blog – Page 97 – Australian Writers' Centre

Tamsin Janu’s award-winning start in children’s fiction

Tamsin Janu published her award-winning book Figgy in the World after completing a course at the Australian Writers’ Centre. After taking the book world by storm, she followed up with a sequel, Figgy and the President and Figgy Takes the City. Her latest books are Blossom and Winston and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club.

And it all started when she enrolled in a writing course that would change her life. “On the second day of the course I remember that’s when I came up with the idea for my first book!” said Tamsin.

Fiction edition of “The Big Issue” released

The Big Issue has just released its 12th annual fiction edition. The issue contains 12 stories from authors such as John Marsden, Miles Allinson, Gregory

Word of the week: Specious

Specious (adjective) [spee-shus] “No, this is not a typo. I don’t mean spacious. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, specious is something that is apparently good or

Dancing with the Tsars: Ninth time lucky for Evelyn Skye

Evelyn Skye’s debut novel is The Crown’s Game – a kind of Russia meets Westeros affair. Evelyn has been described as an avid pizza and

Tick tick tick tick tick tick… Nicholas Lee discusses his new 60 Minutes memoir

Nicholas Lee worked for Channel 9 as a 60 Minutes cameraman for three decades, before retiring in 2012. And now he’s released a book. It

Melbourne’s “Books on the Rail” is quite a find

A copy of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak sits on an empty Melbourne train seat. Seems appropriate. However, it isn’t waiting to be stolen

Q&A: Myriad possibilities!

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 123 Meet Louise Doughty, author of ‘Black Water’

In Episode 123 of So you want to be a writer: Gawker is closing down, discover why you’ll never finish your novel and how to write

COMP CLOSED: Win "Rebellious Daughters"!

Australia has a wealth of talented female writers, all with plenty of stories to tell. Our giveaway book this week – Rebellious Daughters – brings

Word of the week: Polemical

Polemical (adjective) [po-LEM-ickle] “This means controversial, especially when it’s associated with a particular doctrine. And a polemic is a noun that means a controversial

Word of the week: Inchoate

Inchoate (adjective) in-ko-hayt “This comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to yoke’ (like when you attach an ox to a plough) and according to the Macquarie

Writing Podcast Episode 122 Meet AWC graduate Fleur Ferris, author of ‘Black’

In Episode 122 of So you want to be a writer: You’ve written your first draft: now what? Discover why indie magazines are flourishing and why

Q&A: Bate vs Bait

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 Jill Keyte releases new cookbook

Congratulations to Jill Keyte on the release of The Happy Hormone Cookbook, published by New Holland. Jill has done a few courses at the Australian

A rendezvous with Gary Kemble, author of “Bad Blood”

Today we’re sitting in a crowded train station waiting to chat with crime and thriller author Gary Kemble, author of Bad Blood – the second

Sally Fawcett: Shaping her picture book future

Primary school teacher, illustrator and mother of three Sally Fawcett is immersed in the world of young children on a daily basis (you could almost

Writing Podcast Episode 121 Meet James Phelps, author of ‘Australia’s Toughest Prisons: Inmates’

In Episode 121 of So you want to be a writer: What other writers can teach you about writing, why no writing is wasted, Michelle Field’s

Q&A: Comparing notes

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 120 We chat to Alan Baxter, author of ‘Primordial’

In Episode 120 of So you want to be a writer: Discover the art of translating foreign language fiction, a competition for children, how to write for

Q&A: Trademark my words

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: Graphophobia

Graphophobia (noun) “Did you know that graphophobia is an overwhelming or irrational fear of writing or handwriting? According to Phobia Source: ‘Sufferers may doubt their

Calling all children’s book enthusiasts! Attend the September 2016 SCBWI Sydney Conference

The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is holding its biennial conference on 4-6 September 2016. If you’re serious about networking with local

2016 Davitt Awards shortlist for best crime books announced

We are so proud of AWC presenter and acclaimed author, Candice Fox, with her novel Fall shortlisted for the 2016 Davitt Awards. As presenter of our Anatomy of a Crime:

Writing Podcast Episode 119 Meet L.A. Larkin, author of the new thriller ‘Devour’

In Episode 119 of So you want to be a writer: Why you should submit to literary journals and how to give your writing rhythm. Smart ways

Q&A: Fill in vs fill out

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

Tamsin Janu’s award-winning start in children’s fiction

Fiction edition of “The Big Issue” released

The Big Issue has just released its 12th annual fiction edition. The issue contains 12 stories from authors such as John Marsden, Miles Allinson, Gregory Day, Tegan Bennett Daylight, and Jennifer Down, just to name a few. This edition of The Big Issue isn’t just good for your fiction-loving brain.

Word of the week: Specious

Specious (adjective) [spee-shus] “No, this is not a typo. I don’t mean spacious. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, specious is something that is apparently good or right but without real merit. So you might have a ‘specious argument’ or say ‘the artistic work had a specious air of quality but was

Dancing with the Tsars: Ninth time lucky for Evelyn Skye

Evelyn Skye’s debut novel is The Crown’s Game – a kind of Russia meets Westeros affair. Evelyn has been described as an avid pizza and cookie eater who was once offered a job in the CIA, yet actually wishes she could go on a dancing reality show. She seemed worth

Tick tick tick tick tick tick… Nicholas Lee discusses his new 60 Minutes memoir

Nicholas Lee worked for Channel 9 as a 60 Minutes cameraman for three decades, before retiring in 2012. And now he’s released a book. It has been described as a ‘deliciously gossipy and humorous memoir’, as he shares his tales from that time. This all sounded worthy of a story,

Melbourne’s “Books on the Rail” is quite a find

A copy of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak sits on an empty Melbourne train seat. Seems appropriate. However, it isn’t waiting to be stolen – the sticker on the front cover revealing that this book is not here by accident. As the PR states, “welcome to a new movement

Q&A: Myriad possibilities!

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, the possibilities are myriad… Q:

Writing Podcast Episode 123 Meet Louise Doughty, author of ‘Black Water’

In Episode 123 of So you want to be a writer: Gawker is closing down, discover why you’ll never finish your novel and how to write a memoir about a painful experience. Meet Louise Doughty, author of Black Water. Plus: writing tools for authors, great content marketing examples for author blogs,

COMP CLOSED: Win "Rebellious Daughters"!

Australia has a wealth of talented female writers, all with plenty of stories to tell. Our giveaway book this week – Rebellious Daughters – brings many of them together to share their tales of rebellion and independence as daughters looking to make their way in the world. “Powerful, funny and

Word of the week: Polemical

Polemical (adjective) [po-LEM-ickle] “This means controversial, especially when it’s associated with a particular doctrine. And a polemic is a noun that means a controversial argument. So you might say that a chef who writes a blog post about how everyone should be on a Paleo diet has written a

Word of the week: Inchoate

Inchoate (adjective) in-ko-hayt “This comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to yoke’ (like when you attach an ox to a plough) and according to the Macquarie Dictionary, it means something that has just begun, or is immature, rudimentary or lacking organisation. So you might say ‘his idea was inchoate’ or ‘the

Writing Podcast Episode 122 Meet AWC graduate Fleur Ferris, author of ‘Black’

In Episode 122 of So you want to be a writer: You’ve written your first draft: now what? Discover why indie magazines are flourishing and why reading will help you live longer. We touch on resume writers and reasons why someone will stop reading your novel. Meet AWC graduate Fleur Ferris

Q&A: Bate vs Bait

AWC graduate Jill Keyte releases new cookbook

Congratulations to Jill Keyte on the release of The Happy Hormone Cookbook, published by New Holland. Jill has done a few courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre and we’re thrilled for her! Meet Jill … Why did you want to write this book? I’m passionate about health, eating locally grown,

A rendezvous with Gary Kemble, author of “Bad Blood”

Today we’re sitting in a crowded train station waiting to chat with crime and thriller author Gary Kemble, author of Bad Blood – the second novel in his Harry Hendrick series. When he arrives, we’re not supposed to turn around so we don’t draw suspicion. Hi Gary. (Is that you

Sally Fawcett: Shaping her picture book future

Primary school teacher, illustrator and mother of three Sally Fawcett is immersed in the world of young children on a daily basis (you could almost call it an occupational hazard). So this provided the perfect foundation to getting her first picture book published. Post-baby creativity The journey began soon after

Writing Podcast Episode 121 Meet James Phelps, author of ‘Australia’s Toughest Prisons: Inmates’

In Episode 121 of So you want to be a writer: What other writers can teach you about writing, why no writing is wasted, Michelle Field’s plagiarism scandal, and the lost art of letter writing. Impress your friends and readers by using “inchoate” correctly. Meet James Phelps, author of Australia’s Toughest

Q&A: Comparing notes

Writing Podcast Episode 120 We chat to Alan Baxter, author of ‘Primordial’

In Episode 120 of So you want to be a writer: Discover the art of translating foreign language fiction, a competition for children, how to write for magazines, and why we need teacher librarians. Our word of the week is preternatural. You’ll also meet Alan Baxter, author of the dark, weird and

Q&A: Trademark my words

Word of the week: Graphophobia

Graphophobia (noun) “Did you know that graphophobia is an overwhelming or irrational fear of writing or handwriting? According to Phobia Source: ‘Sufferers may doubt their ability to write well and experience intense fear that they will fail in writing. Most people with this fear might have experienced a traumatic event

Calling all children’s book enthusiasts! Attend the September 2016 SCBWI Sydney Conference

The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is holding its biennial conference on 4-6 September 2016. If you’re serious about networking with local and international industry professionals, this is your chance to take your work to the next level. Key attractions include a keynote by Tara Weikum, Vice

2016 Davitt Awards shortlist for best crime books announced

We are so proud of AWC presenter and acclaimed author, Candice Fox, with her novel Fall shortlisted for the 2016 Davitt Awards. As presenter of our Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder course, it comes as no surprise that Candice’s thrillers have captivated critics and readers alike. We are also delighted for AWC graduate

Writing Podcast Episode 119 Meet L.A. Larkin, author of the new thriller ‘Devour’

In Episode 119 of So you want to be a writer: Why you should submit to literary journals and how to give your writing rhythm. Smart ways to publicise your book, how to cope when your freelance writing client dumps you, and tips for surviving a structural edit. Meet L.A. Larkin, author

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