It’s time to write a new chapter in your life . . .
FOR years, Pippa Beecheno had dreamed of becoming an author. So after she’d had her first child, she decided to leave her job in community development and finally begin a writing course.
the 39-year-old, who now has two sons, Danny seven, and Joey, four, embarked on the Writers Bureau’s distance learning creative writing course when her eldest was just 18 months old.
Pippa, of motspur Park, South- West London, completed course assignments between Danny’s daily one-and-half hour to two-hour naps.
Pippa says: ‘it was a fantastic creative outlet, something for myself in a world that mostly revolved around my son’s needs.
‘As my time was limited, i was forced to make the most of it, so i would make myself a cup of tea and sit down as soon as i’d settled him in bed. i wouldn’t stop writing until he woke up.’
Pippa enjoyed the variety of the course, from short story writing to magazine pitches. however, her heart was set on novel writing.
‘i set to work on my debut novel, A thin Sheet Of Glass, towards the end of my course with the Bureau,’ she says. ‘ i had always wanted to write historical fiction based on the life of my great-aunt, and this was my chance.
‘i had reams of private letters, including my grandfather’s, and many conversations with family members to help me.
‘With these and a small amount of time on my hands, i was finally able to take that huge leap of faith, and write my novel.’
After finishing the first draft, Pippa contacted the Writers Bureau and asked their professional mentors to look at it. ‘ With their feedback, i was able to get the novel to the stage where i felt confident to send it out to agents,’ she says.
Pippa, whose husband, Dominic, 36, is a business consultant, landed a top literary agent — Laura macdougall at United Agents.
her book, based on a true story of the thirties German Resistance, was last month published by endeavour Press.
Pippa, who is now working on her second novel, says: ‘i would recommend the Writers Bureau to anyone looking to develop their writing, explore it as a career and can’t travel to attend a course. it provides value for money, is a flexible, distance-learning course and you get valuable feedback on your work.’