Ella has been quietly achieving great things in the literary world.

Kia Ora, my name is Ella and throughout the school year I've had a blast entering several national writing competitions. I'm proud of how this process has helped me to grow, as well as showing me that hard work does in fact achieve results. 

I was highly commended in the Sargeson Prize, a prestigious short story competition run by the University of Waikato, and in August I was lucky enough to be invited to a masterclass at the International Institute of Modern Letters in Wellington, as one of the finalists for the NZ Schools Poetry Award. This was an incredible experience and allowed me to connect not only with other young writers, but to start making connections with established (and terrific) poets Ash Davida Jane and Stacey Teague. 

Being surrounded by other young poets really inspired me to keep writing and I'd offer the same advice to anyone else who likes writing - surround yourself with people who show you an achievable standard that still push you outside your comfort zone, and then write and write and write until you're happy with what you've created. Nobody else has to like it.

Ella's poem for the NZ School's Poetry Competition.

Long Pause - Ella Sage