Word of the week: Paraph
Paraph (noun) [paraf] “You might be fooled into thinking that this is short for ‘paragraph’ but it actually refers to a flourish made after or
Writing Podcast Episode 147 World building, rugby league and stealing someone’s story.
In this minisode of So you want to be a writer: Andrew wants to know how Allison approached her world building and which rugby league teams
Word of the week: Incunabulum
Incunabulum (noun) [in-kyoo-nab-yuh-luh-m] “This word sounds like it’s supposed to be some kind of cloud. But it actually refers to a really old book, particularly
Writing Podcast Episode 146 Meet Nicole Hayes, author of ‘A Shadow’s Breath’
In Episode 146 of So you want to be a writer: Discover how to become an insanely good writer, the life-changing magic of tidying up your
Q&A: Envisage vs envision
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
“I got published!” : Jocelyn Pride, Sophia Auld, Steven Tritton, Glenn Marshall
It’s one thing for us to witness the continuous improvement of our AWC students during their course. And quite another when their talents are finally
Word of the week: Ataraxia
Ataraxia (noun) [at-uh-rak-see-uh] “While it sounds like a planet from a sci fi novel or even some kind of eating disorder, according to the Macquarie
7 effective time management tips for freelance copywriters
You can’t beat the freedom and flexibility that come with being a freelance writer – but that doesn’t mean that freelance writing is an easy
Holly Bidwell’s new creative companion
We recently ran a competition for our community and challenged you to bring your creativity to the Surface. This was your chance to win Microsoft’s
Writing Podcast Episode 145 Writing under a pen name; and publishing options for a parenting book.
In this minisode of So you want to be a writer: Bill wants to write and create social media platforms under a pen name. Simone asks
Writing Podcast Episode 144 Meet children’s writer Oliver Phommavanh, author of ‘The Other Christy’
In Episode 144 of So you want to be a writer: Find out 5 things you can learn by writing every day and 7 steps to
Q&A: Revert or reply?
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
COMP CLOSED: Tell the truth and WIN with Dendy Direct!
Thanks to our chums over at the TV/movie streaming service Dendy Direct, we have a bonus giveaway for you this week. One of the cool
COMP CLOSED: Win two true-blue rural lit books from Karly Lane and Fleur McDonald!
Ahhh, what could be more Australian than a silhouette of a windmill and bouncing kangaroos against a backdrop of orange sky and red earth? Ahem,
“Don’t Talk To Me About Love” poetry competition now open
Is writing poetry your jam? Does the topic of “love” get you waxing lyrical? Then you should enter this awesome poetry competition – Don’t Talk
Writing Podcast Episode 143 Smutty fiction and bank accounts
In Episode 143 of So you want to be a writer: Anna asks whether her smutty fiction past will help or harm her prospects. And we answer
Writing Podcast Episode 142 Meet Jarett Kobek, author of the runaway hit ‘I Hate the Internet’
In Episode 142 of So you want to be a writer: Vote for your favourite Australian author, hear about the latest plagiarism scandal, and discover the worst
Q&A: Vicious cycle or circle?
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: Fascinate
Fascinate (verb) [fas-uh-neyt] “Did you know that the word ‘fascinate’ comes from the Latin word ‘fascinatio’ which actually means ‘casting a spell’? Fascinating!” To hear Valerie
AWC book covers quiz
Here’s something to test your recall and literary skills. We’ve assembled 20 books below – a mix of children’s and adult titles that have actually
Q&A: Canvas vs canvass
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
AWC graduate Liz Anelli: Illustrator adds writing skills
When picture book illustrator Liz Anelli wanted to moving into writing books instead of just illustrating them, she realised she had to learn a completely
Writing Podcast Episode 141 Meet Kristel Thornell, author of ‘On the Blue Train’
In Episode 141 of So you want to be a writer: Awesome hacks that will give you more time to write, famous typos from first editions,
Q&A: Broach or brooch?
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
COMP CLOSED: Win “The Girl on the Train” book + DVD
To kick off the new year, we have a great prize for you – FIVE copies of The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Word of the week: Paraph
Paraph (noun) [paraf] “You might be fooled into thinking that this is short for ‘paragraph’ but it actually refers to a flourish made after or below a signature, which was originally used to prevent forgery. The practice is still used today, but the word itself hasn’t been widely used since
Writing Podcast Episode 147 World building, rugby league and stealing someone’s story.
In this minisode of So you want to be a writer: Andrew wants to know how Allison approached her world building and which rugby league teams we support! And we discuss a writer’s dilemma about someone who may have stolen her story. Got a question for Val and Al? Ask at
Word of the week: Incunabulum
Incunabulum (noun) [in-kyoo-nab-yuh-luh-m] “This word sounds like it’s supposed to be some kind of cloud. But it actually refers to a really old book, particularly one that was printed – not handwritten – before 1501 in Europe.” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more about this and more on the
Writing Podcast Episode 146 Meet Nicole Hayes, author of ‘A Shadow’s Breath’
In Episode 146 of So you want to be a writer: Discover how to become an insanely good writer, the life-changing magic of tidying up your writing, and learn the meaning of the word “paraph”. You’ll meet Nicole Hayes, author of A Shadow’s Breath, find out how to do a structural
Q&A: Envisage vs envision
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 envisage an envision quest… Q:
“I got published!” : Jocelyn Pride, Sophia Auld, Steven Tritton, Glenn Marshall
It’s one thing for us to witness the continuous improvement of our AWC students during their course. And quite another when their talents are finally recognised by the world. Sorry, we can’t help it, we love to brag! Check out some of the recent accomplishments from our exceptional graduates. Above:
Word of the week: Ataraxia
Ataraxia (noun) [at-uh-rak-see-uh] “While it sounds like a planet from a sci fi novel or even some kind of eating disorder, according to the Macquarie Dictionary it means: ‘a state of tranquillity, free from emotional disturbance and anxiety’. So you might say ‘people who meditate regularly hope to reach a
7 effective time management tips for freelance copywriters
You can’t beat the freedom and flexibility that come with being a freelance writer – but that doesn’t mean that freelance writing is an easy job. Some people, particularly those who wouldn’t generally be considered self-starters, often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to handle. It’s possible
Holly Bidwell’s new creative companion
We recently ran a competition for our community and challenged you to bring your creativity to the Surface. This was your chance to win Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 (RRP AU $2799). The winner was Holly Bidwell from Canberra. Congratulations Holly! Holly has turned it into her constant companion. “The Surface is
Writing Podcast Episode 145 Writing under a pen name; and publishing options for a parenting book.
In this minisode of So you want to be a writer: Bill wants to write and create social media platforms under a pen name. Simone asks about different publishing options for her parenting book. Got a question for Val and Al? Ask at podcast [at] writerscentre [dot] com [dot] au Click
Writing Podcast Episode 144 Meet children’s writer Oliver Phommavanh, author of ‘The Other Christy’
In Episode 144 of So you want to be a writer: Find out 5 things you can learn by writing every day and 7 steps to help you write your novel. You’ll meet children’s author and standup comedian Oliver Phommavanh. Plus, discover why your author newsletter is so important and much
Q&A: Revert or reply?
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 ponder whether to reply or
COMP CLOSED: Tell the truth and WIN with Dendy Direct!
Thanks to our chums over at the TV/movie streaming service Dendy Direct, we have a bonus giveaway for you this week. One of the cool things that Dendy Direct do each month is feature a guest curator – who picks their faves to share with you. This month, Melina Marchetta –
COMP CLOSED: Win two true-blue rural lit books from Karly Lane and Fleur McDonald!
Ahhh, what could be more Australian than a silhouette of a windmill and bouncing kangaroos against a backdrop of orange sky and red earth? Ahem, well after intense discussions with Australia Post, we realised it would be too difficult to package all that up, so we’ve gone with two new
“Don’t Talk To Me About Love” poetry competition now open
Is writing poetry your jam? Does the topic of “love” get you waxing lyrical? Then you should enter this awesome poetry competition – Don’t Talk To Me About Love. First prize is a handsome $1,000. From the Don’t Talk To Me About Love Website: “What does LOVE mean to you?
Writing Podcast Episode 143 Smutty fiction and bank accounts
In Episode 143 of So you want to be a writer: Anna asks whether her smutty fiction past will help or harm her prospects. And we answer a question about whether different types of writing income (book writing and copywriting) can go into the same bank account. Got a question for Val
Writing Podcast Episode 142 Meet Jarett Kobek, author of the runaway hit ‘I Hate the Internet’
In Episode 142 of So you want to be a writer: Vote for your favourite Australian author, hear about the latest plagiarism scandal, and discover the worst words of last year. Get more writing done in 2017 with some useful writing tips. Find out the benefits of Facebook groups to build your
Q&A: Vicious cycle or circle?
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 find ourselves cycling in a
Word of the week: Fascinate
Fascinate (verb) [fas-uh-neyt] “Did you know that the word ‘fascinate’ comes from the Latin word ‘fascinatio’ which actually means ‘casting a spell’? Fascinating!” To hear Valerie and Allison chat more about this and more on the world of writing, blogging and publishing, check out the podcast.
AWC book covers quiz
Here’s something to test your recall and literary skills. We’ve assembled 20 books below – a mix of children’s and adult titles that have actually had their titles conveniently removed. So, can you guess the book from just the cover design? See how you go – the answers are printed
Q&A: Canvas vs canvass
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 wish we’re touching on
AWC graduate Liz Anelli: Illustrator adds writing skills
When picture book illustrator Liz Anelli wanted to moving into writing books instead of just illustrating them, she realised she had to learn a completely new set of skills. Liz had been successful in gaining Australian picture book illustration commissions from publishers such as Walker Books, Penguin Random House, Reader’s
Writing Podcast Episode 141 Meet Kristel Thornell, author of ‘On the Blue Train’
In Episode 141 of So you want to be a writer: Awesome hacks that will give you more time to write, famous typos from first editions, and discover how to set your writing goals for 2017. Meet Kristel Thornell, author of On the Blue Train. Also: why you need to do
Q&A: Broach or brooch?
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 wish to broach the
COMP CLOSED: Win “The Girl on the Train” book + DVD
To kick off the new year, we have a great prize for you – FIVE copies of The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins along with the DVD of the film adaptation starring Emily Blunt. The perfect pair to add to your collection! The story centres on Rachel, struggling
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