Charly Cox (born 23 July 1995) is a British poet and writer.[1] Cox is a mental health activist. She serves as an ambassador of mental health research charity MQ Foundation.[2]

Charly Cox
Born (1995-07-23) 23 July 1995 (age 28)
London, UK
Occupation(s)Poet and author
Notable workShe Must Be Mad
HonoursForbes 30 Under 30

Early and personal life edit

Cox was born on 23 July 1995 in London, United Kingdom. She is of British descent.[3]

Cox started writing poems in a diary as a teenager. Over time, it evolved into means of expression and reflection through her personal struggles.[4] At 16 years old, Cox dropped out of Furze Platt Senior school due to crippling anxiety. She was officially diagnosed with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder 2 and PTSD at 17 years old. Since then, she has considered writing a therapeutic activity.[5]

Work edit

Cox was working as a full-time digital producer until the stress overwhelmed her and she felt her creative juices drying up—and her friend responded by inquiring about her poetry. In January 2017, Cox decided to post her works publicly on Instagram. She began writing everyday until she received a book deal the following year.[6][7][8]

Cox authored UK bestselling poetry and prose debut collection She must be Mad. The book contained her works dating back at age 15–18. It tackled themes such as coming-of-age, body image, mental illnesses, and dating.[9][5]

Cox moved to Los Angeles and eventually found herself struggling with social media addiction and online persona. In 2019, she published Validate me: A Life of Code-dependency, which reflected her experiences and explored the digital life.[5][6][9]

Recognitions edit

Cox was selected to be at Forbes 30 under 30 under the Art and Culture Category in Europe. In 2018, she was named as one of the 20 Power Players by Elle Magazine.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Demolder, Kate (29 April 2020). "Why You Should Start Reading Charly Cox's Poetry". Irish Tatler. Business Post Media Group. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Mental health campaigners & advocates swear to take on mental illness". MQ: Transforming Mental Health. MQ Foundation. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  3. ^ Ferguson, Donna (26 January 2019). "'Keats is dead...': How young women are changing the rules of poetry | Poetry | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. ^ O'Mahony, Holly. "Interview with She Must Be Mad author Charly Cox". Culture Whisper. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Laws, Chloe. "Charly Cox on how to stop using your phone for validation". Glamour UK. The Condé Nast Publications Ltd. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Author Charly Cox is riding a wave of critical acclaim". Canada.com. Postmedia Network Inc. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  7. ^ "A Young London Poet On Women's Rights". www.refinery29.com. VICE MEDIA GROUP. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Writing For Mental Health & Making A Career As A Modern-Day Poet With Charly Cox". AllBright. Retrieved 28 September 2020.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ a b Thompson, Rachel (7 August 2018). "This Instagram poet is making young people feel less alone". Mashable. Mashable, Inc. Retrieved 28 September 2020.