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Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has confirmed she's started work writing, but won't be focusing on politics too much. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has confirmed she's started writing a book, after signing international publishing deals.
Ardern said she was initially reluctant to write about her time as prime minister, but was "convinced" to publish a book about her leadership style.
In a post on Friday, she said she had signed publishing deals with Penguin in Australia and New Zealand, Macmillan in the UK and Crown in the US.
She said her book would not be focused heavily on the challenges or politics of her time as prime minister. Instead, she said it would be similar to her valedictory speech, and discuss leadership.
"I didn't want to write a book that hauled over the internal politics of the last five years, and then someone convinced me that I didn't have to.
"That maybe it might be worth expanding on some of the things I talked about in my valedictory instead - like the idea you can be your own kind of leader and still make a difference. And so that's what I'm planning to do," she said.
Ardern resigned as prime minister in January, after five years leading Labour and the Government.
She delivered her valedictory speech to Parliament in April, in which she spoke about the stress of the job and personal toll it had taken. She also spoke about the support of whānau and friends, and message she had hoped to send through her position.
"You can be anxious, sensitive, kind, and wear your heart on your sleeve. You can be a mother, or not. You can be an ex-Mormon, or not. You can be a nerd, a crier, a hugger. You can be all of these things," she told Parliament.
In her post on Friday, Ardern said she hoped her book would help young women looking to get into leadership positions.
She said there was no date set for when it would be released.
Since leaving Parliament, Ardern has taken three separate roles. She volunteers as a special envoy for the Christchurch Call, reporting to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on the progress being made to counter violent extremism on social media. She also works for Harvard University. And she is a trustee on Prince William's climate change charity, the Earthshot Prize.
* This story was first published on Stuff.
