Acclaimed Author Tristan Bancks Visits Years 5–7

On Tuesday 3 June, students in Years 5, 6, and 7 were fortunate to hear from highly acclaimed Australian author Tristan Bancks. Tristan is best known for his popular books Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Scar Town, and the hilarious Tom Weekly series. His work has received national acclaim, with Scar Town most notably winning the 2024 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year – Younger Readers.

We were excited to hear about Tristan’s journey as an author, his inspirations, the writing process, and the stories behind his books. His engaging presentation, featuring book trailers and news clips, offered valuable insights and left students inspired to read, write, and think creatively.

Tristan shared many memorable aspects of his writing life. He reads every single day, explaining that he cannot write unless he reads. He writes daily in a journal and often uses his phone to capture ideas and notes. Music plays a significant role in his creative process—he creates a unique soundtrack for each book to help inspire the tone and mood of the story.

Tristan typically writes up to five drafts of each book, often finding that the drafts get worse before they get better. He reads his work aloud to ensure it flows well and sounds authentic. His favourite book, Scar Town, took an incredible 15 years to write. To ensure realism in his stories, Tristan conducts extensive research into the settings of his books, travelling to key locations and consulting with experts.

Tristan also shared his Top 5 Writing Tips:

1. Read a lot
2. Write every day
3. Be kind to yourself
4. Find yourself in the story
5. Rewrite and rewrite and…

Tristan’s visit was a truly inspiring experience for both students and staff. His insights into the writing process and creative journey offered a rare glimpse into the life of a successful author.

Karen McBride
Primary Teacher Librarian