Interview with Inklings Author, Aadhya Gupta

We are thrilled to introduce you to one of our recently published authors, Aadhya Gupta! Aadhya recently published her interactive poetry anthology, Musical Words: The Frequencies of Life (and Other Noises), after working with an Inklings mentor to revise her work. At Society of Young Inklings, we offer a number of mentorship programs for youth authors to support them as they draft, revise, and publish their work. We interviewed Aadhya about her experience revising her book with a mentor, and then publishing it and sharing it with the world.

What inspired you to write this book?

Throughout my middle and early high school years, I lacked immense confidence in my ability to write. I found myself with the most elaborate, creative ideas, but always had a mental block in putting pen to paper, doubting my phrasing and the quality of my choice of words. As an alternative to traditional prose, I turned to poetry as a channel for my thoughts and emotions. It has transformed my outlook on writing, going from something I dreaded into a form of personal release. Experimenting with complex word choice, rhyming patterns, and poetic forms over the past few years has strengthened my articulation, vocabulary, and most of all, my innermost voice.

I was inspired to write a manuscript because I wanted to share this voice with the world, after years of struggling to find it myself. I hope readers come to understand that self-expression is unique to every individual, and that creativity and originality are not things to fear, but to embrace. 

Did you enjoy revising your book in layers? What did you learn about revision by working on it stage by stage?

I really enjoyed revising my book in layers! It was fascinating to see every part come together—the writing itself, page design, and overall look and feel of the book—to create a larger, complete piece.

What I learned through the revision process is how important the small, fine-print details are to the integrity of a book. For example, before publishing, I wasn’t aware that specifics like punctuation consistency and font variations received so much attention during editing! Revising in stages allowed me to focus on each aspect of my manuscript individually, rather than becoming overwhelmed by the project as a whole. I learned that revision goes beyond simply improving the writing itself; it involves paying attention to how every element (both interior and exterior) works together to create a final product that demonstrates my intended “vibe” 🙂

What problems did you run into in your revision and how did you resolve them?

During the poem revision, I found myself struggling with the endings of some of my pieces, specifically in the “Planet Poem” series. I felt like my existing endings didn’t all convey the emotion and essence I wanted, and it was tricky coming up with alternatives that did.

Resolving this took time, patience, and an open mind. Many times, I’d write a new ending, feel satisfied in the moment, but completely rewrite it the next day. To aid the process, I’d shift my attention to another poem and return to the original a few days later, giving my mind time to reset and approach the piece with a fresh perspective. My incredible writing mentor greatly supported me with my challenge, always reminding me that “there is such a thing as overworking a poem,” and that my writing should FEEL natural to me. This advice really eased my frustrations along the way.

Upon revisiting my poems, I started to consider the overall tone and imagery I wanted to convey rather than fixating on individual words. I began to give myself the time and space to explore my ideas, embrace uncertainty, and trust that I’d eventually find the words I was looking for. I came to realize that revising writing isn’t always about finding the “perfect words”, but about giving myself the space and time to discover what feels right.

 What would you tell someone who has written a manuscript and is not sure whether they want to take on revisions?

I would strongly encourage them to undergo the revision process! I was intimidated myself when I first learned about all the steps involved, but it truly was so much fun to revisit my own work and polish it into a creation that conveyed my message even more powerfully than I’d initially imagined. I’d remind them that revision is an opportunity to explore new possibilities that they might have overlooked initially, and a chance to bring their creative vision to life in ways they hadn’t expected!

“There’s a poem for every emotion you feel.”
Aadhya Gupta

If you are feeling sad, solemn, happy, heartbroken, angry, alone, frustrated, curious, observant, scientific, or simply just want to have a good laugh, allow yourself to feel your feelings through this  colorful collection of poems written from ages 12 to 17. Each piece sheds light on a different wavelength of the emotions we feel throughout our lives and the particular moments we recall, some relatable, and others completely out of the blue. 

Additionally, this book is meant to be an interactive way to learn more about the art of poetry itself while enjoying it. Utilize the prompts throughout the book to create your own poems, and think: what makes YOUR voice stand out above the rest?

Aadhya Gupta lives in Cupertino, CA with her mom, dad, and built-in-best friend: her older sister. When she’s not writing poems, she loves performing downtown with her family band, doing gymnastics, trying foods from different cultures, and binge-watching old Bollywood movies with her family. Aadhya is also highly passionate about science, especially the world of space and astronomy.