Make Books, Not Bombs
We're a small press, but you know what they say: size matters not. We publish books, zines, music, and work that makes us stop, look, and listen. This is our first year, and we're just getting started.
Our proclivities
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How We Curate
We look for work that aims to answer that question: what is all of this goddamned for, anyway? Poetry comes from unexpected places, like gifts from long-gone friends that show up, unannounced, dropped at our feet. That’s what we’re after – the heart of the matter.
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What We Look For
As readers, our job is to find the emotional throughline in the work, and follow it from there. The line can be faint, or saturated, or curved, or in the shape of a metaphor. But if it’s there, we’ll know. But please – take us off the beaten path, somewhere new.
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What We Do
By and large, we make things that you come across offline. Like in the old days, when it was okay if it didn't pop up in your Instagram feed. Ostensibly, that means books, zines, maps, ephemera, perhaps records, and more. In short, we're looking to create moments of connectivity in this world of endless scroll.
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How We Got Here
Common Meter Press was founded by two bandmates in 2023 with a passion for music, poetry, and publishing at the intersection of this press.
But it was Meredith who started making zines in the aughts and, in spite of the frequent foray into other formats, never stopped. "Make Books, Not Bombs" was her first slogan for Sweet Anthem Press, a zine distro and poetry press that disbanded in 2004. It turns out, some things never change.
Our First Book
Because you never forget your first.

Riley Spicer
what are we fighting for?
Collage poetry curated and designed by activist and writer Riley Spicer.
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Work With Us
In addition to our curated titles, we offer design and press-on-demand services for a variety of formats and platforms.

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Submissions
At present, our press is by invitation only. Our first reading period will kick off this coming January.