Call for submissions: November 15, 2024 – January 15, 2025
Calliope is considered chief among the nine Greek muses for her eloquent voice. She presided over epic poets and poetry. To honor Wisconsin’s eloquent and wise poetic voices, Water’s Edge Press, in conjunction with Lakeland University’s Literary Publishing class, seeks poetry manuscripts from veteran or emerging Wisconsin poets for publication in their upcoming project: Calliope Chapbook Series. Three chapbooks will be selected for the 2025 division of the chapbook series and will be published in the spring of 2025.
While formal poetry is not a mandate—and editors do not seek rhymed poetry—evidence of the following will influence selection:
- skilled and discerning imagery
- finely crafted metaphor
- purposeful line and stanza breaks
- harmony in language and idea
- unity and logical arrangement in the collection
Editors are not looking for children’s poetry, verse, or erotica.
Simultaneous submissions will be considered, but please contact us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.
Manuscript specifications:
- 25-36 pages of poems that explore a general topic or thematic focus
- A single page may not exceed 30 lines* (including stanza breaks) at 12-point Times New Roman. (Word limit per line at about 10 to fit a maximum page width of 4.5 inches).
- Previously published poems should make up no more than ten pages of the manuscript. An acknowledgements page for previously published poems should be included at the end of the manuscript.
- Any epigrams used in the manuscript must either be in the public domain or have primary consent secured before submission. Epigrams count toward poem length.
- All poems must be titled.
Submission guidelines:
Submit manuscript as a PDF attachment in an email to the address below. Format the subject line this way: Lastname: chapbook submission
All authors will be notified by the end of February 2025.
This is not a contest, but a general call for submissions. There are no prize awards. There is no fee to submit. Authors of selected chapbooks will be contracted via Water’s Edge Press LLC, where their books will be promoted and available for sale. All Water’s Edge Press books are also available online wherever books are sold. Please visit watersedgepress.com to learn more about the press prior to submitting.
Current or former employees of Lakeland University as well as current Lakeland University students are not eligible to submit.
Dawn Hogue, Editor, Water’s Edge Press
Madeleine Wattenberg, PhD, Assistant Professor of Writing, Lakeland University
