Science fiction novelist and CDU graduate embarks on a career in law 

Charles Darwin University (CDU) graduate Peter Summersby has shown that not every story is linear after pivoting his career from education and science fiction novelist to a law career.

Mr Summersby began higher education studies in 2010, six years after he graduated from high school.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Education and went on to teach primary school education in Australia and China.

Whilst teaching, Mr Summersby commenced a Master of Novel Writing in 2018 and began writing and self-publishing a series of science-fiction and fantasy novels. 

“The first book is a science fiction novella, The Mind Hack, and it’s about two men who are trapped in a virtual reality simulation and must escape to save the world,” Mr Summersby said. 

“The next three books were a fantasy series about a family of treasure hunters.” 

A chance encounter with a legal YouTube channel then sparked an unexpected change in direction. 

“I stumbled across a YouTube channel run by a lawyer in the United States and started watching videos on the day-to-day legal work,” Mr Summersby said. 

“I then found myself binge-watching for hours at a time, and that is when I realised law could be something I was genuinely interested in.” 

In 2021, Mr Summersby enrolled in an online Bachelor of Laws during the COVID-19 lockdown at another university.  

He says that his stories gave him the confidence to start a new career, leaving teaching behind to become a lawyer. Writing stories about people overcoming their obstacles was a source of inspiration and helped him overcome his fear of starting over.

“My novels emulate my own sense of adventure and ambition. They are about normal people overcoming great odds, growing and developing into better people,” Mr Summersby said. 

“My studies were going well, but once on-campus course delivery restarted, it wasn't realistic for me to keep working full-time and study in the same way.” 

He then decided to transfer to CDU to complete his Bachelor of Laws online while still working full-time.  

“I was supporting my family and raising a young child while I was studying, so flexibility was essential in being able to continue with my studies,” he said. 

During his degree, Mr Summersby gained industry experience with Darwin law firm De Silva Hebron and is now a graduate clerk at Sparke Helmore Lawyers. 

His message to those deciding whether to return to study is that it's never too late to start again. 

“I’ve essentially started over three times,” Mr Summersby said. 

“I’ve worked in different industries and gone back to study more than once. That can feel like a risk, but your path doesn’t have to be traditional to succeed. 

“I firmly believe that everyone's struggle is their own, their journey is their own, and everyone has a story. We can all learn from sharing our stories with those around us.”