Trish Harris (she/her) is a disabled writer of memoir, essays, poetry and general non-fiction. Her most recent book, Out of the Box, is for children and young people. She’d like to write more for this age group and has a picture book manuscript in-waiting.

Over many years Trish has combined communications writing with tutoring in writing, her own creative writing and doing what she can to celebrate and encourage the voices of Deaf and disabled writers.

She loves the energy that comes from writing in a group. This was a revelation to her – that writing didn’t need to be an individual pursuit. She’s forever grateful to the writing courses she’s been part of. Trish has a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Creative Writing) from Whitireia Polytechnic and has attended poetry and non-fiction workshops at the International Institute of Modern Letters.

She is fired up when she sees art growing out of lived experience and says attending the High Beam Disability Arts Festival in Adelaide in 1998 was pivotal in her setting up writing workshops for disabled women (Tigers & Tulips) with Jamie Bull 1999-2007. These culminated in sell-out shows at Wellington’s 2007 Fringe Festival and featured many first-time performers.

More recently she and Robyn Hunt set-up Crip the Lit to promote Deaf and disabled writers ‘telling our stories, our way’, which has led to 10 exciting years of performances by Crip the Lit collaborators at Wellington’s Verb Writers’ Festival.

Trish's Books

• The Walking Stick Tree (memoir, Escalator Press, 2016) Print copies: out of stock at the publisher’s but available from Trish, Daisy-Audio: from Blind Low Vision’s Accessible Library
• My wide white bed (poetry about a long hospital stay, Landing Press, 2017)
  Print copies: available from bookstores and from the publisher.
• Out of the Box: 25 Deaf and disabled artists, activists and adventurers from Aotearoa New Zealand (non-fiction, 2026, Otago University Press)
  Print copies: available from bookstores and direct from the publisher.
  The publisher is keen to have this available in accessible formats.

Shorter pieces published online

• Kia Ora, Your Majesty. Ever thought of using a wheelchair? Published on Stuff, 2022
• Flight. Performed at the Verb Writers Festival Gala Opening Night, Wellington, 2021
• Poetry navigates hospital life. Celebrating the latest print run of My wide white bed, 2024

Working with me / using writing to tell bigger stories

Trish has taken her first two books into many community and medical settings. She finds creative writing brings experiences alive and her hope is always that it will lead to better service by professionals and the systems they work in.

She hopes her most recent book Out of the Box will be enjoyed by non-disabled and Deaf and disabled school students, both. She hopes the fascinating stories and bold illustrations the diversity and vibrancy of our communities and the complexity of our histories. She’d love the opportunity to take Out of the Box into schools, especially specialist schools.

More about Crip the Lit and our publication Here we are, read us, which Trish edited and was production manager for, can be found on the Taha Hotu website here.