Submission Guidelines
We are excited to read your submission! On this page, you will find detailed instructions on content, format, and submission.
Content
What We Don't Accept
We do not accept pieces previously published elsewhere or unfinished works (this includes chapter excerpts), nor do we accept submissions with grammatical or developmental errors. We will not consider any pieces generated by AI. We will not consider submissions that do not adhere to our content or submission guidelines.
As Inkblot is produced by Brigham Young University-Idaho's Writing Center, we will not accept submissions with tactless approaches to subjects such as mental health, abuse, or death. We will not accept works with explicit content, including (but not limited to) sexually suggestive material, graphic depictions of violence or abuse, and offensive, politically charged content. As a magazine sponsored by BYU-I's Writing Center, we are dedicated to sharing thoughtful, respectful, appropriate pieces with our readers.
Our goal is to produce a collection that uplifts students and shares the creative spirit of our BYU-I community. Please help us in our mission as you consider your submission.
What We Accept
We are looking for quality unpublished works that have been revised, edited, and are ready to be published!
Each student may submit up to 2 submissions per semester. All works must be unpublished and have been written or completed in the last year.
We will be accepting the following submissions:
Poetry (under 2 pages, double spaced)
Fiction (under 2,500 words)
Creative Nonfiction (under 2,500 words)
Writing is never a process you should do alone. If you need someone to look over your piece, or you would like help revising, please make an appointment with a BYU-I Writing Center tutor.
Format
Submissions must follow these formatting requirements:
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Prose must be double-spaced, poetry must be single spaced.
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use a comfortable and professional 12-pt font (for instance, Times New Roman, Arial, or Cambria).
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If you need to provide citations for a creative nonfiction piece, please do so using your choice of MLA, APA, or Chicago style.
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Save and submit your piece as a PDF or Word document.
Submissions undergo a blind review process by an editorial board. Your name should never appear in the document or the file name.
Submission Form
Current Theme:
You must submit your pieces by WEDNESDAY, June 11th at 11:59 PM (the middle of Week 8). Pieces submitted after this date will not be considered for publication.
The word midsummer is often associated with William Shakespeare’s famous play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For our theme, the word alludes to the play and its mischievous tone. Think magic, trickery, illusion, chaos, emotional upheaval, etc. But, midsummer is also the summer solstice, so this theme is also an allusion to hot days and warm nights, the light of the summer sun, and all the potential of it just waiting, hanging in the air like a promise. The word promise is full of complex connotations. Promises are made all the time, but how often are promises kept? Promises can be rashly made. Broken or kept, sincere or deceptive, they can mean everything, and nothing. Together, these words paint a picture of the summer season which is quickly coming upon us. For this reason, this semester's title is “Midsummer Promise.”
“Midsummer Promise” is an exploration of things just beginning, or of things coming apart at the seams. It is the glint of a secret, a deep conversation in the darkness of night, a whispered dare, the way sunlight catches in your eye, a half-kept vow, and a fleeting moment where everything almost changed. It's about the promise of summer: mischief, adrenaline, and nostalgia.
Submissions are not required to match this title to be considered for publication.
We will not consider works that do not adhere to our content guidelines.
We are excited to review your work. Thank you for your submission!