Hello :) I’m Gill Hutchison.

Like many before me, I traversed the valley of impostor syndrome to write my first book. Talk about ‘a journey’. Surf Life was published in October 2022 by Thames & Hudson and can be found online and in bookshops in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US. I’m stoked.

My meandering path to becoming a writer began with a Bachelor of Arts in English in Darwin back in the 90s. The idea of art school then tickled my fancy so I decided to complete a Bachelor of Screen Production in Brisbane in my early 20s. After I graduated I tried to break into the film industry in Melbourne by way of working in hospitality for bucks and working in the industry for free, before seeing a job advertised for a full-time production assistant at Penguin Books.

From the first day, I knew I had found my people. I also realised I needed to be a book editor. After two years of further study at RMIT I completed a post-grad in Editing and Publishing. I landed my first editing gig working on licensed titles; a fast-paced quick turnaround training ground to hone my skills. Soon after, I decided a one-way ticket to London was a brilliant idea and for four years I worked at Penguin Books children’s licensing before the long dark winters had me pining for home. 

I returned to Melbourne, and after freelancing for a swathe of publishers, landed a permanent role at Melbourne University Press as Managing Editor, working with Louise Adler and an incredibly intelligent group of women. I loved the complexity of the non-fiction projects. (This is also when impostor syndrome really blossomed.)

Then after a holiday to Mexico, I discovered surfing and my life completely changed. 

I was obsessed. Every weekend I tiptoed along the razor’s edge of overwhelming fear and joy as I bobbed in the ocean waiting for a wave to ride. I documented this whole experience on my blog, back when it felt like everyone knew each other on the internet. 

These days I work at a bookshop on the Surf Coast – talking about books, drinking tea and sharing jokes with my workmates is the best. I also work as a freelance project editor for Smith Street Books and am a contributor to The Guardian and Surfing World.

When I’m not thinking about the books I’'m reading, have recently read, or want to read, my mental landscape is dotted with trying to decipher how creativity works, how social media is changing us and what to cook for my next meal.

‘Surf Life’ is the first illustrated book project working with photographer, Willem-Dirk Du Toit.