Member Spotlight: Kirli Saunders

5.10.21

Our October Member Spotlight features Kirli Saunders, who was recently announced as the winner of the Children's Book Award at the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards for her multi-award winning verse novel, Bindi!

Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai Woman and award-winning multidisciplinary creator and consultant. An experienced speaker and facilitator advocating for the environment, gender and racial equality and LGBTIQA+ rights, Kirli was the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year (2020). Kirli’s books have been celebrated by the Prime Minister’s, QLD, WA and Victorian Premier’s Literary, ABIAs, Kate Challis RAKA, ABDA and CBCA awards. Her first Solo play, Going Home has been commissioned by Playwriting Australia, and will take the stage in 2022. 

What inspired you to begin writing?

I've always loved storytelling in all of its forms. It was my high school English teacher who shared poetry with me that initially drew me into the poetic realm. From there I experimented with poetry and began creating picture books. The Incredible Freedom Machines (Scholastic), illustrated by Matt Ottley is my first work. Kindred (Magabala), my poetry collection followed and now Bindi (illustrated by Dub Leffler, Magabala), is out and about in the world, It's a verse novel drawing poetry and children's literature together. 

What did it mean to you to win the Children's Book Award at the 2021 Queensland Literary Awards for Bindi?

I was surprised and delighted, we had so many incredible writers in my category! Bindi is a really precious work for me, it shares Gundungurra language and centers on caring for Country. It's a book about fire, climate change, and hope. It's a verse novel with a female First Nations protagonist and story I wish I had when I was at school. I am excited to see books by our community being celebrated in the National literary landscape. 

What do you know now that you wish you'd known at the beginning of your writing journey?

I'd have loved to have known more about ELR, PLR, Copyright & ICIP. I think there's also some mysticism around the rates of pay of writers and I understand there's a gender gap within this. It can be so easy to sink into the silo as a solo creator, but connecting with other writers has been really powerful in shifting my understanding over time. 

Which Australian authors or illustrators have been influential for your writing practice and career?

Tara June Winch, Yvette Holt, Ellen Van Neerven, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Dub Leffler, Rachel Bin Salleh, Jeanine Leane, Grace Lucas Pennington, David Cragg, Noni Cragg, Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, Bruce Pascoe, Matt Ottley, Rebecca Young,  Matt Chun, Yvette Poshoglian, Tamryn Bennett, Nat Amoore to name a few. 

Learn more about Kirli here: https://kirlisaunders.com/