blog – Page 3 – Australian Writers' Centre

How Sandhya Parappukkaran followed her creative curiosity to become a published picture book author

When Sandhya Parappukkaran quit her food technology job to pursue her creative dreams, she originally turned to arts and crafts. But while reading with her son, Sandhya’s childhood love of books was rekindled. After completing the Writing Picture Books course, her debut picture book The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name has been published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing.

Writing Podcast Episode 622: Louise Southerden on travel writing and her revealing memoir ‘Tiny’

Meet memoirist Louise Southerden about her book Tiny, which details her experience building a tiny house while going through a challenging relationship. Louise shares her

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Girl Falling’ by Hayley Scrivenor

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Blue Mountains, this compelling story

Writing Podcast Episode 621: Children’s author Carla Fitzgerald shares her five must-do tips for aspiring middle-grade authors

Children’s author Carla Fitzgerald is author of the middle-grade novel How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade 5. Carla shares insights into writing

Q&A: Why is it called ‘Paralympics’?

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

Furious Fiction: August 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to August’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we challenged writers this month to reach great heights. The prompts for this month’s challenge were:

Troy Hunter enters the scene with his award-nominated debut novel

Troy Hunter had completed a full first draft of his debut novel but felt it wasn’t working, particularly in the middle section. After discovering the Australian Writers’ Centre, Troy went on to complete FOCUS ON… The Second Act and has now published his debut young adult detective novel Gus and the Missing Boy with Wakefield Press. He was also recently shortlisted in the 2024 Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut Crime Fiction.

Sarah Jane Lightfoot’s path to author and illustrator success

“I enrolled in the Writing Picture Books course to learn as much as I could about the industry I was entering and build on my confidence and capabilities as an author. I’m so incredibly grateful that I did.” With her newfound skills, Sarah went on to publish her debut picture book ‘Down the Road, Little Bee’.

Writing Podcast Episode 620: Kate Forsyth on 5 essential lessons to make you a better writer

In this special episode, we bring you an edited version of the recent webinar featuring bestselling author Kate Forsyth. The episode is jam-packed with insights,

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Girl With The Violin’, ‘The Death of Dora Black’, and ‘The Echoes’

This week, in celebration of our new course History, Mystery and Magic, we’re giving away a blockbuster bundle of three books representing these genres! This

Writing Podcast Episode 619: Picture book author Deborah Frenkel on her creative process and creating a successful career.

Meet Deborah Frenkel, author of four picture books including her most recent: 100 Schools Days and The Truck Cat. Deborah reveals her journey to publication,

Q&A: ‘Filthy rich’?

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

How Lisa Kenway landed a book deal for her psychological thriller ‘All You Took From Me’

Lisa Kenway had a rewarding career as an anaesthetist and the young family she’d always wanted, but she felt that something was missing from her life. She discovered the Australian Writers’ Centre and loved that it offered short targeted courses she could fit around her busy life, and went on to complete eight courses. She kept writing, editing and honing her craft, before landing a publishing contract with Transit Lounge for her debut thriller, All You Took From Me.

Writing Podcast Episode 618: J.P. Pomare on writing gripping crime thrillers and his latest novel ’17 Years Later’.

J.P. Pomare on writing gripping crime thrillers and his latest novel 17 Years Later. J.P. discusses his writing process, research methods, and experiences with book

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Precipice’ by Robert Harris

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Precipice by Robert Harris, author of nine best-selling novels! Harris is known for blending historical events with

COPYWRITER 076: How to build a six-figure copywriting business with Sophia Auld

Would you like to earn a six figure income from copywriting? Would you like to leverage your existing career to help you find new copywriting

Writing Podcast Episode 617: Lian Tanner reveals 5 strategies you need for longevity in your author career

Meet Lian Tanner, who reveals 5 strategies you need to build longevity into your author career. Lian also discusses her latest picture book, When the

Q&A: Knock on wood?

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

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.

Matt Samuel turns his dream of writing picture books into reality

Matt decided to enrol in Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers’ Centre and was hooked. Finally, he could put his picture book ideas into practice. After a meeting with an editor at Yellow Brick Books, Matt was offered a contract and his debut picture book The Other Side of the Clouds will be published this year.

Writing Podcast Episode 616: Meet Julie Bennett, author of ‘The Lost Letters of Rose Carey’.

Meet Julie Bennett, author of The Lost Letters of Rose Carey. Julie discusses her writing process, the inspiration behind her novel, researching historical fiction and

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Wilds’ by Sarah Pearse

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Wilds by Sarah Pearse. The Wilds, the third in the Detective Elin Warner series, is an

Q&A: ‘Lap’ vs ‘length’

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

Cassy Polimeni achieves her dream of becoming a children’s author

Cassy Polimeni always wanted to become an author and even studied creative writing at university. She followed this with a career in magazines and publishing, while putting her own creative pursuits on the back burner. But while he was on maternity leave, she took the opportunity to enrol in a course at the Australian Writers’ Centre, which came highly recommended from writer friends. That investment and commitment to her craft paid off: Cassy has now published two books for children with another on the way.

Writing Podcast Episode 615: Meet Anna Johnston, author of ‘The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife’.

Meet Anna Johnston, author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, her rapid success, and her writing process. You can listen to the episode below,

How Sandhya Parappukkaran followed her creative curiosity to become a published picture book author

Writing Podcast Episode 622: Louise Southerden on travel writing and her revealing memoir ‘Tiny’

Meet memoirist Louise Southerden about her book Tiny, which details her experience building a tiny house while going through a challenging relationship. Louise shares her journey into travel writing, the dynamics of writing personal stories, and techniques for capturing the essence of travel experiences. You can listen to the episode

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Girl Falling’ by Hayley Scrivenor

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Blue Mountains, this compelling story explores the complex relationship between two lifelong friends as their lives take unexpected turns that will keep you turning the pages. Here’s the blurb: Why

Writing Podcast Episode 621: Children’s author Carla Fitzgerald shares her five must-do tips for aspiring middle-grade authors

Children’s author Carla Fitzgerald is author of the middle-grade novel How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade 5. Carla shares insights into writing compelling stories for children and offers five must-do tips for aspiring middle-grade authors. Additionally, Nat Newman provides a practical app tip about the benefits of

Q&A: Why is it called ‘Paralympics’?

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, parallel lines… Q: Hi AWC,

Furious Fiction: August 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to August’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we challenged writers this month to reach great heights. The prompts for this month’s challenge were: Each story had to take place UP IN THE AIR. (There were some specific rules, but essentially, stay off the ground.) Each story’s first sentence

Troy Hunter enters the scene with his award-nominated debut novel

Sarah Jane Lightfoot’s path to author and illustrator success

Writing Podcast Episode 620: Kate Forsyth on 5 essential lessons to make you a better writer

In this special episode, we bring you an edited version of the recent webinar featuring bestselling author Kate Forsyth. The episode is jam-packed with insights, focusing on five essential lessons from different genres that can improve your writing. Kate Forsyth delves into historical fiction, crime and mystery, romance, fantasy, and

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Girl With The Violin’, ‘The Death of Dora Black’, and ‘The Echoes’

This week, in celebration of our new course History, Mystery and Magic, we’re giving away a blockbuster bundle of three books representing these genres! This is your chance to win: The Girl With The Violin by Shelley Davidow It’s 1989 and for a young Jewish-Australian violinist, a scholarship to Berlin

Writing Podcast Episode 619: Picture book author Deborah Frenkel on her creative process and creating a successful career.

Meet Deborah Frenkel, author of four picture books including her most recent: 100 Schools Days and The Truck Cat. Deborah reveals her journey to publication, her creative process and tips for aspiring authors. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually

Q&A: ‘Filthy rich’?

How Lisa Kenway landed a book deal for her psychological thriller ‘All You Took From Me’

Writing Podcast Episode 618: J.P. Pomare on writing gripping crime thrillers and his latest novel ’17 Years Later’.

J.P. Pomare on writing gripping crime thrillers and his latest novel 17 Years Later. J.P. discusses his writing process, research methods, and experiences with book adaptations into TV series. The episode features insights on maintaining creativity, the importance of method writing, crafting captivating crime narratives, and tips for aspiring writers.

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Precipice’ by Robert Harris

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Precipice by Robert Harris, author of nine best-selling novels! Harris is known for blending historical events with thrilling storylines making Precipice a highly anticipated release for 2024. Here’s the blurb: Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe. In London, 26-year-old

COPYWRITER 076: How to build a six-figure copywriting business with Sophia Auld

Would you like to earn a six figure income from copywriting? Would you like to leverage your existing career to help you find new copywriting clients? Would you like to write about something you love and get paid well to do so? If any of that resonates, this episode is

Writing Podcast Episode 617: Lian Tanner reveals 5 strategies you need for longevity in your author career

Meet Lian Tanner, who reveals 5 strategies you need to build longevity into your author career. Lian also discusses her latest picture book, When the Lights Went Out. Lian covers: writing to your passions rather than market demands, seeking valuable feedback, continually learning the craft, and being open to reinvention.

Q&A: Knock on wood?

Ariane Beeston’s journey to writing her compelling memoir

Matt Samuel turns his dream of writing picture books into reality

Writing Podcast Episode 616: Meet Julie Bennett, author of ‘The Lost Letters of Rose Carey’.

Meet Julie Bennett, author of The Lost Letters of Rose Carey. Julie discusses her writing process, the inspiration behind her novel, researching historical fiction and career journey so far. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Wilds’ by Sarah Pearse

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Wilds by Sarah Pearse. The Wilds, the third in the Detective Elin Warner series, is an atmospheric thriller set in a remote Portuguese national park. As Elin and her brother Issac try to reconnect, they are drawn into the mystery of

Q&A: ‘Lap’ vs ‘length’

Cassy Polimeni achieves her dream of becoming a children’s author

Writing Podcast Episode 615: Meet Anna Johnston, author of ‘The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife’.

Meet Anna Johnston, author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, her rapid success, and her writing process. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. 00:00 Introduction01:15 Literary competitions and overcoming fear02:58 Nat Newman

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