Submissions
Photo by Alessandro Bianchi on Unsplash
The Lighter will be receiving submissions from Friday, December 6th until 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 23rd. Everyone will be notified of their submission's status by March 19th. Submissions are for Valpo undergrad and graduate students only, so you need to fill it out with your Valpo email.
All Valpo students can submit up to 4 pieces of any form of art (poetry, prose, screen and playwriting, creative nonfiction, photography, fine art, graphic design, hybrids, etc.).
This could be a combination of any art forms, but please fill out the form separately for each upload.
Title your work. The title listed is how it will appear in the book if your piece is accepted. Each piece should be saved as a file named "Title_Medium" (Example: Breezy Breath_Poem, Goldfish_Graphite, etc.). Do NOT include your name in the file title.
If you would like to receive feedback, please mark so on the form and submit your work by the early bird deadline: 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 4th!
Submission Rules
Alumni Submissions
Alumni submissions are now closed! Please keep an eye on your email for news about the status of your submission. Thank you for participating!
Still Have Questions?
Who decides which pieces get in?
A group of students called the Selection Committee reviews each submission anonymously. Votes are casted individually with the option to accept, reject, or abstain from voting on each piece. If votes are tied, the decision is made by The Lighter’s Editor-in-Chief.
How do I submit to The Lighter?
You can submit you work through a Google form on this page, which is only accessible to Valpo students through their email. Keep in mind you can submit the form up to four separate times. The submission form will open near the beginning of each semester and will close towards mid-semester. If you are having any trouble submitting your pieces, please email us at the.lighter@valpo.edu.
Do I still get to keep the rights to my work if it gets into The Lighter?
You are completely entitled to the rights to your piece, even when it is published in The Lighter. The Lighter does not obtain copyright to any past, present, or future submissions published. However, in submitting your piece, you agree to allow us to post your piece on our website or social media with attribution for promotional purposes.