Let’s Meet Tobi Black
Tobi Black is a 20-year-old poet from PG County, Maryland. Black has been writing poetry for about four years. Black most recently released his first short story entitled “The Dream within My Dreams”, you can purchase his book from Amazon right here! Make sure to follow him on Twitter to stay updated on all new projects coming out!
When did you start writing and how did it all begin?
“I’ve always liked writing, but I believe that I began writing poetry consistently somewhere around my junior or senior year of high school. I honestly only began writing for cathartic release. I’ve never liked venting to people much, so I would always just write whenever I have things on my mind.”
Is there a special thought process you have for writing?
“My thought process for writing honestly changes with each piece I write. With every poem or narrative I write, there’s a different purpose behind it. So, I approach each new project I start in a way that’s specific to the purpose of the work.”
Where do you do most of your writing? and/or Do you have to have anything in particular in your space for you to be able to write?
“I honestly write any and everywhere, but I prefer to write alone or in the company of someone who doesn’t talk much or at all. I need music when I write though. I can’t really imagine writing without it.”
Who do you write for, is there a special audience your writing is for?
“Generally, I’m writing for myself. I’ll have something on my mind and I’ll just write about it. But there are some poems I write with a specific audience in mind, for example, I’ve written poems to speak specifically to dark-skinned women (The Blacker the Berry) as well as my future daughter (Letter to).”
Are there any new pieces we should be on the look out for?
“I just published my first short story entitled “The Dream within My Dreams” on Amazon last week. It’s actually an advanced chapter of the book I’m currently working on that I’m calling “The Journey of Jo Black” which follows Jo, a young African-American man, through his college experiences using narrative poems that tell stories as well regular poems that take the form of”Journal Entries”. The “Journal Entries” are poems that may not relate directly to the stories told in the narratives, but they’re give you slight insight into the mind of Jo Black. I’m really excited about this.”
