However, the 10-year-old Goulburn Valley Grammar School student from Ardmona is hardly a novice — she has been writing stories ever since she learned to put pen to paper.
Her Furphy Junior Short Story prize-winning tale about a bushwalk with her father cleverly spins a yarn about being trapped in a cave and being rescued by tourists who were earlier being criticised by her dad.
“I've always loved the bush near our home and we go to Bright sometimes for bushwalks. So when it came to thinking about what to write, I thought I'd write about the bush,” Lila said.
She said her ‘dad’ character was loosely based on her real father, orchardist Andrew Plunkett — especially his positive energy.
“My family have always been glass half-full people,” Lila said.
She said her favourite authors were British comedian David Walliams and fantasy writer Tui T. Sutherland.
Lila said she felt humbled by her Furphy literary prize win.
“I feel quite lucky because I'm sure there were other great entries too,” she said.
And what about the future?
“I'm not sure yet, but I'd like to be probably either a biologist or a zoologist,” she said.
11°C