Career crossroads
Marion’s journalism career spanned over 20 years and saw her work in reporting and sub-editing roles at newspapers across Melbourne, Queensland and the UK.
But she had always harboured a love of historical fiction and after reading Music & Silence by Rose Tremain in her 20s, she knew she wanted to pen a similar novel one day.
Marion enrolled in two RMIT short courses and during this time, she began writing a novel. Still in need of more guidance and education, Marion decided to push herself even further.
“I’m an intuitive person and really felt like I was standing in a river and the water was pushing me in a direction,” she said.
“I remember I was at the kitchen bench, and my husband said, ‘Do you really want to go back to uni?’
“I didn't think I did, but it just felt right for me then.”
Starting a new chapter
Marion enrolled in the Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing. She was five weeks into her studies when the COVID pandemic lockdowns hit and like thousands of other students, she was forced out of the classroom.
But Marion found the teaching staff – many of whom are published authors – were focused and supportive.
“I just really loved doing the course because it forced me to do different kinds of writing that I might not have otherwise done and it stretched and extended my idea of what I could do as a writer,” she said.
“The teachers in that course, I couldn't rate them highly enough. They're just fabulous. And because then a lot of them are working in that field, they are authors themselves or working editors, and they just are so generous with their encouragement and care, and they treat you like a peer.”
In the ‘Towards Publication’ unit of her studies, Marion and her fellow students had the unique experience to pitch their works to a publisher who offered immediate feedback.
Published author
After her successful pitch and subsequent publishing deal with HarperCollins Australia, Marion set to work.
By Her Hand is the story of young Freda in ancient Britain who is taken in by the church after her village erupts in war. Her survival is aided by learning what it is to survive as a woman in a world of warrior men.
Much of her novel still needed to be written and chapters she had already finished needed fine-tooth editing.
“I found that a lot of what I had already written was perhaps needing a lot of work as well, because I was writing it quite freely with no pressure,” Marion said.
“When you’re suddenly put on a deadline with a tippy-top publisher, yeah, it did change things a bit.”
By Her Hand will be published in March 2025 and even during the final stages of editing, Marion is still incredulous about her achievement.
“You hear people say that you can have a hundred rejections, but you just need that one acceptance and I'm really lucky that I just happened to get that one acceptance first,” she said.
Turning the pages
Marion is already working on her second novel and like the first, it will also be a historical fiction. It is set in Australia and will focus on the nation’s relationships with sport, the environment and war.
Writing a novel from her kitchen table may seem a long way from her days in a news room, but Marion said she has no regrets. She encouraged others thinking about a career redirection to have confidence and follow their instincts.
“I think, take the bull by the horns,” she said.
“Sit down and have a really good think about it and do what you love.”
Story: Kate Jones
