Write the World alumna Stella Weston, who previously served as a Civics in Action Fellow reporting on current events for the Write the World—in collaboration with Facing History & Ourselves and the National Children's Campaign—continues to make strides in the literary world.
While studying psychology, philosophy, economics, and politics in university, she has maintained her love and practice of writing, publishing her work, contributing to a literary magazine, and receiving numerous awards and accolades, most recently winning the fiction prize in Writer 2025, the University of Otago’s annual creative writing competition. Below, Stella shares her advice for other young writers looking to carry their craft beyond high school, whether or not they choose to study a writing-related field in higher education.
**Inspired by what you read below? Explore Stella’s 2020 Civics in Action piece here.**
1. In what ways have you pursued writing beyond high school?Leaving high school, I was determined to keep writing despite choosing not to study English at university. Over the summer in between high school and uni, I received a grant for creative writing which was a huge boost for my motivation. Since then, I have continued working on short fiction stories to submit to various journals and competitions while also working on a larger project. I have spent this year working for Critic Te Ārohi (the Otago university magazine) as a staff writer, writing and editing news, culture, and feature pieces.
2. What have you found most challenging, and what has been most rewarding, in your writing journey?
The most rewarding things about writing, for me, are the connections that I can make with people through my work. I love being able to put people’s feelings and experiences into words and relate to them through this thing that I love so much. The most challenging aspect is being brave enough to put my work and myself out there! It can be really scary, but it is so worth it.
3. Tell us about your recent prize. What inspired the work behind it?
I started this piece in the only English class I’ve taken at university. We were asked to note down five things we saw on our walk to class, and living in Dunedin, I listed things like broken bottles and couches in driveways, and then I realised that these things didn’t fit under the typical “homey vibe” for most people. These preexisting negative connotations were an obstacle in this piece, as I wanted to show the protagonist growing into this awesome and unique city and learning to love it.
4. What advice do you have for other young writers hoping to pursue writing in college and beyond?
Most importantly, make time for it. Whether or not you choose to pursue writing in an academic or professional context, it is such a special outlet to have and keep in your life. But you have to work at it. On that note, opportunities can be pretty few and far between in the arts at the moment, so it’s crucial to take them when they are there. Finally, make a community! Finding other young writers and people passionate about the same things as you is really special, and Write the World is a great place to do that!
5. What are you working on now? What themes/topics/genres are you most excited to explore next, and why?
I’m currently working on a speculative young adult novel set in a near-future New Zealand devastated by climate change. Just This Once is a polyphonic novel with 13 teenagers each narrating a chapter, using this shifting perspective to explore unreliable narration and privilege. A satirical lens allows me to explore contemporary issues and themes of privilege and selfishness, the performative nature of activism, resignation and turning a blind eye, complex character relationships and important ethical questions about our uncertain future.
6. What reading recommendations do you have for teen writers looking to find writing inspiration?
I can’t express enough how important it is to read anything and everything! You never know what you might spontaneously pick up one day and then realise it’s actually your thing—from poetry to science fiction to mythology. When I read something I like, I take the time to work out what it was about the book or the author that stood out to me, and then experiment with employing that in my own work.
About Stella Weston
Stella Weston (she/her) is a Pākehā writer from Rotorua, New Zealand. Stella is in her second year of a BSc in Psychology and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Otago/Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka. Stella works as a staff writer for Critic Te Ārohi — the university magazine. In 2020, Stella was awarded the Write the World Civics in Action Fellowship, and since then she has remained passionate about both writing and social issues. Stella’s work has been published in a number of journals and publications, both national and international, and she has won several short story competitions. Her children’s book on mental health, My Black Dog, was commissioned by the I Am Hope Foundation. In 2025, Stella was selected as a Young Writer for the NZ Young Writers Festival and associated wānaka.
