Category / Editorial

by Colette

Winter Editorial – There’s Magic in the Moonlight

Hey Inkblotters!

It always comes as a surprise when the end of the year draws near. We’re starting to pop on our woolly knits and embrace the cold air over a warm cup of tea, coffee or even mulled wine. And of course there’s Christmas to start thinking about. The rush of shoppers as they take to the high street and plow through their savings is more than just a little bit bonkers. Think Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which will clearly be many times worse since the 5p bag charge was brought in for the UK.

With all that said though, it’s still the most magical time of the year. Tonight it’s Bonfire Night, so get out your sparklers and your rockets, or go watch a beautiful display disperse in the dark sky. And afterwards, it’s time to start thinking of a white Christmas.

Inkblotters may have noticed we’ve changed our format for the end of 2015. Inkblots will be moving into seasonal issues, given the closure of our lovely little writing forum. But that’s not to say the magazine will be closing its doors – in fact we’re looking to rebrand ourselves entirely for 2016 with a new logo and look. There will be more information on all of the above in the New Year Editorial.

For our Winter issue, it’s all about magic in the moonlight. So we’ve got some cracking poetry from Dizzy Dazzle in a new Short Poetry Spotlight on November 25th, alongside short fantasy fiction from Dice on December 5th and, later, Doishy on the 10th. Our content will conclude with an absolutely beautiful tribute poem from Ashcloud on the Inkwell writing forum’s closure – a must-read on December 20th.

Of course, we’re still continuing with our Half Hour Challenge themes. November’s theme is Magic in the Moonlight, while December’s theme comes under Farewell. Both of which are beautifully fitting for the time of year, as well as the closure of The Inkwell.

Before I forget, for any of those participating in NaNoWriMo, that’s National Novel Writing Month, I must wish you the very best of luck. Yet again, I cannot dedicate the time to take part in it, though I envy those who can! I say it every year, and I’ll say it again, but one year I shall definitely take the time out and participate.

For now though, it’s time for me to say a fond farewell to our lovely readers in 2015 and I’ll be back with the New Year Editorial in January. How time flies, eh? Make sure you have a wonderful Christmas.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Annie Fischinger

by Colette

October Editorial – A Return to Horror during “Scarefest” on Inkblots

Hey Inkblotters!

Returning after our September break, we’re back to bring you lots of fantastic content as part of our Halloween Scarefest. After a short break away to Austria, where I was unfortunate enough to be ill for half of it, it was nice to be back in the UK and ready to start afresh at work once again. Despite my time away from Inkblots, I was still busy and didn’t get much of a chance to recuperate in between different jobs. But, with that said, it’s nice to be back again writing the editorial for October.

Moving swiftly on, then, there are a number of changes currently taking place within the Inkwell forum. In what will be announced officially soon, we’re moving away from the writing forum platform and focusing solely on Inkblots Magazine. As it stands, the magazine is a great way to showcase the talents from many of our contributors and, we feel, it’s the best place to continue our little community. Unfortunately with my time stretched in multiple directions, I can now longer run the forum as I have been doing for the best part of two years. And with no one ready or willing to take that responsibility on, our writing forum must come to an end.

Of course, we aren’t just dropping it entirely. And for those who are members of the forum, they will be able to save all of their work before we archive everything completely. The official closure for The Inkwell forum is December 31, 2015. But until then, we’ll continue as a community on both the magazine and the writing forum.

Getting down to business, October’s content really gets us in the mood for a good old scare. Kicking off with our Scarefest content on the 5th is Dizzy Dazzle’s thrilling short on wolves, while on the 15th we’ve got a particularly interesting psychotic tale from Lockmaker entitled Mulberry Way. The short poetry spotlight is once again returning on the 25th, so don’t miss it, and we’ve also got returning contributor Alex McCarron and her short fictional piece, Morte Mare, penned in for prime time scaring on October 30th.

As our Fiction Frenzy competition ended back in August, I’ve taken the time to read through the entries and have finally crowned a winner. Check back on October 20th to see who won and to read their gruesome entry. Of course, I can’t end the editorial without mentioning our next Half Hour Challenge. Inspire yourself with a horror classic under the theme: The Devil Inside. As a fan of horror, I’m going to revel in reading your entries.

For now, I hope you have a fantastic October and I’ll be back in November for our Winter special issue.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Kevin Dooley

by Colette

August Editorial – Brighten Up Life with a Little Bit of Sunshine

Hey Inkblotters!

Welcome to August’s editorial post, where it’s starting to heat up in Britain with a little bit of sunshine, though mostly rain! Aside from the July two-week heat wave, it seems our summer has notoriously left on vacation, or in the very least just moved location. More than ever, I’m desperately looking forward to my week-long holiday to Austria in September. And as we all need a little “R & R”, Inkblots will be taking a break from publication for one month. We’re back in October with our Hallowe’en Scarefest though, and we’ll still be taking in submissions throughout September.

Moving on to August’s content, we’ve got lots of beautifully written work to share with you from our pool of regular contributors. With sunshine as our overarching theme, HHC veteran writer Rob kicks off creativity on the 5th with his flash fiction, while we have some wonderful poetry from the lovely Arwa later on in the month. As part of my Nana’s passing ten years ago, I also have a short poem to share with our readers as a tribute to her life. As always, make sure to check back during the month for new and original work.

August’s Half Hour Challenge should get the inspiration cogs turning with the following quote: “Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos”. It’s a lovely summery theme, a little light-hearted, and it’s also delicious to eat, so why not? Our Fiction Frenzy is still running until August 31st, so if you are planning on sending an entry in under either of the themes, Sunlight and Moonlight, then please send an email to theinkwellwriting@gmail.com before the closing date.

For any members of the forum, we’ve currently reverted back to our original domain name creativewriting.freeforums.org. All your work is still there, so please don’t panic. But for now, please access the writing forum via that URL address. Our administration team is currently assessing the situation and we’re hoping to make an official announcement in a couple of months.

Right, I won’t waffle on any longer – have a wonderful August and September! I shall be back for another editorial in October.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Leo-setä

by Colette

July Editorial – Tipping the Scales with a Range of Content

Hey Inkblotters,

Wow, what a busy June we had, whizzing by in a flash. But now isn’t the time to be thinking about the madness of last month, rather I’ll be looking forward to July and the content we’ve got on offer. As the summer holidays kick in towards the end of the month for the kids, sports days arrive, and the temperature just keeps rising – especially during this British heat wave – it’s a good idea to slap on the sun lotion once again to save yourself from getting burnt. Though, that being said, it’s an unfortunate Factor 50 for me again.

So with July just beginning, we’ve got a whole range of content to share with you under this month’s theme, Tipping the Scales. It’s a theme that’s given a lot of our writers food for thought, so regular contributor Terrestris Veritas brings his A-game on the 5th with HHC, Spark of Hate. Later, we’re featuring beautiful poetry from Lost in a Dream on the 10th, while on the 20th and 25th we’ve got a double poetry special from new contributor Scarlet Hardy with her wonderfully written ode. Of course, lots more short fiction is on its way as well, so check back continually throughout the month.

As per usual, our Half Hour Challenge for July shares a similar theme to the one we run on Inkblots. So if you’d like to submit anything to us this month, make sure you write a piece within 30 minutes with Justice in mind. Also on the agenda is our Fiction Frenzy – which we’re running over two months starting from now until August 31. We’ve got two fantastic wide-ranging themes to inspire you: Sunlight and Moonlight. Remember to check our submissions page for all the details on our Fiction Frenzy rules; you can take as long as you want on your entries!

So with all that said, have a great July and I look forward to reading all of your submissions as part of our Fiction Frenzy.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Mike Bitzenhofer

by Colette

June Editorial – The Many Faces of Betrayal

Hey Inkblotters!

Wow, we’re halfway through 2015 and I still can’t quite believe it. I’m craving the heat of the summer sunshine, too, as it’s only arriving in fits and starts here in the UK. With the beginning of June, the festival season kicks off once again, children can’t wait until school’s out, and parents are a bit concerned as to how they’ll keep their offspring occupied throughout the summer. It’s a slightly busier time for me, as I not only have a number of work events and exhibitions to attend, but also the biggest gaming event of the year springs up, namely E3. But don’t worry, Inkblots will continue to bring you fresh content this month.

And speaking of which, last month we had some fantastic poetry and short fiction, and it continues into June under a new theme, Betrayal. Yes, it has many faces, often hiding the truth under our feet. But it’s also a great theme to explore. Veteran forum member Sparky takes June’s first slot on the 5th with his short story, while on the 10th we have beautiful poetry from Kvothe. Later, we have a special two-part fictional piece from Rob and a superb poem from new contributor Awokunle Toyin Sheriff on the 30th. Of course, that’s not all the content we have planned, so make sure you pop back during the month to view the latest work.

As per, the Half Hour Challenge theme for June works in conjunction with our current content theme for the magazine. So to inspire our fellow writers, we’re asking you to pen a short story, lyrics or poetry with Poison in mind. Perhaps you think of a plant, or maybe it’s the famous Alice Cooper song. But whatever your inspiration is, we hope to see some fantastic entries emailed over to us. Check our submissions page for all the necessary details. And before I forget, Inkblots is bringing back the FICTION FRENZY starting from July 1 until August 31 once again. More details will come in July’s editorial.

But for now, it’s time for me to wrap this post up, so have a lovely June and keep writing!

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Aasif Iqbal

by Colette

May Editorial – Lending Strength & Salvation to those in Need

Hey Inkblotters,

With the recent earthquake crisis in Nepal, it appears mother nature isn’t quite on our side over the past few months. Although I’ve personally witnessed an earthquake having been close to the epicentre, it was nothing compared to the 7.8 magnitude in Nepal. It’s still a scary experience, however, and feeling the earth and the foundations of your own house move beneath you is something equally terrifying and incredible. But for those that lost their lives in the tragedy, a little strength and salvation is needed, especially for many left without family and in desperate need of aid. If you would like to donate to the appeal, you can do so over at PayPal.

So with the warmest thoughts being sent out to those in need, our content for May reflects strength of all kinds. This month we begin with Rob’s half hour challenge entry on the 5th, following up with Miss Smiley’s beautiful lyrical ensemble “Hold My Hand” on the 10th. We also have some absolutely wonderful poetry from returning contributors Ashcloud with “Waterworks” on the 20th, and two from Katie Allen on the 25th featured in our Poetry Spotlight. As usual, we also have a few surprises popped in for good measure.

In keeping with our content theme, the half hour challenge hopes to inspire and give Salvation to many. Sometimes all we need is a little dash of hope to carry us through the day. If you’d like to send us your HHC entry for May, all the important details can be found on our submissions page.

And with that, have a lovely May and enjoy the rest of the Bank Holiday weekend.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Slalit

by Colette

April Editorial – Step into Spring with the Sweetest Thing

Hey Inkblotters!

We’re happy to step into Spring this bank holiday weekend – or not, depending on how the weather is in your country. Here in the UK, it’s miserable and wet, on Good Friday as well! A considerable change compared to last year with the scorching Spring sunshine. No matter what you’re getting up to this weekend, make sure you have a blast. At least I won’t be getting burnt this time around, a particular of my skin type sadly. Though I will be eating my fair share of Easter chocolate, preferably not all in one go!

Speaking of Easter, it brings us nicely to our running theme for content this April. We’re celebrating “The Sweetest Thing” this month with content ranging from poetry to short fiction. As per, we shall be kicking off content with a Half Hour Challenge entry from February with Miss Smiley’s “A Thorn Amidst Joy” on the 5th, while on the 10th Ricardo’s poetry, “A Sweetened Ache”, will set our hearts alight in a fiery way. And later in the month, new contributor Katie Allen shares her absolutely delightful poetry on the 25th, so make sure to look out for “L.O.V.E”. Of course, we have much more superb content to share with you throughout the month – don’t miss it.

It goes without saying that our Half Hour Challenge theme for April is sickly sweet and joins our current content with a sticky, gooey-like smear. I’ve been directing The Inkwell’s fellow writers to this scrumptious video featuring the friendly Pooh Bear, where everything is honey. The sweet condiment is, of course, our HHC for this month. If you’d like to send us any of your work for the challenge, you’ll find our submissions page gives you all the important details.

And with that, I wish you a wonderful Easter weekend.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Sally Ann French

by Colette

March Editorial – Upcoming Content finds Reflection is Good for the Soul

Hey Inkblotters!

I’m not sure if it’s the same for you, but each year March arrives I always feel a little swept off my feet. Generally, I put it down to upcoming events such as Mother’s Day (in Britain), Easter and how short February feels, even though it’s only two to three days shorter in comparison to other months. Maybe it’s the amount of birthdays I’m bombarded with from January to March, making me feel I’m buying countless purchases for a string of consecutive weeks. Adding Christmas, too, and it becomes a gift marathon. Perhaps that’s why March seems like the perfect month for a little reflection. We’re done with the New Year’s Resolutions – congratulations if you haven’t already broken them and, equally, if you’ve managed to actively complete them – and the long bout of wintry weather finally comes to an end.

So, with spring in the air, though it’s still quite chilly, March’s content falls under the theme of reflection through fictional characters, journals and poetry. Kicking off this month’s content, then, is HHC veteran writer Rob with “Ending at the Start” on the 5th. Later, we have some beautiful poetry from Ashcloud on the 10th, and tense short fiction from Rae-Chan on the 15th. There are, of course, more short tales and poetry to come on subsequent dates too, so keep an eye out for them.

But if you’re itching to find out March’s Half Hour Challenge theme, we hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised and inspired by Narcissism. In a world where selfie sticks can actually be purchased, society is addicted to its own self-obsession. Though the word “selfie” didn’t actually come into play until the last few years, our ancestors had already been taking self portraits as early as the late 1800s. To submit a HHC entry to us, simply send us an email to theinkwellwriting@gmail.com and follow the guidelines in our handy submissions page.

Enjoy the content, and have a great March.

– Colette, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // Skipology

by Colette

February Editorial – Acts of Love & Upcoming Content

Hey Inkblotters!

Welcome to February’s editorial from the Inkblots team. I hope you’ve had a lovely start to the year, much like our site which has gone from strength to strength over the past few months with an updated look and official domain name. But moving on from all the jibber-jabber, as it’s the month of love. While it screams tacky, Valentine’s Day is only a couple of weeks away, and if you’re not knee-deep in commercial disaster, good for you!

Our content this month falls under the theme “Of love and other drugs”, but we won’t be following the traditional route of love. So, kicking content off on the 5th is Hope75’s short fiction on a different type of love. It’s horror at its most grotesque, but told lovingly – we’ll let you figure that one out. Next up on the 10th is some intimate poetry from Magnificent Mayhem, while on the 15th Dice has got some great tips in part two of The Game. Concluding content for the month is a lovely selection of poetry, along with another short fiction piece.

And if that wasn’t enough, our new Half Hour Challenge theme is now live for February under: Fanning the Flames. Whether you’re looking to pen some poetry or short fiction, why not try to do it in half an hour? We never get tired of reading new submissions so feel free to send them our way.

Have a lovely February, and if you’ve got something special planned for Valentine’s Day, make sure you have a cracking time.

– Colette (Silver), Inkblots Editor

Featured Image CC // SweetPea0613

by Colette

January Editorial – The Year Ahead and Welcome to 2015!

Hey Inkblotters,

Welcome to 2015 and a very happy new year to all our readers, writers and followers. By now, you’ll have likely noticed a couple of changes to our site. First of all, we’ve got a new (but not so new) domain name – now you can find us without the wordpress.com on the end!

We’ve also changed our main theme and layout to reflect the magazine’s content and overall feel. On the left side bar you’ll find all our pages, including the Submissions page which is much easier to access now. Plus, there’s also a small pin, clicking on this will take you to our featured content – these are the best posts from our authors around the world, so we take care in picking them out. And on the final tab is a folder, that’s where you’ll find our social output and where you can subscribe to us. Hopefully you’ll love the new theme just as much as I do!

With a new year brings lots of new content, but this time we’re on the hunt for a few more regular or guest contributors. Usually, we select content based on a pool that we receive in every month to a particular month. While the themes are sticking, we’re changing how we select content. So if you’d like your writing to be featured or published on Inkblots, please take a look at January to May’s themes below, which have been pre-selected.

  • January – Beginnings
  • February – Of Love and Other Drugs
  • March – Reflection
  • April – The Sweetest Thing
  • May – Strength

And don’t worry if you forget the themes above, as you’ll find them over at the submissions page throughout the year. Submissions for January’s theme is open until the 10th, but for all other months the closing date will be the last day of the previous month. So that means if you would like to submit content for March’s theme “Reflection”, you’ll need to send it us by February 28th to be considered for publication. You can send us submissions at theinkwellwriting@gmail.com.

While we have a few new works lined up for January’s content (you won’t be disappointed) with poetry and fiction, the Half Hour Challenge theme for January is Of Prologues and Other Such Beginnings. 

I hope you’ve had a great start to the year and I look forward to the year ahead! 🙂

– Silver, Inkblots Editor

Featured Image // Kalyan Chakravarthy