Over the past few months, both of us have come to realize that home is more than a place where one belongs. It is an embodiment of the self, and its true nature surfaces only when one believes in it. This issue, in a way, brought us closer to ourselves, closer to home. It was going back home that made us believe and find strength in our vulnerability and imperfection.

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When we started Inklette, we hoped to invite more people into this landscape. We knew that being a mere literary publication would not suffice. We wanted to be a community, an oasis for everyone who could see the desert.

We are ever so thankful to the masthead for the same. In the past four months, we have developed an even stronger sense of home. From reading submissions to editing the pieces you will read in this issue, we cultivated an even greater belief in being unafraid. In fact, we work, not as editors, but as a family. We admit to our insecurities, we anchor each other.

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We are pleased to feature Akhil Katyal and Vikram Kushwah in this issue. Akhil Katyal’s revealing poetry on topics ranging from the vividly personal to the conspicuously collective, took us by surprise. Vikram Kushwah, on the other hand, courageously combines and portrays the dynamic nature of the human mind in his spell-binding photographs.

While Katyal’s poetry sharpens the conscious dimension of our mind, Kushwah’s photographs integrate that very space into an altogether movingly subconscious landscape. Both of them are accomplished artists, uniquely subtle with a remarkable body of work.

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Needless to say, Issue II is bold and eclectic. During our submissions period, we received four times the number of submissions we received for our first issue, whereas the acceptance rate in every genre witnessed a significant decline. This amplified expectations, but we have tried our best to deliver what we believed we ought to.

Our contributors belong to several countries and come from different backgrounds. For some, it is their first publication! When you click to read different pieces, you will find yourself in varying landscapes, in the spirit of stunning identities and hopefully, at home.

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Dear readers and contributors, you brought us here. You motivate us, the Inklette team, each day to make Inklette an experience, relying solely on true creation.

You are the energy that drives us and we, as usual, are infinitely thankful. We do hope you enjoy reading Issue II.

 

Trivarna Hariharan and Devanshi Khetarpal

Editors-in-Chief

Inklette Magazine 

December 4, 2015

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This November, we asked a few of our Issue 1 contributors to send us videos of them reading their work. Here is Warren Read reading from his novel excerpt, On the Edge of Black Lake.

December 4, 2015

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How We Learn When We Are Young

by Haley Zilberberg (Intern)

When I was in ninth grade, I had a really great English teacher. At some point during the school year, she gave us a test. The test had really small boxes for our answers. The entire class struggled to fit the answers in the boxes. When we turned in the tests, she asked why no one had written outside of the box. There had been a lot of room on the margins outside of the box, and she had never told us that we had to write just in the box. But most of the students in my class saw this box, and saw it as a limit. They literally stayed inside the box.

In the college program I am enrolled in, there are often no “boxes”. I have few tests and many, many papers, which is something most students hate. But I love it. I can constantly voice my opinions and learn through making decisions on my point of view.

One of the tests I had this semester was a test that had some open-ended question and some multiple choice. My professor had a multiple choice question with options a, b, c, and d. It said to choose one answer. I was really frustrated with the question because none of the answers was adequate in my opinion. I told my professor and she told me to circle whatever answers I thought could apply and write why. And for some reason, this made me so incredibly happy.

When children are growing up, in my experience, there are way too many “boxes” and too little room for exploration, questioning, and expression. Children are praised for sitting in their seats, for answering things how they are taught to, and for being quiet. But if we let young people voice what they had to say, I’m sure we would learn just as much as they learn from adults.

Being a writer, I have the opportunity to say everything I want to in whatever form or manner I want to. Even when I am given a prompt or a specific way in which to write something, in my experience, art is a field in which people are commended on changing things up.

In elementary school, I submitted a poem for an essay contest and ended up winning. In middle school, I entered an essay contest that had strict guidelines to write in “FCAT” style (one opening paragraph, three middle, and one end—each paragraph with its own strict guidelines). Instead I submitted an essay I wrote completely neglecting the guidelines and ended up winning. Being praised for exploring alternate routes and completely ignoring the rules was something that shaped me into who I am today. Children should be taught to break the rules so that they can have their own thoughts and opinions.

By breaking the rules, I don’t mean stealing and vandalizing. I don’t mean being a class disruption. I mean that children should be allowed to explore their creativity and individuality. Everyone communicates their ideas and thoughts best in their own way. Everyone learns differently than the next person.

Young students in the recent years are being too limited. They don’t get as much recess or time exploring the arts in school. They get so much homework. They have to fill in literal boxes for standardized tests. They are often times taught a standardized curriculum in a specific instruction that teachers have no choice in.

Not every child will be good at everything. If twenty children were told to write a poem, a small fraction of them would probably actually enjoy it. But I think it is important to expose children to different things, to different forms of art and expression. I think when we are young, it is important to let children know the importance of having a voice and individuality.

December 21, 2015

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We’re missing our dear ol’ Issue 1 again! And while we wait for Issue 2, let’s rewind to Ghost Story, a wonderful poem by featured poet, Ian Burnette. Watch him read his poem right here: 

 January 8, 2016

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A week ago, the Inklette Team was asked to explain what they learned from being a part of Inklette in 2015.

2015 was a great year for Inklette, a year that included the first online issue in November. Together, the team has grown and so has Inklette, and there is much more to come in 2016!

Embarking on this journey with Devanshi Khetarpal has been extremely enriching. I feel honored to be working alongside such talented teammates, from each of whom there is so much to learn. Inklette is one of the best literary experiences I’ve ever had. It has given me the opportunity to understand diverse kinds of literature and arts; and taught me how a magazine really operates. It has made me much kinder with younger authors. It has made me realize the importance of an effective editorial process. I hope Inklette grows by leaps and bounds, and makes us all proud in the years to come!

 

When I started Inklette as a six-page newsletter, it was impossible for me to visualize it as an online, literary magazine. Trivarna, my Kindred Spirit, and I embarked on a journey with little hope or expectation. Today, Inklette surprises me every step of the way. Each day I witness the community that Inklette has created. With the first issue itself, Inklette displayed its remarkable potential and energy. We have published both emerging and established writers. Our careful editorial process has helped us to create a long-lasting bond with all our contributors. As the Editor-in-Chief, I feel fortunate to be working with so many talented artists and writers from all over the world. Working for Inklette constantly helps me see what other writers today are aiming towards. Inklette is a passion, a world, a creation but above all, it is something I am grateful for.

 

Discovering Inklette this year has shown me how great collaborative writing can be. Up until this summer, when I discovered Inklette at the Iowa Young Writer’s Studio, writing was mostly something I did alone, behind closed doors. Inklette showed me how rewarding it can be to work with someone else to hone their work and make something greater.

 

One of the only other passions of mine that comes close to writing itself is helping other writers. There’s just something magical about actively engaging with a piece of work and its author. From working as a consultant in my school’s writing center to being a TA for Creative Writing, I’ve always loved figuring out ways to make a writer’s already beautiful thoughts even more beautiful. This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. There, I met so many amazing writers–including Devanshi Khetarpal, one of the wonderful Editors-in-Chief of Inklette. Each time I see a new submission for Inklette, I’m immensely grateful she and Trivarna Hariharan gave me a chance to expand my passion even more.

 

This publication is the first publication I’ve had the pleasure to work with. It has a spirited staff, a superb influx of work from around the world, and a dedication to finding the best styles of poetry and prose from both new and experienced writers. This large volume of writing gives me hope that there will always be people from Mumbai to London to North Dakota, writing and ready to share their work.

 

 I’ve only been a prose reader for Inklette for a few months, but it feels like I’ve been here much longer. I love the sense of community and meaningful interactions about writing. It’s great to share a passion with other people who are just as enthusiastic as I am and eager to create amazing art.

 

 

Inklette is, perhaps, one of the first magazines that I’ve worked for in a proper way, and it’s been great to be part of a literary community where you can communicate with others of your age and where the editors are friendly and welcoming and trust your opinion. Perhaps one of the best parts of being a reader for Inklette has been actively forming and debating the merits of a piece and seeing it from other perspectives. In this sense, Inklette is about evolution of both the editor and the author. Apart from this, there is obviously something beautiful of being part of a community where young people collaborate and simply strive to make good art.

 

I recently joined Inklette as a Poetry Reader and have thoroughly enjoyed reading the submissions for our second issue. Inklette has not only introduced me to fellow poetry lovers, but it has also exposed me to various writing styles, genres, and techniques from poets around the world. This has helped me understand what poetry means to others, which, in turn, has helped me redefine what poetry means to me. 2015 was a great year for Inklette. I have a feeling that 2016 will be even better. As we continue to create and share new art forms, I hope that we will encourage our readers to see the world through multiple perspectives and foster a love of all things creative.

 

Inklette has offered me the chance to interact and actively work with a vibrant community of incredibly talented young writers and artists. Moreover, it has introduced me to a wide range of literary styles and influences, and given me a perspective on how writing and art is published and perceived today. Ultimately, Inklette goes on to prove that writers need not work in isolation, and that great art is more than often, collaborative. As an intern, I’m immensely grateful to be a part of this wonderful magazine and I wish Inklette success in all its endeavors.

 

I have been a Social Media Manager for Inklette since its inception in 2015. It has been a spectacular experience so far. Day to day analysis of data, and the responsibilities of content curation along with constant monitoring has made it so much more exciting. The exposure to established poets and authors from around the globe has proved to be a boon for my urge to read, also the teammates in the visual arts department have always left me wondering if the world is so much more colorful than what I can see around me. As the journey continues in 2016, I hope our upcoming issues strike more and more number of clicks and every other time we publish, we do it with an increased vigor and a greater commitment for the cause of spreading love for art.

 

Blog Credits: Haley Zilberberg (Intern)

There is nothing more to say than that Inklette hopes to give someplace to reside and something to believe. As writers and artists, we may even have found those spaces and beliefs yet we are on the lookout. However, both of us have found that space and belief in Inklette. Before we took on the task to expand Inklette from being a tiny newsletter to an online literary magazine, our worlds were smaller. Our worlds were isolated. Now, we have found a better place to inhabit. We have found an orbit, an axis: all of which is composed of the brilliant community Inklette seems to have created.

This wouldn’t have been possible without our unbelievably talented team. Throughout the submissions period till the editorial rounds, our team worked in accordance with Inklette’s ideals and settled for nothing but the best. Their efforts, energy and charisma gave life to this issue. Their commitment and professionalism astounded and inspired us and never, in the past month, have we gone to bed without being impressed and equally thankful. The publication of the first issue does bring a sense of achievement and pride but more so, it fills us with gratitude. When we say they are ‘unbelievably talented’, we certainly do mean it. Keeping this in mind, we are pleased to announce John S. Osler III as the ‘Inkletter of the Month.’ John’s attitude, enthusiasm and talent strengthened ours. (Also, Josler’s ‘Ad Blitz: The Good Kind, Not the Political Fear-Mongering Kid,’ is a novel advertising concept. Everything said and done, Josler’s awesome).

Inspired by our own coincidental and enduring friendship, we asked more Friends to join us. Our friends include literary magazines, writing cum mentorship programs and other initiatives for young and emerging artists and writers. Through the Friend Network, we hope to collaborate in the future and promote each other to create a greater sense of community.

In this issue, we are glad to publish both emerging and established artists and writers from all across the globe. Soon after sending the acceptance letters, some writers told us that this was going to be their FIRST publication. It would perhaps be an understatement to say that we were overjoyed. Deepti Chadha’s piece, Partition, gives a poignant and personal account of one of the most tragic events in history. Jerrod Schwarz’s dark poems completely took us away. Lisa Stice’s poem, In Training, uncovers absence and belonging. Reflections by Aashna Sharma has gives us clarity and foothold. These are just a few of the wonderful pieces that you will stumble upon.

We are glad to be featuring accomplished writers like Ian Burnette, Katharine Ogle and Anya Groner, and David Benedictus in this issue. We are truly thankful to have had the pleasure.

We hope you find what you’re looking for in this issue. We hope this gives you a habitat or help you steer through the day or make you see the same things in a fresh way. This issue will perhaps stir you in explicable ways. You might have big tears rolling down your eyes, just like we did. The horizon is huge. We occupy a microcosmic space. But we must occupy it fully. We hope this issue is successful in inking your heart all the way.

Most importantly, Thank You!

-Trivarna H. and Devanshi K.

Editors-in-Chief

Inklette