FAQ
About Us
What is Common Meter Press?
A: Common Meter Press is an independent publishing house that specializes in poetry, zines, and chapbooks. We also offer music, production services, and printing services. We're a bit of a mixed bag, but we're glad you're here.
What is a zine?
A: A zine is a self-published, non-commercial, small-circulation booklet or magazine. It often contains original or creative content, and is usually produced using a photocopier or other low-cost printing methods.
What is a chapbook?
A chapbook is a small, usually self-published book that typically contains poetry, short stories, or essays. It is often saddle-stitched or hand-bound and has a limited print run.
How do you print your books?
For the most part, we strive to print our projects in-house on our trusty, full-color Canon printer. For special projects, we may use screen printing, riso printing, or other traditional print methods. We do our best to make everything we can ourselves, and partner with cool people when we can't.
Shipping & Returns
Where do you ship?
Right now, we ship to the contiguous United States and Canada. To discuss worldwide shipping options, please feel free to get in touch.
I preordered a book! When can I expect my order?
For preorders, please check the shipping date on the product detail page for the book you ordered. We strive to ship within one week or preorders.
I ordered a book. When can I expect my order?
We strive to ship every Tuesday and Thursday. If you placed a non-preorder order, any orders between Friday and Monday will ship on Tuesday, and so on.
What carriers do you use to ship your orders?
Presently, we use the United States Postal Service for most packages under $50. For packages over $50, we may choose to ship via UPS Ground. If there is any major difference in shipping costs, we will refund the difference to the credit card or debit card you used when you placed an order.
Can I return my order?
If your item was damaged during shipping, please get in touch to discuss an exchange. At this time, we do not accept refunds unless an item is damaged in transit.
Payment & Checkout
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit or debit cards through Paypal and Venmo.
Can I use something other than Paypal or Venmo?
At this time, our shopping cart system is routed through Paypal. As a small business, most processing fees and service charges from credit card companies – even Square and Stripe – are too exorbitant.
If you would like to use a credit or debit card, you can do so without signing into Paypal. Simple select the "Pay with a Debit or Credit Card" when the Paypal modal pops up during checkout.
Will I get a receipt for my order?
All orders should automatically receive a receipt via the email you used during the checkout process. If you did not receive a receipt and would like one, please get in touch and we can send it to another email address.
About Us
Where are you based out of?
We're based in the Pacific Northwest, where it rains a lot, and we're often bored as a result. That means we need a lot of things to read and listen to. We ran out of things other people were doing that we liked, so we started doing stuff we liked.
Who are you?
Common Meter Press is run by Meredith Smith and sometimes Andrew Musselman. Meredith manages the book side of things and Andrew manages the data side of things. For the most part, Meredith handles all printing, packaging, shipping, receiving, and marketing.
Do you have a brick and mortar store?
At this time, no. The rent is too damn high. For now, you can enjoy shopping online from wherever you are. In the future, we may offer in-studio shopping.
Can we get in touch with you about an interview?
We welcome all inquiries and opportunities for interviews, features, and collaborations. You can reach us through our website contact form.
How can we work with you?
You can learn more about what we're looking for + what we offer in our submissions portal.