Tania’s story: How I went from part-time physio to full-time author
For Tania Blanchard, landing a book deal in her 40s was a dream come true after a 20-year career as a physio. Now the Sydney-based author of bestsellers The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams has just released her fifth novel, A Woman of Courage. This is her career change story.
“I’ve always loved reading and writing but became a physiotherapist when I left school. I’ve worked in many different fields of physiotherapy, including sports, rehabilitation, pre-natal and maternity, and even had my own physiotherapy practice. I loved being able to help people and really enjoyed the diverse aspects of my work.
I wrote occasionally, mainly journaling, while I worked as a physio, but it wasn’t until I took a break after having my three children that I began writing stories for them. I began a chapter book for my daughter who was in primary school and continued reworking it until it morphed into a Young Adult fantasy story as she got older.
The idea of making a career out of writing had been simmering for a while but when I felt the certainty that I wanted to become published deep in my bones, I knew I had to pursue it. I’d enjoyed being a physiotherapist but felt it was time to express the creative part of me. Also, I could work from home and be there for my children and be involved in their schooling activities. It seemed the perfect combination for where I was at in my life.
How I made my career change
I began a couple of online writing courses with the Australian Writers Centre to learn about the technical aspects of writing and did everything I could to hone my skills as a writer, cutting my teeth on my Young Adult fantasy story, until I felt I couldn’t do anymore. It was time to find out whether my dream of becoming a published writer was a realistic one and I enrolled in Fiona McIntosh’s Commercial Fiction Masterclass.
It was a big commitment to leave my children for six days. But the opportunity to pitch my novel to one of the big five publishers who would be there was the cherry on top. It was wonderful to be among like-minded people, others who loved reading and writing as much as I did.
When Fiona told me that I could write after reading the ten pages I’d submitted of my YA fantasy, I was delighted, but then she suggested that it was difficult for fantasy written by Australians to be picked up by publishers. Was there something else I wanted to write?
I’d grown up listening to my grandmother’s fascinating stories about her life as a young woman in Germany during World War II. She had recently passed at the age of 91 and my mother and I had just uncovered an amazing treasure trove of photos, documents, letters and memorabilia that she’d kept from her entire life. I’d always wanted to tell her story and suddenly I knew this was the time to do it.
I told Fiona a little about her and she agreed this was the story I should write. I pitched to the publisher a couple of days later, the first time meeting anyone from the publishing industry. In three minutes, I told them why my story inspired by grandmother’s life was different from other World War II novels. Finally, my dream of becoming a published author seemed a possibility.
I went home and began writing and discovered that writing historical fiction and using the personal perspective of my character Lotte, from the first-person point of view, felt natural. This was what I wanted to do. This was my groove, my niche.
At a follow-up professional learning weekend about six months later, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to pitch my new novel to publishers, and was beside myself when one of them expressed interest in it. I emailed it to them when I’d finished writing it and a few months later, I was offered a contract for two books, which became The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams. It was incredibly surreal but extra special that it was my grandmother’s stories that allowed me to reach my dream of becoming a published author.
What my workday looks like now
Now I have the good fortune to be able to write full time. But I realised very quickly that I have to treat it as my job. I work four to five days a week and with my youngest finishing school this year and all my children more independent, it has allowed my writing routine to change to what suits me best.
Now I get up in the morning and get straight to work with a black coffee in hand, to write and begin the creative writing process. Each day can be variable, if I’m able to write a number of scenes straight through or if I need to do further research as I write.
My concentration tends to flag by about lunch time or early afternoon, when I’ll take a break, walk the dogs, cook dinner and catch up with whoever is home. I then catch up with emails, social media and maybe research. I often get my second wind to do creative work later in the afternoon, around 3 or 4pm, and if I have no interruptions, I like to work through until about 8pm.
My best tip for aspiring authors
I think the best tip for anyone dreaming of becoming a published writer like I did, is to keep going. Don’t give up. If you’re truly passionate about writing, remain determined and persistent, learn whatever you can about your craft.
Write what you love and find a way to write that’s authentic for you, that feels right and natural. It will become your style and your unique voice. I truly believe that the way each person tells a story is unique with their own experiences and perspectives, which informs their writing. So ultimately, believe in yourself and your own individual and unique way that you tell your story.
What’s next for my career
I plan to continue writing historical fiction novels inspired by family stories, perhaps looking further back into the family trees. Now that my children have all finished school, I hope to travel overseas next year to do further research on my family history and research for my novels. I know this will help take my stories to the next level. My first four books have finally broken into the international market and I’d love my readership overseas to grow.”
Tania Blanchard is an Australian multiple best-selling historical fiction author. Her latest book A Woman Of Courage is available now in all good bookstores and online.
