Word of the week: Milquetoast
Milquetoast (noun) “I first heard this word when my friend referred to someone by saying: “She’s milquetoast”. At first, I thought she was saying milk
He’s written the “Perfect” picture book…
Children’s book author Danny Parker (also one of our fabulous AWC presenters) recently made the shortlist of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of
Writing Podcast Episode 112 Meet romance writer Kylie Scott, author of ‘Dirty’
In Episode 112 of So you want to be a writer: Grammar mistakes you should correct, visit a book store with no books, and Chuck Palahniuk releases
Victorian Community History Awards are open for 2016
The Victorian Community History Awards for 2016 are now open! According to the Royal Historical Society of Victoria: “The Awards recognise excellence in historical storytelling.
Q&A: It’s all gone pear-shaped
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
Sue Whiting: the biggest mistakes people make writing children’s books
Sue Whiting is a successful Australian author writing for children and young adults. She also now teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, so we cornered
4 competitions for short story writers
Writing competitions can be a great motivational tool. Do you have a story idea that you would love to explore further? A neglected draft patiently
Word of the week: Bucolic
Bucolic (adjective) “As AWC team member Dean pointed out, this words sounds unpleasant – and almost sounds like bubonic (as in the plague) – but
Novelist Natasha Lester on how she uses Scrivener
Bestselling author and AWC presenter Natasha Lester discovered Scrivener after becoming fed up with Word, and hasn’t looked back! Check out this interview excerpt from our Facebook
Melanie Dower: Freelancing from Finland
When Melanie Dower (pictured) relocated from Auckland, New Zealand to Helsinki, Finland to join her husband in his dream job, it turned her whole world
How to be a better business writer
Do you spend eight hours a day in front of your computer at work? Maybe you’re sending emails. Perhaps you’re writing proposals or recommendations. The
Writing Podcast Episode 111 Meet Steve Lewis, co-author of ‘Secret City’
In Episode 111 of So you want to be a writer: Find out which authors took more than five years to write their books, why Judy Blume
Q&A: Biannual, bimonthly and biweekly
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
Word of the week: Avuncular
Avuncular (adjective) “When I first heard this word, my friend was describing an older gentleman that she worked with. It’s an adjective that means ‘like
Writing Podcast Episode 110 Meet Anna Spargo-Ryan, author of ‘The Paper House’
In Episode 110 of So you want to be a writer: The worst ways to begin your novel and things authors should know. Discover how to
Enter the Overland Short Story Prize for your chance to win $6000
Australian and New Zealand short story writers, this competition is for you. The Overland Victoria University Short Story Prize for new and emerging writers is
Word of the week: Stultify
Stultify (verb) “One meaning is to make a person appear stupid or foolish. But mainly it means to lose all enthusiasm due to a boring
“I got published!” : Travel guides, career advice, health hacks and more
Our AWC graduates continue to amaze us with their publishing success. So many are turning their freelance writing dreams into reality with their articles regularly
Leigh Hopkinson shares what it’s like to be “Two Decades Naked”
Today we’re chatting with author Leigh Hopkinson about her new memoir Two Decades Naked. Now, we’re pretty sure even the staunchest of naturalists would struggle
Writing Podcast Episode 109 Meet Sue Whiting, author of ‘Platypus’
In Episode 109 of So you want to be a writer: breaking up with your novel, what to look for in a writers’ group, bogus writing
AWC presenter Danny Parker shortlisted for 2016 CBCA Book of the year. Here are his writing tips!
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have just announced their shortlist for the 2016 Book of the Year and we were so excited to see
Word of the week: Peripatetic
Peripatetic (adjective) “This is a fancy word to mean ‘wandering’. It comes from the Greek word for ‘pacing to and fro’, but relates to someone
COMP CLOSED: Win a FIVE-book MEMOIR PACK!
This month, we’ve gone memoir-mad, with not one, not two, not three, not four, not 10, but FIVE hand-picked memoirs to give away to one
Writing Podcast Episode 108 Meet publishing doyenne Marina Go, author of ‘Break Through: 20 Success Strategies For Female Leaders’
In Episode 108 of So you want to be a writer: The benefits of writing longhand and famous writers and their first word processor (can you remember
COMP CLOSED: Win “A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald” by Natasha Lester!
“Captivating, romantic and tragic, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald follows a young woman ahead of her time amid the fragile hearts and glamour of jazz
Word of the week: Milquetoast
Milquetoast (noun) “I first heard this word when my friend referred to someone by saying: “She’s milquetoast”. At first, I thought she was saying milk (as in the white stuff you drink) and “toast” and was thinking it was some kind of breakfast thing! But it’s milquetoast and it means
He’s written the “Perfect” picture book…
Children’s book author Danny Parker (also one of our fabulous AWC presenters) recently made the shortlist of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year Awards 2016 as well as last month’s Australian Book Industry Awards shortlist – for his picture book, titled Perfect. With the book set
Writing Podcast Episode 112 Meet romance writer Kylie Scott, author of ‘Dirty’
In Episode 112 of So you want to be a writer: Grammar mistakes you should correct, visit a book store with no books, and Chuck Palahniuk releases a colouring book for adults. Find out which six dialogue habits are killing your story and discover the meaning of milquetoast. Also: meet romance writer Kylie
Victorian Community History Awards are open for 2016
The Victorian Community History Awards for 2016 are now open! According to the Royal Historical Society of Victoria: “The Awards recognise excellence in historical storytelling. The range of award categories reflects the variety of formats that can be used to reach and enrich the lives of Victorians through history.” Last
Q&A: It’s all gone pear-shaped
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 pare back the pair vs
Sue Whiting: the biggest mistakes people make writing children’s books
Sue Whiting is a successful Australian author writing for children and young adults. She also now teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, so we cornered her at the water cooler and threw some questions her way. Hi Sue. Your background is in primary school teaching. Was there a spark or
4 competitions for short story writers
Writing competitions can be a great motivational tool. Do you have a story idea that you would love to explore further? A neglected draft patiently waiting for you on your computer? Why not enter these short story competitions and use the submission deadline to your advantage. You may even find
Word of the week: Bucolic
Bucolic (adjective) “As AWC team member Dean pointed out, this words sounds unpleasant – and almost sounds like bubonic (as in the plague) – but is actually an adjective describing a lovely scene, usually in a rustic or rural settings. So you might say ‘The country house had a bucolic
Novelist Natasha Lester on how she uses Scrivener
Bestselling author and AWC presenter Natasha Lester discovered Scrivener after becoming fed up with Word, and hasn’t looked back! Check out this interview excerpt from our Facebook Live stream with Natasha at our recent Sydney meet-up, where she discusses how Scrivener was a game-changer for her novel writing process. From being able to
Melanie Dower: Freelancing from Finland
When Melanie Dower (pictured) relocated from Auckland, New Zealand to Helsinki, Finland to join her husband in his dream job, it turned her whole world upside down. Here, on the other side of the globe, she struggled to find a job on par with her previous field as she wasn’t
How to be a better business writer
Do you spend eight hours a day in front of your computer at work? Maybe you’re sending emails. Perhaps you’re writing proposals or recommendations. The reality is that many of us spend much of our day doing some form of written communication. So it’s vital to understand a few simple
Writing Podcast Episode 111 Meet Steve Lewis, co-author of ‘Secret City’
In Episode 111 of So you want to be a writer: Find out which authors took more than five years to write their books, why Judy Blume opened a book shop at age 78, and what really goes on in an author’s day. Plus: learn the meaning of “bucolic”, meet Steve Lewis,
Q&A: Biannual, bimonthly and biweekly
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 look twice at “bi”…
Word of the week: Avuncular
Avuncular (adjective) “When I first heard this word, my friend was describing an older gentleman that she worked with. It’s an adjective that means ‘like an uncle’ and when I met her colleague it made total sense. Because he was very kind towards her and looked out for her. Please
Writing Podcast Episode 110 Meet Anna Spargo-Ryan, author of ‘The Paper House’
In Episode 110 of So you want to be a writer: The worst ways to begin your novel and things authors should know. Discover how to turn your “off” writing days into “on” days and how to refill your creative well. How a “mommy blog” ruined the blogger’s life. You’ll learn
Enter the Overland Short Story Prize for your chance to win $6000
Australian and New Zealand short story writers, this competition is for you. The Overland Victoria University Short Story Prize for new and emerging writers is now open for the fifth consecutive year. They are welcoming pieces no longer than 3,000 words. To qualify, you must not have published more than
Word of the week: Stultify
Stultify (verb) “One meaning is to make a person appear stupid or foolish. But mainly it means to lose all enthusiasm due to a boring routine. So you might say that being in prison was stultifying if you had nothing to do. Or that the stultifying job meant you were
“I got published!” : Travel guides, career advice, health hacks and more
Our AWC graduates continue to amaze us with their publishing success. So many are turning their freelance writing dreams into reality with their articles regularly featuring in major publications. And we love the variety of subject matters that they explore. Check out some of the recent accomplishments from our superstar
Leigh Hopkinson shares what it’s like to be “Two Decades Naked”
Today we’re chatting with author Leigh Hopkinson about her new memoir Two Decades Naked. Now, we’re pretty sure even the staunchest of naturalists would struggle to spend that long starkers, so we thought we’d get to the bottom of this. (Pun absolutely intended.) Hi Leigh, for those readers who haven’t
Writing Podcast Episode 109 Meet Sue Whiting, author of ‘Platypus’
In Episode 109 of So you want to be a writer: breaking up with your novel, what to look for in a writers’ group, bogus writing rules you should ignore, and tax tips for writers who hate maths. Plus: discover the meaning of “stultify” and meet author Sue Whiting. Also: how
AWC presenter Danny Parker shortlisted for 2016 CBCA Book of the year. Here are his writing tips!
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have just announced their shortlist for the 2016 Book of the Year and we were so excited to see AWC Writing Picture Books presenter Danny Parker among the list of amazing authors. Danny’s acclaimed picture book Perfect, with illustrations by Freya Blackwood, has been shortlisted
Word of the week: Peripatetic
Peripatetic (adjective) “This is a fancy word to mean ‘wandering’. It comes from the Greek word for ‘pacing to and fro’, but relates to someone who does that in a more organised way, rather than someone who bumbles about. So a peripatetic startup CEO might split his time between Sydney
COMP CLOSED: Win a FIVE-book MEMOIR PACK!
This month, we’ve gone memoir-mad, with not one, not two, not three, not four, not 10, but FIVE hand-picked memoirs to give away to one lucky winner! We love a good memoir. Perhaps it’s the mixed bag of experiences – some across decades, others just days. Maybe it’s the way
Writing Podcast Episode 108 Meet publishing doyenne Marina Go, author of ‘Break Through: 20 Success Strategies For Female Leaders’
In Episode 108 of So you want to be a writer: The benefits of writing longhand and famous writers and their first word processor (can you remember yours?). Discover what “peripatetic” means and meet publishing doyenne Marina Go, author of Break Through: 20 Success Strategies For Female Leaders. Check out Litsy, the
COMP CLOSED: Win “A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald” by Natasha Lester!
“Captivating, romantic and tragic, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald follows a young woman ahead of her time amid the fragile hearts and glamour of jazz age New York…” This week, one lucky reader is set to walk away with the popular new book from Natasha Lester, A Kiss from Mr
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