ABOUT US
Making Waves: A West Michigan Review is published by Ludington Writers, a not-for-profit community of writers living in and/or visiting Ludington, Michigan.
Please visit our website to read our past issues: LudingtonWriters.org.
DEADLINE
Submissions will open from January 1st through April 30th for September print and electronic publication. We are open to both poetry, short prose (under 1,000 words in length), and visual art.
Our response time is generally three (3) weeks. Cover artwork decisions will follow after the submissions period.
WHAT WE WANT
We seek original work avoiding clichés and sentimental language (no light verse).
Maintain consistency in point of view, tenses, and punctuation (unless intentional).
While we focus on poetry, we also accept visual art and short pieces of non-fiction (essays and memoirs) and fiction (flash, micro, and short stories).
We will consider speculative fiction. Sequential art should be submitted under the “visual art” category.
DEADLINE
Submit between January 1st and April 30th for our September 14, 2025 print and electronic issue.
THEME
The theme for the 2025 issue is “Homer’s Oddities”:
Odysseus' journey took him to strange new places, encountering the bizarre and unusual, and that's what we are looking for. Whether you draw inspiration from Homer's epic poem or your own imagination, we want to see it.
Send us work that evokes epic journeys and flawed protagonists. Drop us in the middle of temptations and tempests. From the seas of the Mediterranean to the nuclear power plant and taverns of Springfield, we're open to anything, from anywhere.
WHAT WE WANT
Please visit our website to read our past issues: LudingtonWriters.org.
We seek original work avoiding clichés and sentimental language (no light verse).
Maintain consistency in point of view, tenses, and punctuation (unless intentional).
While we focus on poetry, we also accept visual art and short pieces of non-fiction (essays and memoirs) and fiction (flash, micro, and short stories).
We will consider speculative fiction.
Sequential art should be submitted under the “visual art” category.
REQUIREMENTS
Unpublished, non-AI generated works only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions allowed; notify if accepted elsewhere.
We try to read our submissions blind. Do not include your contact information or bio in your electronic attachment(s). Contact information and bio must be included in the designated Submittable fields, or on a separate, printed cover page (for mailed submissions).
SUBMISSION FEES
No fees for visual art or USPS-mailed creative writing (see our website for more information).
A $3 per attachment for electronic submissions. Fees are non-refundable and fund our electronic submissions manager and community events.
RESPONSE TIME
Expect a decision within three (3) weeks of submission. Cover artwork decisions will follow after the submissions period.
All submitters will receive a link to an electronic copy of Making Waves.
RIGHTS
Submitters grant First Rights to publish to Making Waves. We may reprint accepted work on our website, LudingtonWriters.org, and/or social media accounts. Otherwise, all rights revert to the author/artist upon publication.
POETRY
Pieces should be print-ready: single spaced and aligned as required by the form chosen.
Space limitations allow for no more than 60 characters per line and 30 lines per page.
PROSE
Up to two (2) pieces, 1,000-word max. Prose should be double spaced.
ABOUT US
Making Waves: A West Michigan Review is published by Ludington Writers, a not-for-profit community of writers living in and/or visiting Ludington, Michigan.
Please visit our website to read our past issues: LudingtonWriters.org.
DEADLINE
Submit between January 1st and April 30th for our September 14, 2025 print and electronic issue.
RESPONSE TIME
Expect a decision within three (3) weeks of submission. Cover artwork decisions will follow after the submissions period.
All submitters will receive a link to an electronic copy of Making Waves.
THEME
The theme for the 2025 issue is “Homer’s Oddities”:
Odysseus' journey took him to strange new places, encountering the bizarre and unusual, and that's what we are looking for. Whether you draw inspiration from Homer's epic poem or your own imagination, we want to see it.
Send us work that evokes epic journeys and flawed protagonists. Drop us in the middle of temptations and tempests. From the seas of the Mediterranean to the nuclear power plant and taverns of Springfield, we're open to anything, from anywhere.
WHAT WE WANT
We seek original work avoiding clichés. Art may be of any medium as long as they evoke feelings and convey meaning.
Keep in mind that our layout is a 6x9 portrait page.
REQUIREMENTS
Unpublished, non-AI generated works only. Simultaneous and multiple submissions allowed; notify if accepted elsewhere.
We try to read our submissions blind. Do not include your contact information or bio in your electronic attachment(s). Contact information and bio must be included in the designated Submittable fields, or on a separate, printed cover page (for mailed submissions).
SUBMISSION FEES
No fees for visual art or USPS-mailed creative writing. A $3 per attachment for electronic submissions. Fees are non-refundable and fund our electronic submissions manager and community events.
RIGHTS
Submitters grant First Rights to publish to Making Waves. We may reprint accepted work on our website, LudingtonWriters.org, and/or social media accounts. Otherwise, all rights revert to the artist upon publication.
Who Is Eligible to Submit?
Members of the Ludington Writers’ group
A member is defined as anyone who has attended at least one meeting in the last 12 months
View our full guidelines at LudingtonWriters.org/bc24guidelines
What Will We Consider?
Unpublished works only
Up to three (3) poems
Up to two (2) pieces of short prose (essays, memoirs, reflections, nonfictions, or fictions)
Up to four (4) B/W and/or one (1) color visual arts entry (photographs, drawings, cartoons, graphic novels/comics, collages, or paintings)