Five minutes with: alumna Kristin Burniston
Kristin Burniston is a British American writer with an MA in Screenwriting from the University of the Arts London and a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She took the Creative Writing Programme from 2018 to 2020. Her short story ANNE, published in Brighton and Beyond: A West Hill Writers Anthology under the name Maggie Winters, was dramatised for Story Radio Podcast. Here she talks about her writing journey.
When do you first remember wanting to be a writer? I didn’t display any aptitude for writing when I was a child. Although I was a good student, I preferred reading. I spent every spare hour in the local library. When it came under threat, I became part of a campaign to keep it open. I’m happy to report that the campaign was a success, and it is still open to this day, and plays an important role in a small community.
It wasn’t until I hit perimenopause that I started journalling as a way of trying to find my way out of the extreme anger I was feeling about all the world’s injustices. No deep analysis going on – just pure rage, and no amount of CBD oil, mindfulness, or non-violent communication techniques seemed to make a difference to my mood. To channel my anger, I wrote every spare minute I could find. As the words poured out of me, I found readers for my stories and was surprised that others felt an empathy towards my protagonists. It was if I was writing their lives. It’s been six years and a few months, and I haven’t stopped writing.
Why did you decide to join the Creative Writing Programme? And how did you find out about it? I was a member of Anna Burtt’s wonderful West Hill Writers group. I thrived under her guidance and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie of the writers; several of whom had been on the Creative Writing Programme. All of them only had great things to say about the programme. When I felt ready to develop my writing further, joining the programme made sense. It proved to be time well spent, as it was immensely helpful in understanding the mechanics of writing.
Who were your tutors? Catherine Smith and Rosie Chard. I felt lucky to have them both, as they are both excellent writers and tutors and approach writing differently.
What was the most impactful element of the course for you? I appreciated the course’s structure, the opportunity for feedback, both resulting in progressing my work. It was during my time there that I became a disciplined writer with clear goals and deadlines.
What did you work on during the course? I primarily worked on my menopausal rite-of-passage novel, AGGIE.
What happened after the course finished?
First Covid hit and so I applied and gained an Arts Council DYCP grant and a project grant for Writing Menopause: Sex, Culture and Identity. I finished my debut novel and found a literary agent to represent me. I progressed with my writing, exploring new genres and ideas. Thanks to my positive experience with CWP, I enrolled at the University of the Arts London where I completed my master’s degree in screenwriting. Since then, my scripts have done well in international competitions.
What was the inspiration behind Anne?
I wrote ANNE surprisingly quickly, as it usually takes me a long time to get an idea out and tidy it up so that others can understand it. The deadline to submit a piece for the West Hill Anthology was looming and, not only was I the only one who hadn’t submitted their work, I hadn’t even started writing. On the train home from Lewes, I made a list of themes that interest me — motherhood, menopause, sea swimming, and female archetypes, in particular Madonna / whore dichotomy. I poured all my energy into my writing and thus ANNE was born.
Tell us about your work? I consider my expertise being the exploration of the complexities of the mid-life woman’s life. She may look after small kids or be an empty nester; she may have a high-flying career or someone who is pivoting or finding it difficult to land a job as was not employed while raising kids; she may have aging parents; she may be menopausal – or not. She may never have been in love or perhaps has been in love with a friend, but she doesn’t recognise it as such. I’ve been told by others that my characters’ sexualities are fluid which, to me, makes sense. I lean towards rite-of-passage stories but I have also written female protagonists of all ages, and I have also written a proposal for a children’s animation. All my work has a touch of humour, especially in the darkest of times.
Do you have a set writing routine? Yes-ish. I write full time, but the act of writing full-time includes the business of writing. For example, today I wrote nothing new, but exchanged notes with my director for the post-production edit for my short film, followed up with the British Film Institute for the panel I just ran as part of their Woman With A Movie Camera Summit, and edited a drama narrative radio adaptation.
What’s next for you? I’m keen to get my award-winning scripts into the hands of producers. In June, my award-winning short film script – HAIRY MARY – is scheduled to be shot in London. I need to receive completion funds for my short film TREE, now in post-production. In the summer, I want to return to novel writing and intend to do most of my work on the beach. Inspired by Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City, I am keen to develop a series of books that feature Aggie, a 52-year-old menopausal woman originally from Watford, and her life, friends, and found family in London and her journey to self-discovery.
Do you have a ‘day’ job in addition to your writing career and, if so, how do they complement one another?
As if I am not busy enough with work and family, I work part time in a community health-food store in Hove. Surprisingly, it is great for networking, as many of our customers are writers, actors, and producers. Another perk of the job is that I also enjoy hearing other people’s stories. I find it a privilege and a pleasure when people share their lives and memories with me. I find the work enjoyable and not stressful, which is great as it allows me the freedom and space to pursue my writing. Overall, it feels very romantic to me – an American writer working in a cool health food shop in a gorgeous British seaside town…feels like the premise for a romcom. Just add snow and it could be the next big Christmas film for Netflix! (Producers, take note).
What are your top tips for someone starting out in their writing career?
Always be prepared to show your work, take constructive criticism, and get your work out there to be read by others. Just remember - not everyone is going to like it, and that’s okay. Competitions are great, but so are public readings, podcasts, and networking events. You never know when your luck is going to come in – be ready for it.