Snapshots from our Classes!
Highlight on our Youth Advisory Board!
Welcome to the first installment of our “Youth Advisory Board Series” where we interview the awesome members that make up our Youth Advisory Board.
This Month: Sahana S.
Creative writing with Young Inklings is full of freedom and chances to step out of your comfort zone with support and encouragement from mentors, and everyone in the Young Inklings family.
How were you introduced to Inklings? How old were you?
I was introduced to Young Inklings through intersession in 6th grade at the Girls Middle School. Naomi Kinsman was teaching an intersession on writing, and by the end of the week, I realized I wanted to challenge myself to complete a full piece of writing. Through Naomi, I learned about the Your Name in Ink program, and was instantly interested in the opportunity to work with a mentor and publish my own novel. Naomi agreed to be my mentor and I started January of 6th grade.
When did you start considering yourself a writer?
I started considering myself as a writer in 1st grade, when I first developed a love for writing. I would write stories about my adventures on weekends, girls jumping into their bathtubs and turning into mermaids, and girls with blue eyes and blonde hair before binding the pages together and adding illustrations. I was ‘published!’
What were some of your favorite moments from publishing your book, “A Scoop of Sour”, with Young Inklings?
Some of my favorite moments were picking the cover art, which features a distorted, icky pale green ice cream cone to represent how not everything is how it seems, planning scenes weekly through acting exercises with Naomi, and looking out at the crowd at my book launch full of my best friends and family solely there supporting my crazy dream of publishing a novel.
What is different about creative writing with Society of Young Inklings than creative writing in school?
Creative writing with Young Inklings is full of freedom and chances to step out of your comfort zone with support and encouragement from mentors, and everyone in the Young Inklings family.
Why would you recommend being a part of the Inklings Youth Advisory Board?
Being part of the Young Inklings Youth Advisory Board allows me to revise and share my suggestions and ideas to make this non-profit even better. It has helped me gain the skill of thinking creatively on my feet and solve problems with ease when they arise.
Are you currently working on any writing outside of school? Is there a sequel in the works?
Not currently, as I have been very busy with high school applications, school projects, and extracurriculars! I don’t plan on writing a sequel but I hope to start a new novel soon, perhaps a new style of writing, like poetry, or genre like romance.
A special thanks to Sahana for sharing part of her Inklings experience!
Check out the final cover work for “A Scoop of Sour” and get your copy today!
