As you know, the Inklings Book Contest is here! So, today, we’re interviewing Toby Jacob, one of our 2017 Inklings Book Contest winners. As you’ll read, at first, she didn’t even want to submit to the contest! We’re sure glad she did. Maybe you’re on the fence, too, wondering if you should send in that story or poem you’ve been working on. We hope you’ll be encouraged by Toby and submit today.
Toby Jacob, Age 14
How did you hear about the Inklings Book Contest?
There was a flyer in my creative writing classroom.
What made you decide to submit?
At first, I didn’t want to submit because I didn’t think I could win. But a good friend of mine convinced me.
Did you submit a story or a poem?
A poem, titled “Storm.”
What is it about?
It’s about personal experiences that I had with a kid at my school for most of elementary school.
How did you feel when you found out you were one of the winners?
I was so crazy happy and also really nervous about other people reading my work. But mostly I was really happy.
Tell us about the mentorship and revision part of the contest. What was your revision focus? Was it hard to revise?
I spent a lot of time trying to revise my poem so that it was shorter and more coherent. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to some parts because I really liked them, but in the end, all the edits that my mentor Naomi and I made were for the best. I had a ton of fun working with her and I learned a lot.
What writing have you been working on since?
Since I won the Inklings Book Contest, I continued mentorship with Naomi and right now we are working on a short story. It’s been so helpful to have someone to help guide me through this whole process. I’m really appreciating her help in creating and improving my writing.
Thanks again to Toby for talking with us! If you’re ready to submit to the Inklings Book Contest or you want to learn more, check out www.younginklings.org/inklingsbookcontest.
