Tristan Bancks

Tristan Bancks

Tristan Bancks tells stories for the page and screen. His books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, the Tom Weekly series, Nit Boy and Ginger Meggs, a 100th anniversary book of brand new short stories based on characters created by his great-great uncle, Jimmy Bancks, in 1921. His books have won and been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, ABIA, YABBA, KOALA, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and Queensland Literary Awards. His latest release was Cop & Robber, a crime-comedy for age 10+.

Book a visit with Tristan
My Life & Other Stuff I Made Up
Your Life & Other Stuff I Made Up
Writing Crime Stories
Writing Safari

My Life & Other Stuff I Made Up

Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Suitable for: Year 3 to Year 12. (NB: can be adapted to include Years 1 and 2 one in small schools.)

Workshop overview
Autobiographical talk using anecdotes, images, video, music and maps to trace how Tristanʼs books relate to his life story. From schoolboy in Sydneyʼs Blue Mountains to teen TV actor and presenter in Australia and London, through travel and university to filmmaking and life as an author. Discover the books Tristan loves to read, how he finds inspiration and how he makes a living telling stories for page and screen. Along the way, have lots of laughs, gain valuable tips on using your own life to inspire your stories. With lots of fun examples from his books Two Wolves, The Fall and the Tom Weekly series.

Topics covered

  • How to find story inspiration
  • Top 5 writing tips
  • Making writing an active, contact sport

Book Workshop

Your Life & Other Stuff I Made Up

Duration: 1, 2 or 3 hours
Suitable for: Year 3 to Year 8

Workshop overview
How can you use all the odd, boring, funny stuff that happens to you and turn it into excellent stories? Author Tristan Bancks used bits from his life to inspire his Tom Weekly short story collections. Like the time his sister made him eat Vegemite off her toe and the time he had his appendix removed just to get out of school detention. Learn how to mine your own life for cool, weird, funny stories that your friends and teachers will love.

Topics covered

  • Using memory for story inspiration
  • Mashing truth and fiction to create authentic, entertaining stories
  • Freewriting practice to discover untapped story ideas
Book Workshop

Writing Crime Stories

Duration: 1 to 3 hours
Suitable for: Year 5 to Year 8

Workshop overview
In-depth writing workshop for writers aged 10+ wanting to take their work to the next level. Based on his experiences in writing his novels Two Wolves and The Fall, Tristan Bancks shares tips and tricks for creating a thrilling crime story that incorporates elements of your own life.

Topics covered

  • Tools for writing crime
  • Freewriting and present-moment awareness as a storytelling tool
  • Five key tools for story editing
Book Workshop

Writing Safari

Tristan Bancks Books

Books