blog – Page 5 – Australian Writers' Centre

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,

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Two Daughters’ by Alison Edwards

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Two Daughters by Alison Edwards. Two Daughters explores the lives of Ava and Laurie and their journeys

Q&A: ‘Gold’ vs ‘golden’

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 Mitch Jennings went from journalist to crime writer

Mitch Jennings had always harboured ambitions to write a novel, but he says that working fulltime as a journalist meant that writing at home after work wasn’t very appealing because he had already been writing all day. He knew that he needed structure and accountability, so he enrolled in Novel Writing Essentials at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

How Jenna Lo Bianco went from 160 rejections to a successful career as a romance author

Jenna Lo Bianco, a secondary school Italian teacher, experienced what she calls a magical moment when she was on leave after the birth of her second child. Amid the chaos of the pandemic, she stumbled on a Tweet about the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Romance Writing course. At the time, Jenna had completed two manuscripts: Love & Rome and The Italian Marriage but she hadn’t yet found a publisher.

The course that changed Jess Horn’s life

Jess Horn was a busy working parent with no time for hobbies, but she decided she could just squeeze in a few minutes to enter the Furious Fiction competition at the Australian Writers’ Centre. After that, she was hooked. With her childhood love of writing rekindled, Jess enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1 and then dived into Writing Picture Books.

Writing Podcast Episode 614: Victoria Purman, author of ‘The Radio Hour’, on character development, writing about the past and more.

Meet author Victoria Purman, an accomplished historical fiction writer, who delves into her research and writing process, the inspiration behind her latest book The Radio

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Highway 13’ by Fiona McFarlane

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane. Highway 13 is a haunting and thought-provoking collection of interconnected short stories

Copywriting Podcast Episode 075: How to niche your copywriting business with Bernadette Schwerdt

If you’ve ever wondered what niching is, or how to niche your copywriting business, this is the episode for you. Whether you’re considering specialising in

How AWC graduate Paula Gleeson scored a two-book six-figure deal

When Paula Gleeson’s grade four teacher told her she should write stories, Paula ran with it – or rather, ran away from it! She instead decided to pursue a career in film and television. Fast forward a few decades, and Paula finally followed that teacher’s advice by enrolling in Reinvent Yourself at the Australian Writers’ Centre, followed by Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder and Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers. She went on to secure a two-book six-figure deal with Thomas and Mercer and her debut thriller, Original Twin, is out in bookstores right now.

Q&A: ‘Podium’ vs ‘dais’

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: July 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to July’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we all get to crowd atop the podium of prose and raise the flag of creativity.

Writing Podcast Episode 613: Meet Amy T. Matthews, who also writes as Amy Barry and Tess LeSue!

Meet Amy T. Matthews, an award-winning author and associate professor, about her varied writing career under different pseudonyms, where she shares her approach to balancing

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Hard Copy’ by Fien Veldman

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Hard Copy by Fien Veldman. Hard Copy is a compelling workplace novel about a girl whose growing

Q&A: ‘Pigeons’ vs ‘doves’

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

Writing Podcast Episode 612: Meet Petronella McGovern, author of ‘The Last Trace’, on how to build narrative tension and keep readers turning the page.

Meet Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace. Petronella shares her top 5 tips on creating narrative tension and so that readers keep turning the

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Lies & Weddings’ by Kevin Kwan

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, which was also adapted into

Q&A: Who was ‘Uncle Sam’?

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

Jane Sullivan discovers her inner crime writer at the Australian Writers’ Centre

Jane Sullivan was already a published author and journalist when she discovered the Australian Writers’ Centre. But when she wrote the manuscript for her crime novel, she realised she needed specialist skills in order to master the suspense and pacing of the genre. So she enrolled in Crime and Thriller Writing at the Australian Writers’ Centre and rewrote her manuscript with her new knowledge.

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’

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 going to great lengths…

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

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Two Daughters’ by Alison Edwards

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Two Daughters by Alison Edwards. Two Daughters explores the lives of Ava and Laurie and their journeys of self-discovery and resilience. This stunning debut is full of secrets, aspirations, and complex human relationships. Here’s the blurb: For Ava, heading to university in

Q&A: ‘Gold’ vs ‘golden’

How Mitch Jennings went from journalist to crime writer

How Jenna Lo Bianco went from 160 rejections to a successful career as a romance author

The course that changed Jess Horn’s life

Writing Podcast Episode 614: Victoria Purman, author of ‘The Radio Hour’, on character development, writing about the past and more.

Meet author Victoria Purman, an accomplished historical fiction writer, who delves into her research and writing process, the inspiration behind her latest book The Radio Hour. Victoria offers valuable writing tips and the episode provides a deep dive into her journey, character development, and practical advice for aspiring writers. You

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Highway 13’ by Fiona McFarlane

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane. Highway 13 is a haunting and thought-provoking collection of interconnected short stories set in Australia, each exploring the profound impact of a 1990s serial killer on various lives and offering a deep commentary on society’s fascination with

Copywriting Podcast Episode 075: How to niche your copywriting business with Bernadette Schwerdt

If you’ve ever wondered what niching is, or how to niche your copywriting business, this is the episode for you. Whether you’re considering specialising in a specific industry or want to understand the benefits and drawbacks of niching, this episode provides valuable insights and practical advice to help you make

How AWC graduate Paula Gleeson scored a two-book six-figure deal

Q&A: ‘Podium’ vs ‘dais’

Furious Fiction: July 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to July’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we all get to crowd atop the podium of prose and raise the flag of creativity. The prompts for this month’s challenge were: Your story must take place at a sporting/competitive event. Your story must include something shaking. Your story must

Writing Podcast Episode 613: Meet Amy T. Matthews, who also writes as Amy Barry and Tess LeSue!

Meet Amy T. Matthews, an award-winning author and associate professor, about her varied writing career under different pseudonyms, where she shares her approach to balancing multiple writing projects and her thoughts on the romance genre. All of Amy’s books are traditionally published and she also writes under Amy Barry and

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Hard Copy’ by Fien Veldman

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Hard Copy by Fien Veldman. Hard Copy is a compelling workplace novel about a girl whose growing obsession with her office printer highlights the monotony and mental strain of corporate life, blending witty, unhinged narration with insightful commentary on the nature of

Q&A: ‘Pigeons’ vs ‘doves’

Writing Podcast Episode 612: Meet Petronella McGovern, author of ‘The Last Trace’, on how to build narrative tension and keep readers turning the page.

Meet Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace. Petronella shares her top 5 tips on creating narrative tension and so that readers keep turning the page. You’ll discover techniques on character development, the challenges of editing, writing cliffhangers, ensuring you have internal and external conflicts and much more. You can

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Lies & Weddings’ by Kevin Kwan

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, which was also adapted into one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing romantic-comedy movies. Lies and Weddings is a captivating friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of a luxury eco-resort, filled with drama,

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