Innisfail's Sophia Bouw is an award-winning writer.
The Grade 4 student at Ecole John Wilson Elementary School was recently awarded the 2016 Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award, a comic and short story writing contest open to students in grades 4 to 9 in Alberta.
The award is presented by the Young Alberta Book Society.
“It feels good (to win),” said Bouw. “The Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award is a very good program for young people who like to write. They get to feel like a professional writer and that's what I felt like.”
Bouw was one of several recipients this year in the province, winning the award for her short story entitled The Koi Fish are Back. It's a story that details the hardships experienced by an Asian family when a father must go north to work on the railway for a long period of time.
Even at such a young age Bouw said she enjoys writing because it allows her to connect with an audience.
“I can write a story and other people could read it. Maybe they've had thoughts that I've written down in there that they can relate to,” she said. “That's good because I can share it with other people.”
As the award winner, Bouw received a certificate recognizing her accomplishment and a box full of books, with most of them signed by the authors, she noted, adding that it's her first time winning a provincial writing award.
“My teacher was really proud of me and so was my mom and dad,” said Bouw. “I'm really happy too because I didn't think this would happen. I just enjoyed writing the story.”
The inspiration for her award-winning story came from Bouw's own love of reading and writing.
“I read some stories about families and their fathers who go work up north. I thought it was a very good subject to write about,” she said, noting that it may not be her last short story.
“I think I could keep writing, but I think I would just do it to enjoy it. I would do the Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award again,” she said.
Bouw had these words of advice for other young aspiring writers.
“If you want to write a good story, really think about,” said Bouw. “When you do write, put work into it, put effort into it and your heart too.”
Sophia Bouw, student
"If you want to write a good story, really think about. When you do write, put work into it, put effort into it and your heart too."
