Brigitte Stanton was working as a mental health nurse, a job that could be stressful at times. She had been wanting to write for a few years as a creative outlet, but didn’t know where to start. After discovering the Australian Writers' Centre, Brigitte went on to complete several courses that fit around her lifestyle and has now published her debut picture book. Brigitte’s picture book Wanda Needs a Haircut is out now with Tiny Seed Publishing (an imprint of Starfish Bay Publishing).
“Becoming a published author was always in the back of my mind, but it was a dream which seemed out of my reach. AWC has helped me so much to gain confidence to write stories that are worthy of publication. My dream has now come true,” Brigitte told us.
Investing in herself
Brigitte had long harboured a dream to write and had even started a few manuscripts, but was unsure about plotting, characterisation and point of view.
“The lack of training and insight into what potentially creates a great story was frustrating. That is when I decided to look for a creative writing course. I came across Australian Writers’ Centre,” Brigitte says. “It was just what I had been looking for. Affordable, online and enough time to complete the course. The rest is history and I have now completed nine courses with the AWC.”
Brigitte found the combination of audio recordings and written notes was comprehensive and user friendly. Being online meant she could complete the work in her own time, while the feedback from tutors was supportive and helpful.
“Doing the courses made me realise that writing was very important to me. I finally felt confident putting words on paper and creating engaging stories. I love the challenge of finding inspiration and then turning an idea into a manuscript. It involves patience and a lot of problem solving. I now sleep with a notepad next to the bed, because I do a lot of my plotting and thinking at night.”
The realisation of a dream
Brigitte’s debut picture book, Wanda Needs a Haircut, was inspired by her three-year-old grandson.
“He was quite afraid of having his hair cut and it was a real challenge for any hairdresser to go anywhere near his hair. Haircuts are a challenge for many young children. I decided to write a funny and relaxed story about this and show children that haircuts are not so bad after all.
“Wanda is a sweet little witch whose hair just keeps growing because she thinks a haircut will hurt. Hattie, her hat, is getting worried that she won’t fit on Wanda’s head anymore. Luckily Hattie comes up with a great idea to have Wanda’s locks snipped.”
Brigitte has now retired and moved with her husband to a small country town, and writing forms a major part of her life.
“I start with an idea, an inspiration, a ‘what if’ thought. I just write down random thoughts, characters, settings, etc. From that I start writing my first draft. It may take four or five drafts before I am happy with my manuscript. When my final draft is complete, I start writing a blurb, a synopsis, a letter to publishers. Researching publishers is important, as not all publishers publish all types of books. I thoroughly read their submission guidelines and follow these to the letter.
“Everything I learned in the AWC courses finally paid off. It inspired me to write more and more and I am loving it.”
Brigitte’s debut picture book, Wanda Needs a Haircut, was inspired by her three-year-old grandson.
