Memoir writing | Australian Writers' Centre

Alumni/Student success stories

Ariane Beeston’s journey to writing her compelling memoir

Having a baby is a life-changing experience, and for Ariane Beeston it was profoundly so. She experienced postpartum psychosis, a rare and debilitating mental illness. As part of her healing journey, she started writing about her experiences. After completing Freelance Writing Stage 1 at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Ariane kickstarted her freelance writing career and has now published a memoir, Because I’m Not Myself, You See, with Black Inc.

14 August 2024

Fiction writing

4 writing books you need

Do you love a new writing book as much as I do? Even after co-writing my own book about writing (‘So You Want To Be A Writer: How To Get Started While You Still Have A Day Job’), I find myself adding new writing books to my shopping cart way

12 June 2023

Fiction writing

Is your publishing offer legit?

The So You Want To Be A Writer podcast community on Facebook is a wonderful place to be on those days when a writer posts about their first publishing deal. The excitement is palpable and the goodwill is genuine. But I confess my heart occasionally sinks when I see that

8 May 2023

Alumni/Student success stories

How AWC courses helped Luke Rutledge get his book deal for ‘A Man And His Pride’

Luke Rutledge loves his job in communications, but was keen to scratch his creative itch. He had enjoyed writing as a child, but had stopped when life got in the way, before deciding to start again in his late 20s. After completing Novel Writing Essentials at the Australian Writers’ Centre, he started writing the manuscript for what would become A Man and His Pride – his debut novel which is out now with Penguin Random House.

23 January 2023

Interviews with writers

VIDEO: Lee Kofman on her memoir ‘The Writer Laid Bare’

Dr Lee Kofman is a Russian-born Israeli-Australian author, editor, writing teacher and mentor based in Melbourne. Her works include The Writer Laid Bare, Scars, I Will Love Christina, and the memoirs Imperfect and The Dangerous Bride. In the past she had sampled many different occupations, including party organising and university

13 January 2023

Interviews with writers

VIDEO: Patti Miller on ‘True Friends’

Patti Miller was raised on Wiradjuri land in central western NSW and now lives in Sydney. She is the author of True Friends, Writing Your Life; The Last One Who Remembers; Child ; Whatever the Gods Do ; The Memoir Book; the award-winning The Mind of a Thief; Ransacking Paris; Writing True Stories; and The Joy of

30 August 2022

Fiction writing

3 ways beta readers can improve your manuscript

By Angela Slatter. In your travels as a new writer, you’ve probably heard the term ‘beta reader’ but you might not quite know what that means. So, what’s a beta reader? A beta reader is someone who reads through your completed manuscript and gives their feedback. So, not just someone

12 August 2022

Alumni/Student success stories

How Rebekah Campbell’s 138 dates led to a publishing deal with Allen & Unwin

Whenever Rebekah Campbell told people the story of how she met her husband, they would lean in and ask for more. That’s when she knew she had to write a book about her three-year search for love. So when she saw the Write Your Novel six-month program at the Australian Writers’ Centre, she felt it was the push she needed to write the book she’d been putting off for years.

Doing the course paid off. Rebekah’s book 138 Dates has now been published by Allen & Unwin.

11 August 2021

Alumni/Student success stories

From newsreader to published author: Nicole Webb publishes debut memoir ‘China Blonde’

Nicole Webb was a trained journalist and newsreader, with a wealth of writing talent. But when she sat down to write her memoir of life in China, she knew she needed to learn and utilise a whole new set of skills. After taking three courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre, doing hundreds of interviews, writing thousands of words, and doing many rewrites, her debut China Blonde is out now with Brio Books.
“Without doing those courses, I really don’t think I would have had the knowledge or know-how to start a book properly, let alone finish a book,” Nicole says.

29 October 2020

Memoir writing

4 biggest mistakes to avoid when writing creative non-fiction

Creative non-fiction – whether it’s retelling stories from human history or publishing a compelling memoir – is a genre of writing which is more complex than it may first seem. When combining truth and facts with writing style and techniques, there are plenty of potential obstacles for writers to run

21 October 2020

Memoir writing

The rise and rise of ‘stealth help’ books

‘Stealth help’: everything you need to know about the new genre that’s snuck up on us. The phrase ‘stealth help’ might not be one you’ve heard of before – but in the literary world, it’s one that’s gaining popularity. It refers to a growing category of books which don’t fit

16 October 2020

Competitions and Opportunities

Share your personal story with the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition

Aspiring writers from diverse backgrounds are invited to take part in the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition and enter a memoir piece of 1000-2000 words on the topic of ‘Growing up in diverse Australia’. What is the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition? The aim of the competition is to search “for the

5 August 2020

Fiction writing

Clare Bowditch’s top 3 tips for first-time authors

Clare Bowditch’s ABIA award-winning memoir, Your Own Kind of Girl, goes deep into love, loss and grief. For her first book, Clare drew from her experience as a musician to get through the process of endless re-drafting, as well as using the names of her songs as chapter titles. Clare

18 May 2020

Fiction writing

Why writing fiction and journalling can be helpful

A guest post by Vanessa McCausland I have a theory that a big part of what makes someone a writer is what writing does for us. It’s an outlet. It’s a balm. For me, writing has always been a place where I can let all my emotions out. I’ve had

18 April 2020

Competitions and Opportunities

COMP CLOSED ‘488 Rules for Life’ by Kitty Flannagan

This week’s giveaway book is 488 Rules for Life – Kitty Flanagan’s way of making the world a more pleasant place to live. Providing you with the antidote to every annoying little thing, these rules are not made to be broken. 488 Rules for Life is not a self-help book,

6 January 2020

Competitions and Opportunities

Cash prize writing competition with a potential trip to France

The First Pages Prize is for emerging writers and winners will receive a cash prize, as well as some developmental editing to complete their projects. The top two winners could even win a trip to France! According to the media release: Open worldwide, the competition is for writers who are

1 January 2020

Competitions and Opportunities

Cash prize writing competition with a potential trip to France

31 December 2019

Competitions and Opportunities

COMP CLOSED ‘Last Christmas’ by Greg Wise and Emma Thompson

It’s that time of year and this week’s giveaway is Last Christmas – curated by Greg Wise and Emma Thompson. It’s a fascinating collection of personal essays about the meaning of Christmas, written by a unique plethora of voices from the boulevards of Hollywood to the soup kitchens of Covent

16 December 2019

Competitions and Opportunities

12 opportunities for memoir writers

Whether you want to explore a difficult period in your life, remember a thrilling adventure, or share your personal journey, almost everybody has an interesting life story to tell. If you’re keen to try out memoir writing, or if you’ve been working on your life story for some time, there

19 November 2019

Fiction writing

4 kinds of journalling

This is a guest post by Alyss Thomas The Journal Writer’s Companion Journal writing has been proven to help develop greater purpose, clarity, focus and creative self-expression. In her book, The Journal Writer’s Companion, psychotherapist and lifelong journal writer, Alyss Thomas, explores the many types of journal writing and the

8 November 2019

Category: Memoir writing

Ariane Beeston’s journey to writing her compelling memoir

4 writing books you need

Is your publishing offer legit?

How AWC courses helped Luke Rutledge get his book deal for ‘A Man And His Pride’

VIDEO: Lee Kofman on her memoir ‘The Writer Laid Bare’

VIDEO: Patti Miller on ‘True Friends’

3 ways beta readers can improve your manuscript

How Rebekah Campbell’s 138 dates led to a publishing deal with Allen & Unwin

From newsreader to published author: Nicole Webb publishes debut memoir ‘China Blonde’

4 biggest mistakes to avoid when writing creative non-fiction

The rise and rise of ‘stealth help’ books

Share your personal story with the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition

Clare Bowditch’s top 3 tips for first-time authors

Why writing fiction and journalling can be helpful

COMP CLOSED ‘488 Rules for Life’ by Kitty Flannagan

Cash prize writing competition with a potential trip to France

Cash prize writing competition with a potential trip to France

COMP CLOSED ‘Last Christmas’ by Greg Wise and Emma Thompson

12 opportunities for memoir writers

4 kinds of journalling

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