Jennifer Mackenzie Dunbar: from writing student to published novelist

“It might sound cheesy but the AWC courses changed my life! I finished a (very rough) first draft of my novel while I was in Scotland and haven’t stopped writing since. The courses provided me with great foundation information, the basic building blocks for any novel writing. It is information I have retained and, through my writing groups, I’ve felt confident in sharing my learning with others.”

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Q&A: The origin of “bury the hatchet”

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, where does “bury the hatchet”

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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

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COMP CLOSED: ‘Broken Bay’ by Margaret Hickey

Sometimes the most beautiful places can be home to the darkest secrets. A dead cave diver, family rivalry, small town secrets and beautiful Australian landscapes – this week’s giveaway has it all. We have three copies of Broken Bay by Margaret Hickey to give away. Here’s the blurb: Old loyalties

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Six simple tips for proofreading

Proofreading is an art, a science and a challenge. At first glance, it’s a simple proposition. Read your manuscript to ensure there are no mistakes before you send it off to be submitted or published. But, as any experienced proofreader will tell you, there are pitfalls along the way. For

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Jennifer Mackenzie Dunbar: from writing student to published novelist

“It might sound cheesy but the AWC courses changed my life! I finished a (very rough) first draft of my novel while I was in Scotland and haven’t stopped writing since. The courses provided me with great foundation information, the basic building blocks for any novel writing. It is information I have retained and, through my writing groups, I’ve felt confident in sharing my learning with others.”

Read More »

Q&A: The origin of “stevedore”

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, where does “stevedore” come from…

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Q&A: “Fire in the hole” vs “fire in the hold”

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 playing with fire… Q:

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WRITER 542: Janette Paul, author of The Summer Place

Meet Janette Paul, author of The Summer Place. She talks about her crime writing alter ego Jaye Ford, her creative process and much more. You’ll also discover tips on how to get the most out of a writers’ festival, whether or not you should court book bloggers, and much more.

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COMP CLOSED: ‘Fire With Fire’ by Candice Fox

Bestselling author Candice Fox is back with another gripping novel and we have three copies to give away. Fire With Fire is a unique story following the investigation of a cold case with high stakes and you won’t be able to put it down until you’ve reached the very last

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Furious Fiction: May 2023 Story Showcase

Welcome to May’s Furious Fiction story showcase – a monthly celebration of our community’s creativity and the chance to have YOUR OWN story featured or acknowledged. So, without further ado, let’s remind ourselves of what May’s criteria were: Each story had to include a character who was BEING CHASED or

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Q&A: “Full ball” vs “full bore”

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, there are full measures… Q:

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Is your protagonist too comfortable?

The best moment of every author talk I ever give in a school is when I share the dirty secrets of being a professional author. “Writers are horrible people,” I say, to a response that varies from gasps (grade three) to blank faces (grade eight). “Writers are mean and they

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COMP CLOSED: ‘Search History’ by Amy Taylor

This week’s giveaway is an amazing debut by Amy Taylor. Search History explores how the use of social media impacts our lives and the ins and outs of modern dating. Buckle up for a funny and insightful read, because we have three copies to give away. Here’s the blurb: After

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Q&A: The origin of “umpteen”

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 getting ‘umped’ up… Q:

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WRITER 539: Ilsa Evans, author of ‘Family Baggage’

Ilsa Evans on her latest novel Family Baggage. How to motivate yourself to finish your novel. And win Everything and Nothing by Heather Mitchell. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app.   Links mentioned in

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Is it time to bring back the author blog?

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s been a sudden rise in the number of authors who’ve begun blogging again. Around ten, and even five, years ago, blogging was a big part of building a platform or profile for many authors, and I count myself among them. It was

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