In these trying times, it is hard not to feel overwhelmed by the unprecedented presence that now disrupts our countries, our lives, and our minds. We can feel trapped and suffocated, weak and disempowered. We seek to relieve ourselves — to get out of this crisis in some way, any way. 

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But we already know what to turn to — we know that the comforting warmth of the creative arts will welcome us with open arms, and we welcome it too. The power of art to console, entertain, and give us direction when we need it has stood the test of time. Sometimes, even when all it has to offer is a little distraction from the tyranny of reality, it is more than enough.

 

In dark times, society realises how much it depends on those it so often takes for granted and even writes off as dispensable. It is our artists — writers, singers, performers, comedians — who keep us sane and human, just as they do the ever-important work of defining our humanity of today and tomorrow.

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But on a personal level, a lot of us turn to art in more ways than one. We not only consume, but also reflect and produce. We create just as fervently as we partake, and take on the role of the creator. Art is catharsis, whether taken in or given out.

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This year, Unwrap is opening up a special window of opportunity to all writers, to bring some light into our dwellings. We are inviting submissions for a special publication to be released later this year, titled Light in the Dark. While Unwrap has always been an online journal of academic articles and opinion pieces based on the creative arts, this special edition will also be featuring a special segment with readers' submissions of creative writing — prose, poetry, and drama.

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We invite writers from all around the globe to reflect on the world to which we are now beholden, because art thrives on in spite of the world. Art mimics, negotiates, and reinvents reality, and life so often imitates art. Unwrap welcomes you to join the collective voice of art to the world through our broad local and international outreach.

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If you are an established writer, you may submit your writing and our editors will get in touch with you shortly. However, we at Unwrap know that art is not just a product, but also a process  — one of personal growth and discovery as you shape your artistic vision. If you are a new, fledgling writer, we warmly invite you to write to us with your responses to the theme. The editorial team behind Unwrap will be delighted to curate your ideas and offer you the opportunity of mentorship as you sharpen your writing repertoire.

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Please see the following guide if you are interested to make your contribution to Unwrap.

Guide For Authors and Submission Guidelines
All submissions should be emailed as attachments to the journal editor. The submissions attached should be Microsoft Word documents that are double-spaced and font size 12. In the email sent to the journal editors, all authors should also provide a brief biography detailing their names, institutional affiliations (if any), contact details, and relevant experience.
 

Creative pieces

Unwrap is inviting writers to submit their reflections in the form of poetry, prose, and drama.

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We request that all creative submissions be accompanied by an artistic vision conveying the writer’s inspiration as well as the purpose for the creation of the piece. Alternatively, writers may choose to submit a sociocultural analysis of their piece addressing the key ideas presented. The artistic vision or analysis piece submitted should be between 500 and 1500 words in length.

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Opinion Pieces and Scholarly Articles

These pieces ought to discuss salient developments and issues pertinent to the creative arts. Some examples of such discussion include the exploration of critical literary theory, commentary on different modes of writing, and reflection on a collection of literary works.

 

Opinion pieces should be between 900 and 1500 words in length. Opinion pieces should be accompanied by a short 100-word abstract at the start of the piece summarising the key points expressed in the opinion. 

Scholarly articles should be between 2500 to 4000 words in length. Scholarly articles should come with a 250-word abstract at the start of the article summarising the main arguments being put forward in the article. 

Citations and references to academic work and other relevant sources should feature wherever necessary in both opinion pieces and scholarly articles. Such references and citations should follow the detailed guidance that can be found in the Chicago Manual of Style (please refer to http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html). All references and citations should be made solely as endnotes to the articles submitted. If authors have further queries on citations and references, they should email the journal editors directly.
 

Additional Information
We request that authors do not submit their work to any other journal or organisation while their article is under review and pending publication by Unwrap. 

In the event that a submission is selected for publication on Unwrap’s website, the editors request that the author grant Unwrap a licence to be the first publisher of their article online. Authors must obtain permission for the reproduction of any texts from third parties. The copyright of contributions remains with the authors. 
 

Contact Details
If you would like to submit your writing or have any enquiries, please contact us at do.unwrap.research@gmail.com

Yours sincerely,
The Unwrap Team