Amid the various student publications here at Biola, Inkslinger is one for students of any major to step up and submit their creative pieces for publication. Whether students are majoring in the arts or the sciences, all are welcome to celebrate their creativity together in Biola’s literary journal.
THE INKSLINGER ACTIVITIES
“Our goal is basically to give Christian students a voice and a place to promote themselves, whether that be visual or written arts,” said Charlotte Snyder, a senior English and Bible double major and editor-in-chief of Inkslinger. “[We offer] a chance to be creative, to meet other creative people, to express your creativity and to celebrate creativity.”
This student journal began in 2005 and features poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, black-and-white art and black-and-white photography. Inkslinger publishes once every year in the spring semester.
Alongside publishing the journal, Inkslinger also hosts an event once per semester called the Creative Workspace, where students can gather to make art crafts and blackout poetry.
“Professors in the English department have donated books, and basically you rip out a page of the book,” Snyder said. “And then you get a sharpie, and then cross out words, and the text that you leave is the poem.”
The Inkslinger team also gives editorial feedback during the event for students who are considering submitting work to the journal.
UNIFYING CREATIVITY AMONG DIVERSITY
Snyder first heard of Inkslinger through an email from the English department. Her first round of submissions rewarded her with a publication of one of her photographs. After having three of her poems published the next year, Snyder went on to join the Inkslinger staff.
“This is my second year [on staff]. I love, love, loved it last year,” said Snyder.
One thing she enjoys is discussing the many submissions to the literary journal with her fellow staff members.
“We kind of just talk about like, ‘Oh, what are some strengths and what are some weaknesses?’ And I love when people get really opinionated like, ‘This is the absolute best thing … we have to put it on.’ And someone else would be like, ‘I don’t know.’ I just love sitting around and getting to talk about writing, poetry, art and photography,” Snyder said.
Snyder also appreciates how the diverse community of Biola comes together with creative art and literature as their common ground.
“When submissions come in, it’s like STEM majors, business majors, communications majors — everything. And you realize, like, how many creative people are on this campus,” said Snyder. “I love getting to review the work and seeing there are people all around this campus, where occupationally, they’re looking for one thing, but they have these creative skills that God has given them … It makes Biola seem a lot bigger.”
OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED GROWTH
The excitement of submitting for publication also comes with the possibility of rejection. Snyder takes it more as a learning opportunity rather than a negative experience.
“One year I submitted like six poems, a story, 10 photographs — only had a photograph [published],” said Snyder. “Later the next year [I had] three poems [published]. I went from zero to having three poems, and I think it just taught me like, there’s still room to grow.”
Snyder encourages students to keep sharing and improving their craft.
“You’re never going to know how talented you might be unless you show someone else,” said Snyder. “Even if you think you’re not up to par, if you think maybe it’s not that good, still show someone. Even if you don’t submit to Inkslinger, show someone, bring it into a community … Just keep taking pictures, keep painting, keep drawing, keep working your craft.”
Inkslinger opens submissions on Oct. 1.
Check out their Instagram or email [email protected] for further information.
