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Issue VII: Arcane Arcades was a one-of-a-kind issue for RTS focused around games and entertainment. We were absolutely floored by the submissions we received, and it was incredibly difficult for us to choose our contributors. Ultimately, we chose the pieces that best fit the theme and the kind of work we published. Today, we'd like to further highlight the pieces published by giving you an insight into their behind-the-scenes. We asked our contributors what inspired them to write their pieces, and how they hoped others would relate to it. We hope this helps you appreciate the pieces more, and gives you some inspiration for your own writing! You can read the lovely pieces themselves inside Issue VII. Note: Their social media handles are also listed in brackets if you want to support them. Poetry Prose Creative Non-fiction POETRY Christopher Arkwright - Pokémon is my faith in humanity I was sitting in the car, on a long road trip, thinking about power. Everyone wants the power to have people bow down before them, build great monuments in their name, be truly special. But in dictators and rulers alike, the truly unreachable, magical power, has always been the greatest allure. The power to fly, breathe fire or use magical weapons in combat. That led me to the realisation that in fact, most people do enjoy those dreams of power. But it isn’t they who have it, it’s Pokémon! In Pokémon, you are still a weak and feeble human, yet so many are obsessed with the magical power of the creatures they can tame. For me, this was nice thought, a realisation which (at least for that afternoon) restored my faith in humanity. I wanted to share that feeling with other people, so I wrote it down. Devon Webb - NPC (@devonwebbnz (Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Bluesky)) 'NPC' is about a lack of autonomy & effective communication in romantic attractions, using an NPC (non-playable character) metaphor to portray the idea of being reduced to a repetitive insignificance in somebody else's story, even when you view yourself as a protagonist. E. S. Merritt - Game of Hearts (@e.s.merritt) My piece is inspired by the game of romance that people play when in a relationship. This poem was inspired by a situation I went through, where one person in a relationship is looking for something fun and flirty, while the other is looking for something more serious. Teens will relate to this, as the teenage years are when people experience their first love and heartbreak, and many teens have probably been in a relationship like this. E.J.M - The Game of Being A Teenage Girl (@ella_writesbooks_) My piece is about the teenage girl experience and how it compares to a game such as Tetris. Tetris is a game that mathematically, you can't win. It will keep going forever and ever. This is similar to the average teenage girl experience because no matter how hard you try to change yourself to seek the approval of others, there will always be someone who hates on you and you can't please them. What inspired me to write this poem is the game of Tetris. You can never become the winner of it since it's a never ending game much like trying to please people as a teenage girl. Other people can relate to this because many individuals (especially teenage girls) have felt pressure or the yearning feeling to change themselves in order for people to like them more. Many individuals can understand how it feels to rearrange yourself to be 'perfect' and have people still not think that it's enough. This poem would be a good fit for your magazine because it's a teen magazine and unfortunately, it is common for many teenagers go through the experiences mentioned in the poem. Hopefully, when people read my poem, they will finally know/understand that it's okay to be yourself because there will be people who like you and they shouldn't change themselves because that will only lead to their own unhappiness. Ellen Alfredson - I am no expert at chess (_ellen.alfredson) In ”I am no expert at chess” the ”Chess game” is compared to life, or rather life in the social world. It’s about norms and how it’s all a game with rules you have to follow about how you act, communicate, look, and your sexuality etc. The chess game is a metaphor for social life as the base of the entire poem. It’s about struggling to fit into heteronormative society and more. It relates to the theme of ”games” because the chess game is the metaphor that is the base of the whole poem. The title, ”I am no expert at chess” means exactly what it sounds like. Struggling with playing the part right and living up to people’s, or maybe one’s own expectations. I think many people can relate to feeling this pressure around other people. A fun detail is that chess is usually black and white, just like the straight ”flag”, which connects back to the title, ”I am no expert at chess.” Ila S - Open Settings? (@ila.writes7) I was inspired by the description of the theme "Games" for this issue, really. The idea of "moments [I'd] never get back again" struck my heart, as gaming is something that I've slowly given up on over the years. I got back into gaming with "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" and Minecraft this summer, and it felt like meeting an old friend again. When I heard the theme, I also thought of a song from an artist I listen to, Madilyn Mei. She wrote a song called "Have I Outgrown Minecraft?", and that song greatly inspired "Blocky Heart". Overall, games hold a place close to my heart and childhood, and it was enjoyable to think about this theme in terms of poetry. I feel as though other people have also given up on things they enjoy over the years, and I hope that this issue might have them considering going back and enjoying old hobbies, too. "Open Settings?" is meant to be a poem based on the escapism aspect of gaming. It's about not having to worry about the real world or real-life issues when you game, and how bitter it can be when you have to move on or focus on real life again. The second poem, "Nintendo Switch Controllers" is about how gaming is one of the ways I connect and bond with my dad. The first poem, "Blocky Heart", is based on Minecraft. As a kid, I would play it during the summer on my old PS4. I had nothing else to do and nobody to really talk to, so I just made a few pet dogs for myself and pretended I was somewhere else. M.S. Blues - where a kid can be a kid (@m.s.blues_) This piece corresponds with the theme of "games" because it discusses how games at ChuckECheese evoke past memories in me - and what that signifies in my life. I recently did a presentation on youth and perserving childhood memories. Later on that day, I was considering my own memories and that's what sparked my idea. I know people will relate to this piece because it'll make them revisit their own memories and perhaps reflect on how that has shaped them into who they are today. MG - Doll House (@melifluousgelatoo.writes) Doll House is a poem I wrote after the inspirations strike me when I saw one of my friends talk about the play pretend games that little kids used to play. However, the idea has existed for quite some time. I love observing humans, the world, and the system. And through it I notice things that not many talks about, like how we are all not so different from puppets on a string. Some of us may think we're the ones holding the string like we used to with dolls when we were young, but it doesn't matter if we're a commoner or royalty, a worker or a boss, a student or a teacher, a parent or a child, we are all bound by strings that force us to move. Often in the direction we didn't want. I've seen many people miserable because of it, more so because we didn't know these strings exist and who's pulling it. How many of our thoughts are our own? How many of our actions are our own? We may think all of it, but in reality it is very little if not none. A lot of our miseries in life are a carefully planned one. Those set in stone long before we're even born, invisible to most to ensure nobody mess with it when we do have the power to, if only we know. To many of us, the one pulling the strings are another human being. A guardian, a boss, or those we haven't even met before, those sitting at the top of the societal system. To many of us, the one pulling the strings aren't even tangible things. Greed, love, hate, insecurity, envy. These things grow stronger the more we deny or ignore its existence. We can't beat an enemy we don't even know exist, can we? So sit, take a deep breath, and see who's pulling your strings and where exactly were you bound with it. Only then can you cut it, in a way that hurts you the least. Miguel Barrios - After Tag (@Mmiguelbarrios (Instagram), miguelcbarrios (X)) My piece describes a unique relationship to games that kids of my age can likely remember. That being the transition of relying only on the outside for games and playtime to beginning to mix in games from smart phones and tablets. We were around during the inception of games like Minecraft and Roblox and are the first to have had their childhoods filled with the opportunity play them. I find that very interesting. I was never a kid who played sports. The ability never came naturally to me, and sometimes that was a bit annoying for me. But my cousins and I always had fan playing in the backyard of my Tias house, and then the time would come where we would move to Minecraft or Roblox. I think many people who were children during the same time as me can relate to how excited they were when their parents finally let them get Minecraft or Roblox and how much fun they had building whatever they wanted with their friends and family. I think that Rewrite the Stars, as a publication for young writers like myself, is the perfect place for this piece as our childhoods are the most unfamiliar of any generation yet. All generations before us were more similar than ours. This poem reflects the distinct nature of our childhoods and our stories. Nabiha - Nostalgic Nights (@echoes.inink) It shows how that game is an important memory and how it created a bond among a few people. People can relate to this since during covid when this game was pretty popular, people spent hours with their friends on it and then everyone got busy so they drifted apart and those nights just became memories. This used to be my favourite game and hence I decided to write about it. Also it can be a good fit for the magazine since i think it’s relatable. Nitika Sathiya - Rummy (@nitika._.s) Rummy is about how I played Rummy with my grandparents, which brought us closer together. I was inspired to write Rummy because of the familial connection aspect. I love reflecting on my relationships with my loved ones through poetry. Phoebe B.H Mercury - Monopoly (@spitewantsmealive) It is an allegorical poem that dives into the theme of moving forward in life, by making connections to the game Monopoly. Just like how the pawns are forced to move forward, so are we and even if we are met with failure at some point, we can always start over. This poem may bring hope to the people who are often feeling down because of the failures that life may bring from time to time. Robin Pearson - Snakes and Adders (@rob1n_pearson) This poem explores wordplay with games, but also how life is sometimes confusing, with too many rules in a complicated format. It looks at the difficultly some people have playing as a larger metaphor for making no progress compared to others and how the narrator always seems to ‘lose’.I think it’s insight into human interpretation - how people might read the same set of ‘rules’ yet draw completely different outcomes. My poem is a light dig into the frustration of losing, but also how convoluted and difficult playing the game of life can be. This piece was inspired by my own experiences as a neurodiverse individual, and the difficulties I sometimes face comprehending all the rules of convention. This piece is special to me as it explores frustration with failing to advance whilst others seem to thrive, but simultaneously the fascination with ‘why people do what they do.’ I hope others can relate to the struggle of fitting in, and that they are not alone in feeling left behind. W. E. Everhart - Digital Odyssey: A Gaming Journey (@w.e._everhart_290) The poem, as I see it, incorporates not only the meaning of gaming, the start of it, and what gaming is basically, but it is also an image through humanity as a species. Gaming has always been apart of humanity. It helps us imagine a world out there where dreams, hopes, and imagination rule. A world where the struggle of good and bad is but a map ahead waiting to be discovered. A child can overcome his fears in that world, and an adult can learn to adapt to the ever-changing world. This piece, as I would like to say, shares the experience I shared with every human from the dawn of humanity till this day, from all the way when we used to play with sticks and rocks. Gaming is not just a hobby; it is a way for us humans to state to the world, “I am here, I can accept you, and I have lived for thousands of lives to understand, accept, and coexist with you.” No matter how dull and lonely the world gets, gaming shows us that the simplest of things can help us and change us. As humans, dreams are nothing but caged reality waiting to be untied. Freed from this cage, we call out imagination, and what gaming does is open that cage so this reality and ours can coexist, exchange information, and learn from one another. For my inspiration to make this peace, it wasn’t anything. Wow, really. I have always grown fond of adventures and stories, and gaming really helped me with this. Imagine watching a movie that finishes with a conclusion, but for you, it is not enough. There were actions and changes you wanted to make, and bam, you suddenly can do it all in that small room you rest in. I was inspired, to be honest, by music and my maladaptive daydream. I hope that not just teens but kids and adults will be able to relate to the experience of gaming and see how important it is. I would say that as humans, we always had that shared experience, and that shared experience can be seen clearly in gaming. Z. Hutchings - Survive -- Stay Alive, Winner Takes All, The beauty of a game (@zaida.hutchings) I am submitting three pieces. The first two are directly inspired by videogames and the last one is inspired by card games. When people feel lost, a game is a great way to find yourself. If you aren't careful, it is also a way to lose yourself. Life is a balance, and it is about finding a way to keep yourself safe and alive. I hope people can resonate with my pieces and find comfort in them. We are in this game together. The most memorable games in my life were adventure games that took the reader on a journey, such as Skyrim and Undertale. They were about strength-- both mentally and physically. It was this feeling I wanted to put into my piece. It isn’t always a black and white story, and sometimes life is hard. Sometimes people leave scarred and bruised, and the only thing left to do is survive. Survive mental health, unsafe living conditions, or just survive the ever changing world we live in. PROSE Adia Reynolds - 8-bit Arachnid (@cryptic.cryptid.writes) Aside from the emotional themes of the story, it also centers around the game Minecraft and primarily one of the mobs in the game - the spider. The opening line is a quote I said to a friend during a conversation about Minecraft. She stated how much she hated fighting the monsters and I regaled how I used to try to keep them as pets even if they aggro'd to me and tried to kill me. It is a story about youthful insecurity and self-perception as well as an unabashed love for one's interests. Alice - Game Over (@aliceswips on Instagram and TikTok) The core question behind this piece is: how does a person who organises everything in detail react to unforeseen events? I had the idea after watching videos of people who structured their lives (tasks, school assignments, etc.) like missions in videogames. I liked the concept straight away, but I realised that this, along with strict timetables in general, doesn't really leave any room for unexpected events. So, what happens when someone's life is organized as a videogame? Ander Miftari - Blind Man's Buff (@anteetum) I couldn't think of anything good that mapped onto a specific game, so I went a little more abstract and wrote something about the power games people play between eachother as children (well, their whole lives, really. But children in this case) and was able to tie that back conceptually to the prompt. I don't know how rigidly we had to stick to the theme. This piece in particular was inspired by a guy I actually knew growing up. He was into almost exactly the same kind of weird power games featured in the story and was in fact worse than the relatively toned-down character of Junior (he claimed to have a brother in the Hell's Angels who sold drugs and would often say he could have us beaten up for snitching on him, stupid in hindsight but terrifying to children who don't know any better). He was not the only one, but the memory of interacting with him in particular as a young child of about 11 or 12 was what inspired this examination of just how awful children really can be to each other, given the right prodding. I honestly don't know how much people will enjoy it, although I can say for certain that you definitely should avoid it if you are sensitive to children being harmed and bullying in general. Arianna Kanji - Inhumanity 101 (@ari.kanji) This story does not follow the strict conventions of grammar and story. It is, in essence, a piece of prose written by a poet, or perhaps a poem written by somebody who has very little idea what they are doing. It combines perspectives and points of view, repeats words for nothing other than emphasis, switches between distaste for a ruined society and a plea to be accepted in the way that others so easily are. It has no backbone other than the wayward thoughts of an eight year old child sitting in a pink bed with a fluffy pen and a makeshift point system, and it has no logic to it other than the fourteen year old child sitting in that same bed, with that same pen and that same point system, struggling to understand what game they’re supposed to be playing. It took the concept of games and twisted it inside out, dumped it on its head, ripped apart every thread and wore it as a hat instead. But then again, for somebody writing about the experience of being just a little bit stranger than their peers, that behavior fits pretty well. This piece would be a good fit for your magazine because it is the unfiltered, experimental thoughts of a person who’s still scared of raising their hand in class. And after all, haven’t all writers been rather crudely told that their dreams are nothing but fantasies in the cruel game that is life, and spent the rest of their years wondering who decided to write such unfair rules? Zara Pearce - The Game of Life (@shes_zarapearce) A fun twist on the board game; The game of life. I was inspired to write this because I thought it could be fun to experiment with how some people treat games like they're real life. CREATIVE NON-FICTION Georgia Hope - 51 Standard (Minus an Ace) (@georgia_02132) My essay discusses how card games allowed me to be more present and involved with my friends, while improving my mental health at times when I find school to be overwhelming. (ie the use of games as an escape and coping mechanism.) I think the issue of student burnout is something that's almost universally experienced in all levels of academia. I would imagine that many readers of this magazine are likely in high school, about to make this transition to university, or are currently attending it. I've found that games have turned into one of the many tools I used to relieve stress and construct some method of school/life balance which might help readers find a similar approach that works for them. Follow @rewritethestarsreview on Instagram for more information about upcoming issues.

by Milica Filipovic In the last few years, teen writers from all over the globe have joined together to celebrate their love for their work. We’ve created a community across multiple social media platforms where young writers can bond over their mutual passion. However, with the rise of this new friendship, writers have begun to share their harsh experiences with battling the expectations set for their work. Whether through their own consciousness or the words of more experienced adults, it is clear that pressure has been placed on our backs to churn out work that aligns with society’s standards. As we begin to delve further into our skills and develop writing styles, it is evident that each person’s abilities are unique to its own strengths and weaknesses. These differences are what make our writing enjoyable and makes it stand out. As of late, the idea of fancy and elegant prose has been credited as a superior form of writing. While each type has its own faults, we have placed one on a pedestal and cast aside the others. This leaves us with one peculiar question: Why do we equate fancy writing with good writing? As a part of this community, this is a question I have pondered rather often. In my case, there is a folder of abandoned stories lying on my desktop that haunt me each time I open my laptop. These works once had my heart, their characters thriving in the depths of my mind, but I left them in the folder to rot. All because I had drilled the idea of my writing not being “fancy” or “professional” enough to be worth finishing. This mindset is what ultimately discourages writers from ever fulfilling their dreams. If we let this mentality slip between the folds of our safe space, we are contradicting the concept of a supportive and healthy community that we have worked to reach. Alas, not all hope is lost. There are a few ways we can make sure this mindset does not halt our creative flow. The first of which seems the easiest but takes a lot of stamina. Simply limiting distractions from your work space. Whether this means placing your phone in another room or only having your writing tab open, do it. By giving yourself only the choice to write, you are practically forcing your mind to do what it has become afraid of. Another possible solution would be to share your work. This strategy takes more courage than the former because it can be scary to expose such a personal part of yourself to others. Nonetheless, if you have online writer friends, it is almost guaranteed they will be ecstatic to offer their support. It is highly unlikely they will criticize your writing. By seeing how someone else admires your work, you will realize who you’re writing for and why it’s important. Finally, it might be best to take a temporary break. If writing has become too much pressure on you, taking a break is vital. You won't be any less of a writer for not writing 24/7. It is perfectly fine and even necessary to relax your mind and let ideas flow around. Reflecting will help you remember why you started and why you want to continue. We must remind ourselves that our stories are worth sharing with the world. If you love your plot, your world, your characters, then go write. If you have a message to shout, do it the way you do best. Fancy writing can be good, but not all good writing is fancy. Remember that there are people who want to hear your story the way you intended to tell it, and that is the only thing that matters.

The thrilling escape from reality, the rush of adrenaline, and an invite to the world of psychological thrillers where each step will make you question everything you’ve ever learnt. We humans have always had a morbid fascination with and curiosity about violence and calamity. We are all used to a routine, a set pattern of line and human behaviour, and have an adverse reaction when there is a disturbance in that pattern. What happens when this pattern is disrupted? This is demonstrated in physiological thrillers. The origins of psychological thrillers can be traced back to the early 20th century, with the works of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Daphne du Maurier setting the stage for the genre. These writers introduced themes of suspense, mystery, and psychological tension into their stories, paving the way for the psychological thrillers that would follow. In the mid-20th century, filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock popularised the genre with classic films such as Psycho and Vertigo, which featured intricate plots, morally ambiguous characters, and elements of psychological manipulation. These films captured the imagination of audiences and established the blueprint for modern psychological thrillers. These stories often provoke deep emotional responses and cause thought-provoking discussions about human nature, morality, and the darker aspects of the human psyche. It stimulates a part of the brain that is rarely stimulated  by setting off chemicals that make us feel euphoric and leaves an addictive, heady feeling in its wake. This leads to a compulsive need in most of us – a need to examine broken behavioural patterns, and to take an adrenaline ride through the twists and turns of crime fiction, fascinating us all with the genre. It gives us the opportunity to step into the shoes of a detective, delving deep into the psyche of characters, anticipating their every move. We slowly unravel the thoughts, emotions, and hidden depths of human nature, revealing facets rarely seen in our day-to-day lives. It's a journey into the human mind, shedding light on its mysterious and often shadowy corners. Statistics have shown that people’s obsession with the genre scares them; they wonder if there is something wrong with them. However, that is not so. Psychiatrists opine that, far from being criminally inclined, those who read about crime are generally people with a high empathetic factor. Psychiatrists go on to say that their interest in crime fiction is often driven by a strong sense of morality and justice as they navigate themes of right and wrong while reaffirming their own values. Their fascination with crime blossoms from a compassionate curiosity about the human condition than a fascination with criminal acts themselves. However, there are also certain negative aspects to consider when discussing the addictive nature of psychological thrillers. Some critics argue that these stories can glorify violence, promote harmful stereotypes, and desensitise audiences to real-world trauma and suffering. There has been a rise in anxiety levels, sleeplessness, depression levels, listlessness, and withdrawal from surroundings. This constant exposure to suspenseful or terrifying scenarios can heighten one's sense of paranoia and anxiety, especially when the content blurs the line between fiction and reality. It is important to critically analyse the ethical implications of consuming media that exploits fear and manipulation for entertainment purposes. Although reading and watching true crime and thrillers is entertaining, it should be done within limit by respecting the age ratings as some content may be too graphic or heavy on readers, unknowingly affecting their daily life. Another necessity would be to consult an experienced professional when any problem arises. It is important to keep our mental health and well-being our priority. This can be kept within moderation by taking breaks from the books and balancing this content with some positive and lighthearted content. References : Vinita Dawra Nangia, Why are we obsessed with psychological thrillers?, The Times of India, September 15, 2019 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/o-zone/why-are-we-obsessed-with-psychological-thrillers/# Accessed April 2024 Girish Dutt Shukla, Psychological Thrillers and why are they so intriguing?, December 5, 2022 https://girishduttshukla.com/blog/psychological-thrillers-and-why-are-they-so-intriguing/ Accessed April 2024 Follow the author Prisha on Instagram @prishaaa_m

by Milica Filipovic The 2010s are defined by many significant advancements: new technology, new social media, new music, and of course, new movies. Specifically, the market for dystopian films reached its peak in the span of that decade. With famous franchises such as The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games, and Divergent, this era not only began society’s hyperfixation with dystopian tales but also skyrocketed the standards for book to screen adaptations. It’s no coincidence this genre became so popular; there are several factors that contributed to its triumph. The majority of dystopian films in these periods were based on pre-existing books. Alongside the aforementioned well-known movies laid more famous examples of Ready Player One and The Giver. Part of the reason why these screen adaptations did so well was because they already had large fan bases that would watch. This ensured wide audiences upon their initial release. Once the films came out, it seemed as though they would never stop with the undeniable achievements produced such as an abundance of MTV awards and People’s Choice Awards for films across the genre. Both readers and new viewers were pleased and spread the word. It was clear that the film industry knew how to tweak these stories to draw in both old and new audiences. What these movies accomplished that was remarkable for their time was providing audiences with exciting stories that followed up on themes of injustice and social conflicts. These issues were brought to light through escalated circumstances and complex characters. A great example of this would be the ever successful Hunger Games series. Put simply, these films follow a young woman living in an oppressive environment as she fights for her survival against harsh conditions put in place by the government to assert control. The movies have an entertaining storyline of sacrifice and justice while dealing with the various consequences of each characters’ actions in this system. The plot parallels situations we can see in our history of war as well as warning of what our future could hold. By bringing these issues into the public eye, viewers were forced to face the realities of how our own world is flawed and unfair. Not only did these stories confront heavy topics, they were being catered to young adult audiences between the ages of 12-18. Younger viewers were being exposed to real world issues through simplistic and entertaining narratives. This is what ultimately made these films so successful. Aside from the reasons listed above, the cinematography seen in each of these films was a result of the dozens of new innovations emerging at the time. With the continuing improvement of CGI and green screen technology, these movies were able to immerse the audience in new worlds and surroundings. This contributed to holding the attention of the viewers for the long streaming periods of these films that usually ranged over 2 hours long. The overall downfall of dystopia started once it became so mass-produced that audiences grew tired and bored of the same storyline being repeated in different ways. Towards the end of these popular series, the viewer numbers slowly shrunk. This was obvious with the Divergent series when the fourth film was canceled following the low earnings of the previous installment. Many of the movies still hold a special spot in people’s hearts as nostalgic media. We have even seen a mini revival of dystopian content with the release of the Hunger Games prequel: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Although it is unlikely that this means dystopia will ever reach the same rates it did back in the 2010s, the films produced will always be around. We can see the effects they’ve had on both the film and book industry as well as society as a whole. These films are something to be cherished for the love and action that emerged with them. Their stories live inside us all and the lessons they’ve taught us will never leave.

by Tatum Bunker Activism is the act of bringing attention to political, environmental, or social causes, but can be hard to get people to be interested about it. One of the most popular ways people bring attention to these causes is through literature. People use their writing skills to advocate for these causes because writing invokes people’s hearts and minds when reading. Writing is able to raise awareness, foster empathy, and even inspire action. Books are known to have had historical and contemporary impacts on societal attitudes and behaviors. In this article, we’ll cover various activists and how they used their writing platforms to write about the causes they believe so strongly in, the different kinds of literary activism, and books that have activist themes. While this is just a brief summary of activism found in literature, I hope this will inspire you to read and write some of your own. When the Thirteen Colonies were struggling with their relationship with Great Britain, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet titled Common Sense. Common Sense advocated for independence from Great Britain, encouraging people to rally and fight for freedom. Another example is from the Women’s Suffrage movement in England. Charlotte Brontë wrote Jane Eyre, a book laced with themes of sexism, classism, and feminism. In the late 1800s, reporter Nelly Fly, pretended to be ‘hysterical’ in order to infiltrate a mental asylum to document the horrific treatments of the patients within. After exiting the facility, she wrote about her experience and quickly caused an uproar as many were not aware of these treatments. Other popular books that brought attention to social and political issues include Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men–just to name a few. Animal Farm focuses on the social class struggle, the abuse of power, and the ideas of freedom. It brings awareness to how easily people can become corrupt and warns the readers about totalitarianism. Lord of the Flies is similar in the aspect that it follows totalitarianism and the derogatory effects of power. Of Mice and Men shows the horrible treatment of minorities and the preference of monetary needs over worker’s needs. It’s not just historical fiction that can be activism books either. Books such as The Hunger Games, The Giver, and Ender’s Game are dystopian books that have activist themes as well. These authors write the extremes in order to give us a fictional example of how dangerous these ideals can become situations that happen to us. If you are active in the literary world, you would know that there is a large list of banned books’ across the world. You may recognize some of these well known titles: Harry Potter, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Hate U Give, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Looking For Alaska. The books on this list are works that have been banned in different parts of the world either currently or were once banned due to political, social, or environmental aspects. Different political leaders and governments wanted to keep these ideas away from their citizens to ensure they don’t have revolutionary thoughts, hence the totalitarian systems that were mentioned in those novels. Even across the United States, there are school board meetings about the banning of books in certain schools. Concerned parents and other citizens often demand the removal of books that go against their beliefs, hence destroying the ideals of our freedom of speech. Just as people are working to remove certain books from our children’s libraries, others are working to add specific content to public access. As someone who frequents the poetry community, I’ve noticed a large increase of poetry covering current social and political injustices. People are using what they’re good at in order to bring attention to something that means a lot to them. A lot of writers have large social platforms that they use in order to show their followers and mutuals what they believe should change. In order to stand up for what we believe in and to make a change, we can use our skills and interest to advocate. As writers, we have the power to use our writing skills to bring attention to various events and situations that we want to be changed for the better. We are able to educate our readers and show them what they can do to help through writing. Engaging with activist literature and supporting activist authors can promote their works to others who may simply be scrolling through their feeds and introduce them to these issues. Books and other works of literature have such a large potential to inspire meaningful changes in our society and across the world. It’s simple, really. Just start writing. If you’re interested in checking out more activist literature, I would like to direct you to: Split the Rock: a collection of activist poetry Banned Books List: an expanding list of all the books banned across the world Words With Weight: a literary magazine based around social justice Follow Tatum @tatum_tot24601 and at her literary magazine @thelettershomecollection

by Sunny Solaris Featured in our latest interview, we have Sumo, a past contributor to RTS. Their pieces "Schadenfreude" and "Caged spark within" were published in issue iii: kindle the flame and issue vi: dreams of a caged bird respectively. You can check out our previous issues to read their work. Our interviewer Sunny sat down with Sumo to chat about their work, association with RTS, and their goals with respect to writing. Sunny: Hi Sumo! First up, why don't we get  a small introduction from you to start off with? Sumo: So, Hi! I am Sumo! And I am an aspiring author and a poetess from India. I love to write (obviously), write lyrics for songs, play my ukulele and dance (but only when I’m alone in the house🤭). I post my poetry on Instagram quite often, and am soon going to be a published author! I love to submit to magazines as well, like I did to my favourite youth magazine of all time, Rewrite the Stars Review! Oh wow! It feels heart-warming  to know that RTS is your favourite youth magazine. So, what was the experience like, having your work published by us? How did you feel? It was a great experience, largely because it was the first time I had ever submitted to a magazine. It's also why I was also a bit afraid of getting rejected. But the best thing about this magazine is that they respond and care for all their contributors. I submitted two poems and one of them was accepted, but the editors sent a detailed review of the other one! Funnily enough, the piece I thought was better was rejected. The editors gave feedback on how I could improve, which definitely helped me soften the rough edges of my writing. Secondly the designs [of the issues] are so alluring and catchy! Definitely the place I’d want to see my poems published🤩 The issues have been so varied and different. These kinds of themes push you to write about different things and ponder random topics that you never thought you would write poems about. For instance, the next issue is about games! Isn’t that wonderful? We do say that no one rejects you better than we do. What was the process of writing your submission? As I mentioned before, the themes were highly varied, and very fun and deep to think about. They always compelled me to think further than I thought I could. The third issue, for instance, was about fire. And I couldn't think of anything related to it until it hit me, that a fire burns in all of us, and if it is not reflected within the sky of our conscience, it keeps burning and turns into a forest fire. That was something that pushed me to learn more, and I found the word Schadenfreude which inspired my submission. Similarly, I submitted my pieces for many other themes, like Jabberwocky, which was my absolute favourite,  but sadly, that piece wasn't accepted. Recently, I submitted to issue six, (with a literary write-up) about a little spark that ignites and keeps inspiring others. Even though it may not enlighten the whole wide world, it will still reach out to some souls; what more could a writer desire? These themes are so well thought out; they always lead me down thought-rabbit-holes that inspire me to write about my feelings. With some editing and more thinking, we have a poem ready at our disposal! Why did you choose to submit to Rewrite the Stars Magazine? I am a great fan of [the founder and Editor-in-Chief], Smrithi and so I viewed the magazine’s work; I was mesmerised by its design and the feel of it. I loved it immediately and when I saw I could submit my work there, I decided to do it right away and yay! I am so glad I did! Do you have any tips for people who want to submit to literary magazines? That's a tough question, because I haven't had much experience. I only have submitted to RTS, and to some other (magazines), from where I’ve been rejected. But still, my advice would be to keep doing it. Even though you are still learning how to write, and the magazines might want something more mature, still, keep submitting and trying! That's what I am doing and it keeps me busy and engaged! Of course! You should never give up,  I am pretty sure I’m not the only one to appreciate such a persevering and optimistic attitude. While we are on the topic of never giving up, do tell us if  you were expecting to get chosen the second time you submitted to our magazine ? I didn't. I thought the poem was too vague, and doubted whether I articulated the message enough for the reader to understand. But I was so happy when I was selected again! Coming to your pieces, I have a question about Schadenfreude – what was your inspiration for that piece? What made you specifically choose this word? I was so curious about the feeling of unrequited love: they can't feel anything sour about the intended person. The feeling really lured me in and I strove to know more about it. When I start to write about something, it clears up the confusion in my head. It's like there's a curled-up woollen ball-like idea in my head and to string it out, I have to turn it into poetry. I don’t know if I am the only one who feels like that, but I wanted to write about this feeling to understand it better. I then learnt more about the psychological perspective since I am in that field. I kept this word as the core of the poem and hence, it became the title. This kind of love is not always romantic, it may even spring in different kinds of human relationships. For instance, when one longs for love and appreciation from their loved one, but it is not reciprocated. It kills them but they let it. I saw in your introduction that you’re a songwriter. Yes! Or at least, I’m learning to be one. I mostly write songs in Hindi (a whole album is also in preparation! I only need to find good musicians to compose them). I am learning songwriting from masterclasses and online courses. Maybe I can become a lyricist - fingers crossed! Do you find that writing poems often helps with songwriting? It’s always been the opposite for me, so I’m curious to see how others find it. Definitely! Lyrics are, in a way, poems that are set in rhythm and written keeping the beats and structure in mind. Maybe you are more well-versed in musical ability,  than writing, which is amazing!! I have struggled with songwriting, because I tend to write in open verses. Songs need to be in a specific structure and a lot needs to be said in very little amount of words, so that's a bit difficult for me. Yes, definitely. People do say some of the best lyricists are poets. Well, you mentioned that you will be a published author soon. Would you like to divulge about your upcoming book, maybe entice readers with some details? I would love to! I am so bad at marketing my work, but yeah I would want to market it as much as I can so as to bring the poems to the intended niche. Well, you have the opportunity now! You can go ahead, we are all ears! So my book's name is 'Little, Oh Little', and it's a poetry collection about all the little things that matter in life. We see them, yet unsee them. 'The magic is in the little things' is what I believe and so I want to spread that message through the little poems I have woven, in a little effort for the spark to fly! Sounds interesting, I am sure that everyone is looking forward to reading it as much as I am. Thank you so much for taking time to sit down and have such a delightful chat with us! Thank you so much too! It was so much fun talking to you! I’m looking forward to more conversations like this :)

by Prisha When you think about flowers, what is the first thought that comes to mind? Throughout history and literature, flowers have been strongly associated with symbolic meanings. As Ophelia’s speech in Hamlet accentuates the symbolism of various types of flowers. “There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts. ... There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you; and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays. Oh, you must wear your rue with a difference. There's a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father died." A more rueful example would be in novels like “The Bell Jar” or poems like  “Why I Like the Hospital”, that illustrate how flowers that are given with so much love and hope are so callously disposed of, in a waste basket that resembles a coffin.The ignorance of life, where you get more flowers at your funeral then you ever did alive. When each petal falls it symbolises our short life, each withering petal resembling a part of us that we just give away to people never to be spoken to again, dying a slow death everyday. Anemones are perceived as the ‘flower of death’ in Persia and Egypt and their literal meaning being ‘forsaken’. There are various mythological tales that are entwined with anemones, one being that in Greek mythology, it means “daughter of the wind” as a beautiful nymph got caught up in a love tangle. A wind god called Zephyr fell in love with her, but when his wife found out she banished the nymph from their court and turned her into a flower. Another wind god called Boreas fell in love with her, in her flower form. After being rejected by her every spring he angrily blows open her petals, fading them prematurely. Another myth has anemones springing up from where Venus wept over the body of her lover, Adonis, as he lay bleeding to death from a boar wound. Venus cursed love itself, and it is said the body of Adonis melted like vapour leaving behind drops of blood that is said to give some anemones their red colour. Similar to the language of flowers, Hanahaki is a mythical disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when suffering from unrequited love. The petals and flowers of the plant grow in the victim’s lungs, and eventually grow large enough to render breathing impossible. Hanahaki can be cured through surgical removal of the plants' roots, but this excision also has the effect of removing the patient's capacity for romantic love. It may also erase the patient's feelings for and memories of the enamoured. It can also be cured by the reciprocation of the victim's feelings. These feelings cannot be feelings of friendship but must be feelings of genuine love. The victim may also develop Hanahaki Disease if they ‘believe’ the love to be one-sided but once the enamoured returns the feelings, they will be cured. In some literature other symptoms can be fever, uncontrollable shaking, loss of appetite, low body temperature, and hallucinations. Even after curing, with or without surgery, there can be irreversible damage to the lungs and, although very rare, in some cases the disease cannot be cured. Flowers, which are often perceived as a symbol of love, happiness, prosperity, have now turned into something so hauntingly beautiful, symbolising the ‘beginning of death’. It kills so beautifully that one does not even realise what is happening, taking dying for you to another level. The power of something so fragile, so mesmerising, leaving a trail of petals in the crimson stains. Follow the author Prisha @prishaaa_m on Instagram for more!

by Carina For years, there has been a debate over whether audiobooks and e-books are as good as physical copies. I believe audiobooks and e-books are just as good as physical books, and in some situations even better. In this article, I will explain why I believe this and address some conflicting arguments. First of all, let’s talk about audiobooks. Two of the biggest reasons for reading a book are to absorb information or be entertained. Audiobooks do both of these things and often make it easier. For example, some people don’t have the time to take hours and read a book. But with audiobooks, they can enjoy a book while performing their daily tasks, much like listening to music while you work. Studies show audiobooks can even aid with comprehension. Additionally, audiobooks can help you imagine and understand what’s happening using tone and speech patterns. Audiobooks are also a great resource for visually impaired and blind people, who wouldn’t be able to read a physical or e-book. Finally, audiobooks help the environment by providing a resource for readers that avoids using excess paper. Now, let’s discuss e-books. One of the largest benefits of e-books is how convenient they are. Because e-books are digital, they never run out of stock. Furthermore, e-books take up much less space than paperback books because they can all be saved onto one device. Another great benefit of e-books is that they’re typically less expensive than physical copies. E-books even have some similarities to physical copies. For example, you can annotate most e-books like you would with a normal book. Additionally, e-books typically give you the ability to change the font size and style, which can help those who would have trouble reading paperback books. Similarly to audiobooks, e-books can be beneficial to the environment because they don’t use excess paper. Some say you can’t share audiobooks and e-books like you could with a physical copy. Although it can be more difficult, many resources offer family and joint accounts. For example, Amazon offers a Household Library which allows you to share audiobooks across devices with another person. Some resources also offer share options so you can enjoy your digital books with family and friends. This method of sharing can also be beneficial to those who aren’t able to share books in person. Another popular argument is that reading digitally causes eye strain. But for some, both e-books and physical books can cause eye strain. However, e-books can even prevent eye strain when they allow you to adjust font sizes and styles. Audiobooks also prevent eye strain, because you are listening to a story instead of reading it! One more point others make is that audiobooks and e-books don’t give you the same experience of feeling and interacting with a book that paperback books do. Some people have solved this problem by reading a physical book or e-book while listening to an audiobook. This allows you to annotate and interact with the book, while having all the benefits of an audiobook. Additionally, many e-books let you turn pages and annotate like a physical copy. In some cases, interacting with e-books can even be better than paperbacks, because of all their extra features. In conclusion, audiobooks and e-books are just as good, and sometimes even better than paperback books. They even have some similarities that can provide solutions to conflicting arguments and concerns. I hope this article has shown you how beneficial digital books can be, and has convinced you to invest in them. References Bradshaw, Janssen. “Two Studies about the Benefits of Audiobooks.” Everyday Reading, 26 June 2020, everyday-reading.com/benefits-of-audiobooks/. Accessed Mar. 2024. Mcmaken, Linda. “E-Books vs. Print Books: Which Should You Choose?” Investopedia, 30 Dec. 2023, www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0812/e-books-vs.-print-books.aspx#. Accessed Mar. 2024. Harman, Mike. “EBooks vs. Printed Books: Which Is Better?” Kitaboo, 8 Mar. 2024, kitaboo.com/ebooks-vs-printed-books-which-is-better/. Accessed Mar. 2024. “Reading vs. Listening to Books - Is One Really Better?” Headway, 4 Jan. 2023, makeheadway.com/blog/audiobooks-vs-reading/. Accessed Mar. 2023.

by Milica Filipovic As a teen writer nearing the end of her current work in progress, I begin to think about where I want my work to go and how I want to push it out into the world. One way or another, my train of thought always seems to end up at publishing. For those of you who aren’t aware, publishing is usually split into two categories: traditional and self. It is crucial for each writer — especially young and new additions to the industry — to know the difference between the two and how to choose which direction to take your work towards. Traditional Publishing This type of publishing is most likely one you are familiar with. In short, traditional publishing is the process of collaborating with a mainstream publisher to promote and sell your writing. This process is lengthy and usually requires a literary agent to distribute your work to potential publishers. A literary agent is a key component of getting published traditionally. While you will be getting a lower percentage of royalties (pay) when working with a publisher to market your work, there are additional benefits. For instance, the majority of expenses are handled by the publisher. This includes the placement of your work, professional editors, and designers. Sometimes, publishing houses may provide a marketing team to promote your writing to audiences. It is important to note that you will have less rights to your work if you choose this path of publishing, as it is normal for publishers to make decisions regarding your work. The schedule for your book’s release is also often determined by the publisher and can take up to 2 years. A Quick Guide Finding an Agent First, you must research an agent that suits your work’s genre and target audience. Next, make a list of agents you would like to query. When making your list, be sure to refer back to their previous clients to find which agent best resonates with your goals. Finally, write a query letter, which is essentially an introduction to who you are as an author and what your work consists of. These letters should be formatted with a hook, synopsis of your work, your writing background and credentials, your work’s selling points, and a personalized note. It is vital that each letter’s note is unique to the agent you are writing to. Some agent’s submission guidelines may differ, so be careful with checking the information on their online pages. These guidelines might also state how long a reply may take. Once you get accepted by an agent, you will work on editing the book with your agent. After this, you are ready to begin looking for potential publishers. The agent will pitch your manuscript to potential editors in publishing houses to acquire your work. This may take some time, but after your work is acquired, you will then begin the process of polishing your manuscript with the editorial team. While traditional publishing has some negative aspects, most authors choose this path because it provides a more solid foundation for becoming a bestseller. Self-Publishing Self-publishing is the process of pushing your work into the world without the support of a publishing house behind you. It is also viewed by some as less than or easier to do than traditional publishing since it does not require an agent or rejection process. This is a controversial opinion that doesn’t acknowledge the efforts put into publishing your writing all on your own.The costs of publishing and manufacturing and editing your work will either have to be done by yourself or paid for straight from your pockets. While this can be stressful and hard to organize, there are additional positive aspects of releasing your own work. As a start, every decision will be yours to make. You will get to choose where, when, and how your work will be published. There is no one holding you down to a deadline or schedule, so there is no expectation to meet other than those you set for yourself. According to self-publishing platform PublishDrive, when self-publishing, you make around 60-70% profit in royalties for each sale and the rest of the money goes to the distributor of your novels, whether it be a local bookstore or online shop. The Main Takeaway There is much more to take into consideration such as the type of work you’re looking to publish (book, novella, poetry, non-fiction, genre, etc.) and where you’re publishing from. However, knowing this basic information about both types is a great start to learning more about the industries and how they functions. Make sure to pick your method of publishing based on what most suits your needs and ensures that you’re comfortable in your craft. There is no right or wrong, simply what works best for you and might not work best for someone else. If you’d like to know more about this topic, consider visiting the following resources: Tips for Indie Authors Part 1 by MG Tips for Indie Authors Part 2 by MG On The Write Track (Podcast) - Hosted by two debut authors that discuss the behind the scenes of getting traditionally published Publishing Rodeo: The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody Ugly (Podcast) - Two authors that debuted their novels at the same time, with the same genre and publisher, and had very different outcomes look into how the industry works and how these things happen Manuscript Wishlist (Website) - A resource where editors and agents post their ideal submissions and writers can find agents that align dreams with their work @laurenkaywrites (Youtube Channel and Instagram) - A published author that aspires to aid writers in publishing their work through tips and tricks from an insider @alyssamatesic (Youtube Channel) - A professional editor that provides insights for writers into the editing process and industry tips Citations: Mădălina, Amalia. “Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: Which One Is the Best for You?” Publish Drive, 25 November 2022, https://publishdrive.com/self-publishing-vs-traditional-publishing.html. Accessed 16 March 2024. Lauber, Rick. “17 Pros and Cons of Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing.” Writer's Digest, 26 October 2021, https://www.writersdigest.com/getting-published/17-pros-and-cons-of-traditional-publishing-vs-self-publishing. Accessed 16 March 2024. Bransford, Nathan. “Traditional publishing vs. self-publishing. Which should you choose?” Nathan Bransford, 6 November 2023, https://nathanbransford.com/blog/2023/11/should-you-self-publish-or. Accessed 16 March 2024. “How to Find a Literary Agent (+ List of Directories).” Reedsy Blog, 13 March 2024, https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/literary-agent/how-to-find/. Accessed 21 March 2024. On the Write Track Podcast, https://on-the-write-track-podcast.simplecast.com/. Accessed 21 March 2024. Publishing Rodeo Podcast – the good, the bad, and the bloody ugly, https://publishingrodeo.wordpress.com/. Accessed 21 March 2024. “About MSWL – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website.” Manuscript Wish List, https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/about/. Accessed 21 March 2024. Lauren Kay: Author & Guide, https://www.laurenkaywrites.com/. Accessed 21 March 2024. Alyssa Matesic | Professional Book and Novel Editing, https://www.alyssamatesic.com/. Accessed 21 March 2024. Follow Milica on Instagram @the.writers.guide

by Jason Oftentimes, many writers share their work through sites like AO3, Tumblr, or Wattpad. But some writers have dreams for their works outside of only writing, such as seeing their creation come to life through animation. In many cases, these aspirations are those that would require the skills of more than one person. This is where studios come in. Many writers and those who share those same aspirations have grouped themselves together into studios to be able to work together to make those dreams come true. Here are some studios that would effectively help writers make dreams turn into a reality. Birdhouse Animation Studios A studio for those wanting to learn screenwriting, art, animation, film, music, and any other creative skills used to work in animation, Birdhouse Animation Studios gives an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop new skills from both firsthand experience and one-on-one tutoring by others. Built by aspiring artists and for aspiring artists, the studio is beginner-friendly and focuses on the growth of its teams. Although they are not currently offering paid positions, they are constantly ready to accept the help of volunteers waiting to assist on its production teams. If this sounds like something you are interested in, the studio is currently taking applications to apply for its team at the beginning of each month! Birdhouse Studios runs on a system of team member inspired works, where individual team members can propose an idea to be animated, and should it pass the proposal stage, it can go from idea to a reality with the help of Birdhouse Animation Studios. Birdhouse Studios Discord Server: https://discord.gg/F9ebdD8cGY Black Mond Productions Black Mond Productions is a volunteer driven group that specializes in original fan made projects and aims to produce a variety of content that are all member generated ideas. Inclusive to everyone no matter their skill level, Black Mond Productions is a place to grow and develop. With an active and vibrant community, it’s easy to find friends to voice chat with. Black Mond Studios Discord Server: https://discord.gg/e9VecZcnn5 Kyoshin Studios Kyoshin Studios is a volunteer driven group of those passionate about Soul Tide, a video game created by Lemcnsun Entertainment. Kyoshin Studios is a very driven community, striving to create works based off of Soul Tide. They specialize in the creation of fanfiction, comics, webtoons, and even D&D campaigns. If you want to contribute to a growing community of soul tide fans, or want to contribute to a small studio, be sure to check out Kyoshin Studios! Kyoshin Studios Discord Server: https://discord.gg/WKYJjtaTKP The Opening Of Opportunity Many writers are capable of doing amazing things, but some lack the opportunity to make such realities happen. What these studios have to offer is the availability for such experiences to occur, and to allow writers to do things they alone could not have accomplished. It’s the idea that with a team of passionate people and the ideas of a writer, you can create amazing works! With that being said, may those who write scribe a path continue towards their own success! Follow Jason on Instagram @writer_jasonwu for more!

by Tatum Bunker Most people now frequent social media platforms, which makes their attention spans shorter. This poses a new challenge for writers: How do you gain more attention for my creative works on social media? Since more and more people have been obtaining a shorter attention span due to the shortened length of videos and reels on social media, most viewers expect a video between thirty seconds to a minute. I would even argue that you have about ten seconds before the average viewer swipes away. You need to be able to optimize your short time well. We’ll start with how to gain an interest for your content and ideas. Keywords Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms use hashtags and descriptions as a way to send content to certain algorithms. If you want romance fans to find your account, you may want to use tags such as ‘#lovenovel’ or ‘#romance’. Naturally, your works will have specific tropes and scenarios that people will want to find, such as ‘#foundfamily’ or ‘#onebed’. But video descriptions, while typically being fairly short, are just as important. It can direct people to your bio or a link, describe what your content is and who you are, it may even help convince viewers to follow! Content Short videos are the most common form of social media sharing nowadays. It is crucial that anyone posting about their works has a basic understanding of video editing. Using trending audios will always give you a little boost in the algorithm. Finding videos or pictures that fit the aesthetic of your works to include will always attract fans of that particular aesthetic. While many authors include voice overs and videos of themselves, this  is not a requirement. You can post about individual characters, snippets from scenes, answer questions about the plot, talk about your inspiration for your works, give a general overview of your works, or even show what outfits you think your characters would look hot in. Everyone tends to have different tastes and preferences when scrolling, but do try to avoid using anything that could potentially be offensive, inaccurate, or misleading. People like honesty and accurate information. They like videos that are interesting, creative, and fun. Interaction Eventually, you’ll end up with a decent amount of those interested in your ideas. I strongly recommend adding links into your bio for them to click on and explore. Linktree is a platform used by many authors to keep all their links in one place. These links may take them to your personal website, publications places, or other social media platforms. You can also include polls on your posts and answer their questions in other posts. While follower interaction is important, I would also recommend interacting with others who make similar content. You can use their accounts as a blueprint for your own, providing you with ideas as to what kind of content you should be making. Keep in mind that you should only be taking inspiration from these creators. Plagiarism is never something you want to do, it eliminates your creative thinking and steals work from other creators. Collaboration Similarly to interacting with fellow content creators, you should build a small community with other content creators. You can do this through social media, advice columns, and Discord servers where you can share advice, opportunities, and promotions. Sure, you can view them as competitors, but why do that when you could duet videos and posts, chat through DMs, and make friends? You should make sure to follow and interact with their posts. It’ll boost their engagement and chances are, they’ll do the same for you! With these tips in mind, let’s pretend you are a writer trying to hype up your writing. You have a small following on Instagram that includes other writers and readers. The first thing for you to do is to make a short video about the plot, but you don’t want your face or voice to be in the video. This could be for many reasons; you want to keep your personal life separate from your online presence, you may not want your family or friends to find this account, or it’s just easier for you to edit. After scrolling through Pinterest, you find a couple of photos that match your books’ aesthetic. Using a trending audio, these images, and overlaying a quick summary of your book’s plot, you finish the video. You use eleven hashtags and write more clarifying information in your video’s description. Let’s say that after about a few weeks or so, you post some more videos and your account has gained some traction! It’s helped that you have reached out to other creators who have reposted and interacted with your posts. You are even part of a small group chat with some creators! You have noticed that a certain reel trend has been popular with your mutuals, so you make a similar reel (but NO plagiarism) and get more interactions! With a handful more subscribers, you notice that the links you put in your bio have been getting clicked on a lot more. Thankfully, you added a link to your personal website so those interested can find out more about you and your works. Following these simple steps, you can grow your audience and interest toward your works. Gaining traction on social media takes time; if only it was with a snap of one’s fingers that one could have 1K followers. Just know that you are not alone in your journey to promote your creative works and ideas. Even the most popular writers started with 0 followers. With time, dedication, and post editing, you can slowly climb the ranks. To clarify, you can’t just post one picture and two videos and expect to get popular. You should make a post schedule for yourself. Maybe post one non-video post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and one video post on Tuesday and Saturday. This makes your posts more likely in people’s feeds and they can see what exactly you will post. To wrap this up (before you scroll away), there are more than a few ways to boost interest towards your creative works. Social media is the best way to promote yourself and can be fairly easy using the tips I gave you. I hope that these tips were able to help inspire and motivate you to go boost your account and creative pieces! Follow Tatum @tatum_tot24601 and at her literary magazine @thelettershomecollection

by Smrithi Senthilnathan As founder and editor-in-chief, I’ve been running this literary magazine for about a year and a half now, and it has been the most rewarding experience! We constantly have new people joining our community though, so I figured it would be a good idea to make a list of our likes and dislikes — both for new writers and artists who want to be published in our issues and blog, and for familiar faces who want to orient themselves with our process. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments! Likes Unique Take On Theme Our themes usually tend to be broad overarching themes that can be interpreted through a lot of different lenses. To give you an example, our most recent theme was “dreams of a caged bird”. Some people chose to interpret this literally, and wrote about caged birds of various kinds. Others approached it from a more figurative perspective and spoke of societal restrictions and trapped desires through the metaphor of a caged bird. Our published issues have a good mix of both of these kinds of submissions, but so do the pile of pieces we did not choose to publish. However, our chosen pieces stood out in the fact that each of the pieces had a unique take on a simple theme. We had pieces about closeted queers and pieces about the constraints of choosing socially acceptable careers. A lot of the pieces we don’t publish in our issues tend to be direct and generic and although the writing is excellent, we’re looking for unique pieces that stop us in our tracks and make us rethink the theme we have set (in a positive way!). On this note, please also don’t title your pieces as the theme itself. For example, if you’re submitting to issue vi: dreams of a caged bird, don’t title your piece “dreams of a caged bird”. For you, it may be a unique title, but for us it’s the 10th person who has used the same title. A title can convey so much about a piece, especially because we use titles to tease excerpts on our social media accounts, and intriguing titles hook readers and lead them to download our issues. Try to think outside of the box for your titles, and give your piece a title that would make anyone want to immediately read the issue right away. Humor Humor is not something that comes naturally to everybody and we definitely don’t want you to force it! This is especially true because some of our most wonderful writing comes from the most vulnerable places, and humor can be out of place in a raw emotional piece birthed from your darkest times. However, some of our themes are specifically geared towards a more light-hearted and humorous side (like issue v: jabberwocky, and our current theme games and are meant to solicit humorous works! We’d love it if you used these themes to bring out your writing ability through humorous work. Although we will still accept more serious work for these kinds of themes, we definitely lean towards light hearted work that makes us keel over laughing and brings tears to our eyes from laughing so hard. We also are intrigued by morose and dark humor in pieces for our more serious themes, however be careful about how this is being used. Personal connection to theme Your story is wonderful simply because nobody else can tell that story the exact way that you can. Nobody has lived your life and gone through your experiences, and thus nobody can reproduce your stories like you can. We want to see this personal aspect in your stories. For instance, one of our authors wrote about cooking success and being a chef for issue iii’s theme, “kindle the flame”. At first glance, this may seem unconnected to the theme, but the author explained to us in a note that their parents owned a small bakery which inspired the piece and a passion (or flame) for cooking. This added another layer of depth to the piece that we enjoyed seeing. We want to see your humanity and your personality shine through your pieces! People Who Use Our Submission Form Judiciously Our submission form is quite comprehensive and definitely longer than what you’d see at other magazines! We apologize for this, but we believe that all the questions asked are helpful for us to decide whether your piece is a good fit for our magazine and issue. A lot of the questions are optional but we love people who respond to them. There’s one mandatory question that asks “How does your piece relate to the theme?” and then there are two optional questions that ask “Tell us more about the creation of this piece” and “Tell us a random fact”. The mandatory questions help us understand your piece’s connection to the piece, especially if it isn’t immediately obvious. I do know that some magazines and authors believe that “the piece speaks for itself” and while this is definitely true, since we have a group of different editors with different perspectives, the author’s responses to these questions help contextualize the piece! If the author expanded on their personal connection to the piece and the process of creation, this helps us understand how the work was born and the behind the scenes process of it. Adding to this, we also LOVE when authors type up individual paragraphs for when they submit multiple pieces. Give each piece the respect it deserves, instead of lumping the theme for them all into one sentence. We also adore it when people respond to our optional fact question, because that just helps endear them to us more. Give us all your random facts! Dislikes Not Adhering to Submission Guidelines This is something implicit that all submitters would follow but it baffles me how few people actually do follow it. Our submission guidelines are quite easy to follow and are available on our Submit page. These guidelines are set to ensure uniformity and ease of reviewing submissions for our editors. The next time you submit to any magazine, please look into their formatting guidelines, accepted number of pieces, and the kind of work they publish. Please don’t submit fiction to our non-fiction blog. Please don’t submit 3 poems to a feature when we specify one piece per artist. Please don’t send us work in a cryptic font even the greatest cryptographer of all time wouldn’t be able to decipher. We want to publish your work; please do what you can to make it easy on us. We do have a warning and blacklist system for people who don’t follow guidelines, but we’d really prefer not to enforce it! Not Replying to Emails Our policy at RTS is to respond to all our emails (except unsolicited promotions). Whether we choose to accept or pass on your piece, you will get an email from us when we choose to release decisions. If we choose to accept your piece, we’ll follow up with a lot of communication regarding the layout of your piece, edits if necessary, the issue release party, and how to download the issue once it’s out. We really really appreciate it if you can take the time to acknowledge these emails, since we’ve had cases of contributors wanting to change things in their submission after the issue has been published. We took time to review your piece, so we’d appreciate it if you could take the time to help us publish your work! Even a one word email with “Ok” could work; we just want to make sure you’re in the loop. Pieces That Barely Connect to Theme We understand that as submitters, you submit to a lot of different magazines and that not a lot of magazines have similar themes. It’s okay if you didn’t write your piece specifically for our theme. However, we want to publish pieces in our issue that correlate to our theme. But we do provide a box for you to detail how your piece relates to our theme. Even if it’s not a direct connection, please use this box. We also sometimes get submissions where the responses in this box have no relation to the piece itself. Please try to base your piece around our theme, and tell us your thought process of how it relates! Use of AI We do not condone the use of AI to write your pieces at all. Using it to help with finding synonyms or generating prompts is fine, but please don’t use it to write any of the pieces themselves (due to the newness surrounding AI, we’ll be reviewing submissions that involve AI on a case-by-case basis). We also often see people use AI to fill the questions about how the piece relates to the theme. This is less severe than using AI for the actual work, but it still immediately turns us off. We’ve seen pieces that were splendid, but the connection to the theme part was AI-generated. You guys are writers. We know you can write. Even if it’s 2 sentences, we’d prefer if you wrote it yourselves than sending us a two paragraph AI-generated copy-paste. Do better, guys. To summarize, please go through the submission guidelines on our website, and read our past issues to get a sense of who we are. This goes for any magazine that you submit to, and not just RTS. We may be teenagers trying our best, but we still have a standard we strive to maintain and we’d like for our submitters to respect this as well. Some of the points here are things that don't necessarily make us discard pieces entirely (like not adhering to the theme) but they don't help your case either. Others (like not respecting submission guidelines) will cause us to discard your piece and issue a warning—and it also gives us a bad vibe from you. That being said, if you’ve done any of these in the past, it’s alright. This isn’t a call-out post; we understand people make mistakes. We only ask for accountability and more diligence in the future. At the end of the day, it’s all about uplifting young and upcoming authors, and promoting a love for literature and art. Respect our process so we can respect your work. Thank you for all your continued love and support, we can’t wait to see what the next issue will bring <3 Follow the Smrithi @theunwrittenstories101 for more!