Cloe Willetts is an award-winning Wellington based journalist, known for getting the very best out of an interview thanks to her empathetic flair, laid back style, and solid nose for news.

Cloe has tackled a multitude of topics over the past 12 years; from business and community to breaking news and social issues, human-interest and travel, and parenting and lifestyle.

In 2017, Cloe received Community Junior Journalist of the Year as a community newspaper reporter for NZME.

In 2019, she won Best Lifestyle Journalist at the national Magazine Publishers Association Awards.

Cloe continues to freelance for national publications and offers PR and brand copywriting services. These include story pitching and placement, press release writing, and brand storytelling and profiling.

Cloe Willetts is author of the Dizzy Waggle children’s book series, focused on teaching children emotional resilience and published under her company EQ Storytelling.

All three titles are found in schools, kindergartens, professional health practices, libraries, funeral homes, hospices, charitable organisations, and homes across Aotearoa.

BOOK TITLES

• The Dizzy Waggle Who Lit the Dark: a glowing tale about the power of big feelings, released in late 2021 and illustrated by Fabienne Joni Sopacua of FJS-Art & Design.

The Dizzy Waggle Who Lit the Dark teaches children tools for emotional regulation and resilience through imagination and rhyme.

As well as unpacking a variety of emotions, including anxiety and anger, the much-loved tale explains how emotions can feel in the body, and highlights the power of authenticity and empathy.

• Thea and the Dizzy Waggle: a heartwarming tale about loss and grief, released in 2022 and illustrated by Fabienne Joni Sopacua of FJS-Art & Design.

Written with sensitivity and hope, Thea and the Dizzy Waggle is a moving tale about loss and grief that encourages children and their families to look to nature for signs of late loved ones. Gently teaching children about death, the book includes exercises in the back that provide education and comfort for young readers.

Upon its release, Thea and the Dizzy Waggle received national newspaper and TV coverage, before making its way into primary schools across Aotearoa thanks to logistical assistance from Life Education Trust and Mainfreight.

• Lulu and the Forest Troll: an inspiring tale about bullying, released in 2024 and illustrated by Fabienne Joni Sopacua of FJS-Art & Design.

The imaginative, beautifully illustrated story teaches children about the emotional drivers behind bullying, along with resilience and forgiveness, and the importance of self-love.

Lulu and the Forest Troll also made its way into primary schools across Aotearoa thanks to logistical assistance from Life Education Trust and Mainfreight.

In 2023, Cloe received funding from Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Creative Communities Scheme to run a children’s Creative and Life Writing Workshop on the Kāpiti Coast, Wellington.

The 10-week course ran after school for aspiring writers aged 8-12 and focused on creative short story writing, self-expression through literacy, and journaling using prompts.

Offering a warm, welcoming, inclusive, and fun environment, the EQ Storytelling Creative and Life Writing Workshop concluded with a public exhibition of the children’s final work at Paraparaumu Library.

The EQ Storytelling workshop is now in its sixth term and teaches students creative language techniques for more descriptive writing, skills around character building, plot planning and structure, and techniques for thinking outside the box to write with authenticity.

A book containing students’ writing from the EQ Storytelling Children’s Creative and Lifewriting Workshop is available for purchase through Amazon, titled Kāpiti Kids’ Poetry and Plots. All royalties from book sales will go to the 14 children who contributed their work.

Cloe also facilitates group workshops and helps aspiring writers with mentorship around self-publishing. Please get in touch if you’d like guidance and practical support to bring your individual story to life.

Cloe offers business storytelling services to help brands and entrepreneurs pinpoint their story, strategise their message, and share it across print and digital media channels.