Category: Word lovers

Word lovers
Australian Writers’ Centre Team

2025 Words of the Year

Yes, it’s that time in the year where we dutifully do a ‘whip round’ of all the world’s biggest dictionaries and report on what they judged to be their word (or sometimes, words) of the year. And actually, it can be quite an accurate picture once you line up all

Read More »
Word lovers
Australian Writers’ Centre Team

AWC’s bookish & wordy summer quiz!

Welcome to this fun holiday quiz of all things bookish and wordy! There are 31 separate questions (for reasons that will become clear below) – and you are given the number of letters in the answer at the end of each of the clues. The questions are a mix of

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: The origin of ‘boycott’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, cold shoulders and hot potatoes…

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: ‘Mettle’ vs ‘Metal’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, metal heads… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Australian Writers’ Centre Team

Q&A: Why is it called a ‘dry run’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, the big dry… Q: Hi

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: The origin of ‘the elephant in the room’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, Mumbo Jumbo-sized… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Where does ‘marmalade’ come from?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, spread the word… Q: Hi

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Why is it called a ‘Lazy Susan’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re doing the rounds… Q:

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Just how deep is ‘20,000 leagues’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, the big leagues… Q: Hi

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Why is it called the Red Cross?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, cross purposes… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Where does ‘hold my beer’ come from?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, the beer facts… Q: Hi

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Origins of the words ‘army’ and ‘navy’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, armed sources… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Why is it called ‘Easter’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, hot crossed words… Q: Hi

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: What is ‘irony’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, isn’t it ironic… Q: Can

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: The Viking origins of “berserk” and “ransack”

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, norse code… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Australian Writers’ Centre Team

Q&A: Why do watches call them ‘complications’ and ‘hands’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, watch yourself… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: The origin of ‘keeping your powder dry’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, it’s powder-coated… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Why is it called ‘tupperware’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re talking about household names…

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Why are they called ‘blockbusters’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re blockbusting… Q: Hi AWC,

Read More »
Browse posts by category

Start Writing Fiction

Creative Writing Stage 1

Our most popular writing course. Learn characters, scenes, dialogue and storytelling fundamentals in just five weeks.

Find out more 

Follow a Clear Path

AWC Creative Writing Program

From your first story idea to a polished manuscript, our five-course pathway shows you what to do next.

Explore the program

Build Specific Skills

Fiction Essentials

Strengthen characterisation, dialogue, point of view, scenes, structure, grammar and punctuation with focused short courses.

See all Fiction Essentials

Write for Young Readers

Writing for Children of different ages

Picture books, chapter books, middle grade or YA – discover the course that matches the stories you want to write.

 View children’s writing courses