Spilled Ink

spilling-your-ink:

We hope that everyone had a wonderful winter break, holiday season, and/or new year celebration. We have a few different things to talk about here so we ask our followers to be please read through this entirely. Any questions, comments, or complaints should be sent here.

First matter of business. YES. Our submission box is closed.

I apologize this memo wasn’t out sooner to clarify everyone’s confusion. Yes, our submission box is closed. There are many reasons for this. The main one is that we simply weren’t getting enough variety. Yes, we were getting numerous submissions but too many were from the same people again and again. As we strive for diversity this was hindering our overall goal.

So, as such, we originally decided to get rid of the submissions altogether. After spending some days musing on it though we have now come to the decision that the submission box will, in fact, remain open but only one day a week. It will be open and accepting submissions from 5PM Friday nights to 5PM Saturday nights (Alaska time!).

• ONE POST PER PERSON PER WEEK. If you submit more than once, ALL will be deleted.
• You may submit multiple links ONLY if you’re suggesting blogs OTHER than your own.
• DO NOT send us a link to your blog, it will be deleted. Send us a link to a SPECIFIC POST on your blog.
• Please realize that, at times, we do delete posts from our Queue/Draft folder if we feel we have been giving a particular blog too much attention. That means that even if we have “hearted” a post of yours it is not guaranteed to be posted. 
• Submissions will not be posted immediately. At times our Queue is frightfully long and other times scarce. 

Secondly, we figured since it’s the New Year we might as well try something new, so here it is!

Guest editors. This is a new feature we’ll be offering to anyone who would like to participate. Every once in a while (mostly when there is a moderator free to coordinate it all) we will choose someone and for a three day span the only posts we will publish will be ones hand-picked by the guest editor. This will give the guest editor a chance to showcase either the type of creative writing they are interested in, the Tumblr writers they think deserve some more attention, or simply their favorites.

• This does not mean we will be giving our password out to just anyone! Your dashboards will not be spammed with, well, spam (or inane posts).

What this entails is, first of all, people deciding if they want to participate. This is how it will follow:

1. You make a post on your blog stating, “I want to participate in the new Guest Editor feature of Spilled Ink’s blog.”
2. Make sure to tag it with #guesteditors and please note there is NO space between the two words. We will only track this tag! Do not message us stating you would like to participate. Your message will be deleted because you obviously didn’t follow the directions.
3. Then a Spilled Ink moderator (probably Bethany) will visit the tag’s page and choose, at random, three names. There is not a set time table for how often, and when, this will occur. It is dependent entirely upon the schedules of the moderators.
4. The names will go into a ranking system of Main, First runner-up, and Second runner-up. But do not be confused! This is not a contest! We are simply doing it this way so that if the first person doesn’t respond within 24 hours accepting the role as Guest Editor, we will have already contacted two other people letting them know they are runner-ups and hopefully out of the three we’ll land ourselves with one guest editor.
5. So, you will be contacted and hopefully you will accept. Then you will, within another 24 hours, compose a list of at most 50 links, at least 25. These links will be sent to my email and not through Tumblr.
6. After inspecting each link to make sure it’s not spam or porn (even though we all love it) and it is, in fact, creative writing, we will set everything up in our Queue and there will be a special link at the bottom of each post stating, “Chosen by our current guest editor, ________.”
7. Rinse and repeat.

I really hope that this was clear enough! Please, if there are any questions do not hesitate to ask!

And lastly, our January prompt.

It’s a New Year, it’s a new you! That’s the cliche, yes? Well, because it is, our prompt is also all about you. But we don’t want to hear about your resolutions. We’re more focused on all of the new people you’ll be meeting this year. If you had to give them a disclaimer, a warning of sorts, about yourself, what would it be?

• Specific prompt: Write a disclaimer about yourself to the possible new people you’ll be meeting this new year.
• Tag with #spilled disclaimers and please remember the space! We will only be reblogging from this tag.

Some reminders about the Spilled Ink blog:

• Links should not be submitted through the new FanMail feature Tumblr has debuted. Links sent as “FanMail” will be deleted automatically. Submissions are, now, only accepted from 5PM Friday nights to 5PM Saturday nights (Alaska time) via the Submit box.
• We do not give reviews and advice on pieces of writing. We’re sorry but we just don’t have the time and that is not one of the points of this blog.
• We try our hardest to give your dashboard a variety of poetry and prose. 
• Sometimes we give some extra attention to the same writer more frequently than other writers but mostly this was because of the submit feature and that will be changing.
• Sometimes we reblog people that already have a ton of notes or followers, etc, because at what number of notes or followers should we state that they do not deserve any more attention?
• Please know, though, that we do try hard and we are very thankful for all of the support we’ve received and take that as everyone, for the most part, being satisfied with our effort.

We look forward to a wonderful new year with you all! Please do not hesitate to reach out with ideas or suggestions for the further growth of our blog.

<3Spilled Ink Mods

Please read.

We hope that everyone had a wonderful winter break, holiday season, and/or new year celebration. We have a few different things to talk about here so we ask our followers to be please read through this entirely. Any questions, comments, or complaints should be sent here.

First matter of business. YES. Our submission box is closed.

I apologize this memo wasn’t out sooner to clarify everyone’s confusion. Yes, our submission box is closed. There are many reasons for this. The main one is that we simply weren’t getting enough variety. Yes, we were getting numerous submissions but too many were from the same people again and again. As we strive for diversity this was hindering our overall goal.

So, as such, we originally decided to get rid of the submissions altogether. After spending some days musing on it though we have now come to the decision that the submission box will, in fact, remain open but only one day a week. It will be open and accepting submissions from 5PM Friday nights to 5PM Saturday nights (Alaska time!).

• ONE POST PER PERSON PER WEEK. If you submit more than once, ALL will be deleted.
• You may submit multiple links ONLY if you’re suggesting blogs OTHER than your own.
• DO NOT send us a link to your blog, it will be deleted. Send us a link to a SPECIFIC POST on your blog.
• Please realize that, at times, we do delete posts from our Queue/Draft folder if we feel we have been giving a particular blog too much attention. That means that even if we have “hearted” a post of yours it is not guaranteed to be posted. 
• Submissions will not be posted immediately. At times our Queue is frightfully long and other times scarce. 

Secondly, we figured since it’s the New Year we might as well try something new, so here it is!

Guest editors. This is a new feature we’ll be offering to anyone who would like to participate. Every once in a while (mostly when there is a moderator free to coordinate it all) we will choose someone and for a three day span the only posts we will publish will be ones hand-picked by the guest editor. This will give the guest editor a chance to showcase either the type of creative writing they are interested in, the Tumblr writers they think deserve some more attention, or simply their favorites.

• This does not mean we will be giving our password out to just anyone! Your dashboards will not be spammed with, well, spam (or inane posts).

What this entails is, first of all, people deciding if they want to participate. This is how it will follow:

1. You make a post on your blog stating, “I want to participate in the new Guest Editor feature of Spilled Ink’s blog.”
2. Make sure to tag it with #guesteditors and please note there is NO space between the two words. We will only track this tag! Do not message us stating you would like to participate. Your message will be deleted because you obviously didn’t follow the directions.
3. Then a Spilled Ink moderator (probably Bethany) will visit the tag’s page and choose, at random, three names. There is not a set time table for how often, and when, this will occur. It is dependent entirely upon the schedules of the moderators.
4. The names will go into a ranking system of Main, First runner-up, and Second runner-up. But do not be confused! This is not a contest! We are simply doing it this way so that if the first person doesn’t respond within 24 hours accepting the role as Guest Editor, we will have already contacted two other people letting them know they are runner-ups and hopefully out of the three we’ll land ourselves with one guest editor.
5. So, you will be contacted and hopefully you will accept. Then you will, within another 24 hours, compose a list of at most 50 links, at least 25. These links will be sent to my email and not through Tumblr.
6. After inspecting each link to make sure it’s not spam or porn (even though we all love it) and it is, in fact, creative writing, we will set everything up in our Queue and there will be a special link at the bottom of each post stating, “Chosen by our current guest editor, ________.”
7. Rinse and repeat.

I really hope that this was clear enough! Please, if there are any questions do not hesitate to ask!

And lastly, our January prompt.

It’s a New Year, it’s a new you! That’s the cliche, yes? Well, because it is, our prompt is also all about you. But we don’t want to hear about your resolutions. We’re more focused on all of the new people you’ll be meeting this year. If you had to give them a disclaimer, a warning of sorts, about yourself, what would it be?

• Specific prompt: Write a disclaimer about yourself to the possible new people you’ll be meeting this new year.
• Tag with #spilled disclaimers and please remember the space! We will only be reblogging from this tag.

Some reminders about the Spilled Ink blog:

• Links should not be submitted through the new FanMail feature Tumblr has debuted. Links sent as “FanMail” will be deleted automatically. Submissions are, now, only accepted from 5PM Friday nights to 5PM Saturday nights (Alaska time) via the Submit box.
• We do not give reviews and advice on pieces of writing. We’re sorry but we just don’t have the time and that is not one of the points of this blog.
• We try our hardest to give your dashboard a variety of poetry and prose. 
• Sometimes we give some extra attention to the same writer more frequently than other writers but mostly this was because of the submit feature and that will be changing.
• Sometimes we reblog people that already have a ton of notes or followers, etc, because at what number of notes or followers should we state that they do not deserve any more attention?
• Please know, though, that we do try hard and we are very thankful for all of the support we’ve received and take that as everyone, for the most part, being satisfied with our effort.

We look forward to a wonderful new year with you all! Please do not hesitate to reach out with ideas or suggestions for the further growth of our blog.

<3Spilled Ink Mods

graffitiesprit:

If any of you know Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he has a wonderful open-collaboration company, hitRECord, that has brought together countless artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers.

A project that really took off was this: the Tiny Book of Tiny Stories. It’s an amalgam of selections from thousands of online contributions. I could not be more supportive of this project and the way in which it brings writers and illustrators together to create a volume actually published by HarperCollins. 

As inspired by this as I was by the I’m Obsessed With Sound project (which inspired the I’m Obsessed With Words Project still alive and well on Tumblr), I wanted to offer another collaborative opportunity to usher in the new year for 2012. I would love to create my own Tiny Book of Tiny Stories with submissions from all of you! I will choose the best of what I receive to be included in the volume. 

To keep submissions consistent, they should keep to a 200 word maximum, but the rest is for you to decide. Tell a mighty narrative in a tiny way! Take the project seriously but have fun! 

If you plan to submit, please tag it with: graffititinystories

Please reblog and spread the word. I can’t do this without you!

*This project by no means seeks to rip off or to take away from the hitRECord company. Submissions can also be sent to hitRECord to be considered for future volumes of The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories

Much thanks and warm wishes for the coming year,

Travis

This is TWCP (Tumblr Writing Community Project) that we are happy to support! Please help Travis out by making this happen. Reblog and participate!

I would like to take this time to mention that the very frequent anon challenges being tagged with #TWCP are not at all what I had in mind and I would greatly appreciate it if people could remove the tags from Anon Challenge posts. It is a perfectly fun thing to do, but not for the #TWCP tag.

Thank you very much and look out for a memo later today about why our Submissions box is closed, something new we’ll be trying, and a general new year update! 

I do apologize that it is already the middle of December and I am just now putting out this memo. But as many of us are on break from school, work, etc, I imagine everyone has ample time to complete at least one of these! However, for anyone that completes all of these prompts by December 31st and sends us a message with the appropriate links leading to each post, we will have a special post made to thank you for your participation. [If you do not send us all four links that work your message will be deleted. Apologies.]

Mistletoe (Please tag with #mistletoeink)

Describe a kiss through prose or poetry. We encourage you to exceed 100 words. Use whatever details to shape the environment, the other person, or the motions of the kiss itself to lend readers a clear image. Although it does not have to actually be related to a mistletoe experience, since the holidays are about it would be nice to see some follow that theme. This can be a kiss you’ve experienced or want to experience. Delight us.

Christmas Characters (Please tag with #xmascharacters)

Have you ever truly considered the characters of Christmas? Santa Clause, Mrs. Clause, the elves, etc. Take one of these characters, or any others that strike your fancy, and create a bit of prose or poetry relating to these characters. Feel free to use any characters that have sprouted from religious celebrations, as long as they are in relation to winter holidays.

Stripping Christmas (Please tag with #strippingxmas)

Describe Christmas, or any other holiday you celebrate, while avoiding the cliches. So, for Christmas, things that wouldn’t be included: a tree, presents, decorations, fireplaces, Santa, etc. Through poetry or prose render what Christmas means on a deeper level. Although we all love our family, you will not be taking this prompt in a creative manner if you solely go on about the presence of family.

A Holiday Letter (Please tag with #holidayletter)

Consider the people in your life during this holiday season. Now, although we love and appreciate all of the constant presences in our lives, consider a recent friend, lover, or new family member that was not in your life last holiday season. Write them a letter. That is all. I will not say what you must write, only that it should be a letter or poem of some sort that is addressed to them. It’d be great if you sent it, but of course that’s not something in our power to demand. (Many of us meet new people continuously through Tumblr and we would be happy for you to include whoever you wish even if you may not be friends outside of this site.)

Please be sure to tag your posts properly. We will only be reblogging from the particular tags stated above. Do not submit links to us of these prompts! If you’d like some extra holiday reading I would suggest tracking each of these tags to see how everyone interprets the prompts. Questions, comments, complains deposited here.

I do apologize that it is already the middle of December and I am just now putting out this memo. But as many of us are on break from school, work, etc, I imagine everyone has ample time to complete at least one of these! However, for anyone that completes all of these prompts by December 31st and sends us a message with the appropriate links leading to each post, we will have a special post made to thank you for your participation. [If you do not send us all four links that work your message will be deleted. Apologies.]

Mistletoe (Please tag with #mistletoeink)

Describe a kiss through prose or poetry. We encourage you to exceed 100 words. Use whatever details to shape the environment, the other person, or the motions of the kiss itself to lend readers a clear image. Although it does not have to actually be related to a mistletoe experience, since the holidays are about it would be nice to see some follow that theme. This can be a kiss you’ve experienced or want to experience. Delight us.

Christmas Characters (Please tag with #xmascharacters)

Have you ever truly considered the characters of Christmas? Santa Clause, Mrs. Clause, the elves, etc. Take one of these characters, or any others that strike your fancy, and create a bit of prose or poetry relating to these characters. Feel free to use any characters that have sprouted from religious celebrations, as long as they are in relation to winter holidays.

Stripping Christmas (Please tag with #strippingxmas)

Describe Christmas, or any other holiday you celebrate, while avoiding the cliches. So, for Christmas, things that wouldn’t be included: a tree, presents, decorations, fireplaces, Santa, etc. Through poetry or prose render what Christmas means on a deeper level. Although we all love our family, you will not be taking this prompt in a creative manner if you solely go on about the presence of family.

A Holiday Letter (Please tag with #holidayletter)

Consider the people in your life during this holiday season. Now, although we love and appreciate all of the constant presences in our lives, consider a recent friend, lover, or new family member that was not in your life last holiday season. Write them a letter. That is all. I will not say what you must write, only that it should be a letter or poem of some sort that is addressed to them. It’d be great if you sent it, but of course that’s not something in our power to demand. (Many of us meet new people continuously through Tumblr and we would be happy for you to include whoever you wish even if you may not be friends outside of this site.)

Please be sure to tag your posts properly. We will only be reblogging from the particular tags stated above. Do not submit links to us of these prompts! If you’d like some extra holiday reading I would suggest tracking each of these tags to see how everyone interprets the prompts. Questions, comments, complains deposited here.

jayarrarr:

So, in my story Ella Bella, I wrote that her mother, Sarah, named her after a poem she wrote a month before she was born. But I never wrote the poem.

Here’s the challenge: write the poem Sarah wrote — the poem that inspired her to name her newborn daughter “Ella Bella.” Tag it #ella bella poem.

I’m tracking the tag and I’ll post a list of links to them at some point or I’ll reblog my favorites or something, I don’t know, I haven’t figured this out just yet, this is a pretty new thought and it still has training wheels on.

moderateclimates:

I seem to have developed some sort of taste for challenges, so here is another!

Hemingway said:

I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, “Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”

So here is my challenge proposal: quite simply, write the truest sentence that you know. It can only be one sentence, but there is no word limit on this sentence. Be creative, be inspired, but most of all, be truthful. I am just looking for real emotion, here. If you choose to partake in this challenge, you should tag it #thetruestsentence which I will be tracking. I will read every single entry, I promise you. 

On the 20th December, 11am AEST (GMT+10) - Americans you might want to work out how much time this gives you - I will create a post of my top fifteen Truest Sentences. 

Please, consider partaking, and remember that this is a challenge of complete and utter honesty, and no judging. I will like every piece to let you know that I have seen it. If three days go by and I have not liked yours, please message me. Feel free to post more than one entry - however many you wish.

I love you all. <3

This is a great challenge and we at Spilled Ink encourage all of you to participate. We will be reblogging whoever is chosen to be a part of her top fifteen! Please tag appropriately!

lilysofthefield:

1. Plethora: A large quantity; an overabundance.
2. Glamour: Beauty.
3. Imbue: To infuse, instill.
4. Furtive: Shifty, sneaky.
5. Elixir: A good potion.

Use these 5 words in a prose/poetry piece. And go!

tag it 5outof100

girlonthewall:

It will be simple, because the best things always are like being tucked up on my sofa behind a locked door with my legs curled under me and the years of wandering aimless looking for somewhere to call my own marked in scrapes from too small shoes and running into walls with history written all over my tired feet, there will always be maps on my toes from dead ends and unjust forks in the road that always took me to another city, another alienated street but all of those wrong turns and disappointments will lead me right to the warm side of the window and I’ll know exactly where I am, on safe ground in the peaceful home that I had been searching for all along. 

Have you played this before? It’s a game where you and another person, or multiple other people, sit and go through a scenario of where you would rather be. You can include people you’d rather be with, alternate locations, ages, and life situations, etc. Please stay in this reality.

I could sit and explain how I’d rather be sixty-three and a cat lady, and go through the reasons why. Or I could omit my reasoning and simply render the scene. It’s all up to you how you take this prompt.

If you have any questions or clarifications please feel free to contact us.

Tag with #anywhere prompt. Do not submit links to us, we will only be reblogging pieces from this tag.