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Writing a lifetime habit for Charlotte

CharlotteCharlotte Trevella is a busy teenager – in addition to normal studies, she edits the school magazine, sings in the choir and has just published her first book of poetry, Because Paradise. She mentions this last fact like it's as simple as picking up bread from the supermarket, but the book is close to six year's work for this award-winning poet.

A writer from a young age, she has never lost the habit.

“It grew on me – I kept writing and I had quite a lot of support and encouragement and when I was 12 or 14 I started reading other people’s poetry and I began realising what an amazing art form it was.”

“It’s a great feeling of satisfaction, it’s a great feeling to have written something that you’re happy with.”

Charlotte's work

Because ParadiseBecause Paradise

Read To a sister

Listen to When the clocks change [1Mb .MP3]

Read Other people's gardens

Her work To a sister, which really was to her sister, won best poem in the 2009 NZ Post Schools Poetry Awards.

“All the content of it is true really. When I was younger I used to write poetry to people wqho didn’t exist. Apparently it’s quite common. I’ve moved away from that now and write about thing I really feel.”

Charlotte was thrilled with the win – the hardest part was not being able to tell anyone until the awards were announced.

“I could only tell my immediate family. It was kind of hard keeping it a secret.”

Charlotte went to the awards with her parents, but could only attend for the night as she was competing in a choral festival in Dunedin. She will get to attend writing workshops at a later date.

“The awards ceremony was so well done – it was really cool.”

Charlotte has published her first collection through Wellington company Steele Roberts.

“When I was about 12 I approached a number of publishers and this particular one said they would be interested in publishing a collection once I was older and my poetry had matured." 

Her persistence paid off – the 64-page effort contains more than thirty poems.
Holding her own book is “so weird”.

“When you actually get it, its really quite amazing. People do read it and people say ‘I like this poem’.”

In the future Charlotte hopes to study health sciences and “definitely” plans to carry on with her writing.

September 2009