish AI-generated content and use Pangram to check submissions
We like articles within the 800–1,600 word range. Longer articles are considered when the topic merits it.
Have other questions not answered here? Write to us at contact@chiselmag.com and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
