dipity. DESK Launch + Other Updates
a new channel for receiving help and more updates in regards to chapbooks and magazine issues
What Is the Dipity Desk?
I come from a tech support background and enjoy troubleshooting things for others for fun so we are trial launching brand new global support Help Desk services for writers and artists in the community almost like “Ask Us Anything” or “Ask dipity.” in the realm of tech or when it comes to writing, or art. To clarify this isn’t for manuscript or poetry feedback or submissions. Consider it as an additional bonus technical support channel for writers, design help consultation, advice with self-publication, tools, tips n’ tricks, and task/project help services. Here’s a screenshot example if you use the form button on the site:
Eventually, I’ll hopefully add an engaging community discussion forum option “The Question House” so writers can freely chat, share, and exchange knowledge with each other or pitch into problems or questions on a board we cannot answer alone because no one knows everything. I might just open a community thread in our Discord as another platform/option service to chat or just embed a basic forum channel on our website for those unresolved ones. I may even create a searchable Wiki-type library either public or private TBD of some kind from the FAQs received too (still testing/deciding on where to put this forum or whether to link to a discussion platform).
Visit https://www.dipitylitmag.com/dipity-desk > Select Create Ticket to try it out if you’d like and to see a bit more of what it entails.
If you’re interested in submitting to our new Help Desk aka Dipity Desk center visit our web form which generates also an e-mail notification and then a private tracker ticket to me. If there’s enough interest we’ll continue it. We do have a monthly form/ticket generation cap.
Please be aware that our response times will be much slower during our magazine release construction + chapbook release seasons like now and we are also undergoing staffing availability changes.
Additionally, I do believe sharing knowledge is undoubtedly important no matter the field. We prob can create a new community FAQ knowledge base somewhere for this too one day. We aren’t using Submittable for this because it isn’t fully suitable for this. Obviously, each platform has its own tech support but sometimes their response times can be super tough so this is an alternative support channel. Ultimately, there will be cases and errors we cannot solve and the platforms team on their end ultimately must help you instead. It doesn’t hurt to try and if others like this I’ll add some support members to our Help Desk. I’m also working on some helpful step-by-step outline table guides which will probably be on a Pay What You Want (PWYW) model too like the Help Desk one-time fee per request services described earlier. Although there are suggested amounts you can toggle decrease further or increase it to whatever you’d like.
Some Examples of Acceptable Community Ticket Questions:
I’m getting this error message in… do you know how do I fix it? Could be with Microsoft Word, Canva, Adobe Suite, Google Docs etc.
What are your thoughts about the Cara app? Should I move my art?
Can you help me come up with a concept cover design for my next poetry collection or album or single cover?
What free tools can I use for this project?
What are some of the ways I can distribute my spoken word poetry?
What are the pros and cons of Ingram vs Amazon KDP?
What should I use for reel design on my poetry social media accounts?
I’m trying to find cover artists for my poetry book cover. Any recommendations on where to look or start?
What platform(s) do you recommend for self-publishing my first collection? or What resources can you share?
Chapbook Updates
Pictured above is the saddle-stitched version from the U.S. print store linked on our website which is $8 USD excluding shipping. Most have ordered from the Great British (GB) Bookshop version though which is also about the same and offers international shipping. I added a square version, the new premium paper in the pricier square version is considered to be more so intended for photography which we hope to implement down the road and eventually with time those should face discounts.
Our next upcoming chapbook no. 2 has a smidge of artwork integrated into the interior and our goal is to release it sometime before the end of the summer. We should be able to drop down to two versions once international shipping becomes an option on the U.S. print store link. Pick up a copy — all links can be found on our website! I am also considering launching a digital spin-off series of mico chapbooks soon for Dipity Press, so we’ll have chapbooks of various lengths available.
New Issue Versions
Our new issue versions are technically officially completed! I’m waiting on going through the ISSN application process so for now they don’t have barcodes if you purchase them from our website but we can always go back and update the back covers to the traditional satin + gloss w/ spine text versions. I’ll share images of the new 2nd printer versions sometime soon (those are the ones only available to order now through the USA store button links on the website).
I was also able to adjust our online bookstore spines and the softback/paperback versions further so now all the issues, for the most part, will match the satin + gloss pricing structure with the exception of designs we are told must be on slightly thicker paper such as #4 due to the interior design but nearly all full-color print issues should now be in the range of $33-45 max excluding shipping. It’s still kinda high but we’ll be able to discount them a tad further in the distant future someday on our website thanks to these changes. It’ll take a while before the new listings are available again in online bookstores and remnants of the old ones may linger as unavailable for a while. We are no longer creating hardcover dust jacket versions of issues at the moment due to the price tag.
Photography Open Call
We are also at the moment looking for more fun cat-themed photography or even background photography for the interior of issue no. 5. If you have any cat photographs or are interested in contributing photos to Dipity Lit Mag please reach out to us via the staff page contact form page at the bottom. No guarantees we’ll respond to all or be able to incorporate but def always looking for photo donations.
P.S. We’re still in the very early stages of issue no. 5 submissions so you def have time to submit to it!
Digital Acess Changes
We are no longer able to offer all magazine issues online for free due to sadly increased costs and expenses we’ve taken on with paying artists for the chapbook series so just the latest magazine issue release (one) each time before the next release will be free. However, we are hoping to onboard with a mobile app subscription reader one day instead TBA this year or the following though.
GiveButter Discontinuation
I have discontinued our donation campaign with GiveButter since it wasn’t being used and we’re now on Fundly instead. If you’d like to make a donation of any amount to us visit the website under [More] or head over to the new instant Tip Jar button(s).
MOVIE I WATCHED RECENTLY
Under Paris (2024) on Netflix: My VFORROW Rating 3.4 out of 5.
We appreciate anyone who takes the time to comment, subscribe here, pledge support to our Substack, or donates directly to help fund future community projects via our website. Stay tuned for more Substack shares and interviews. Thanks so much for your support and have awesome days ahead!
Sincerely,
Jazz Marie Kaur (VFORROW)