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
How to turn your commute into characters
Bored on your trip to work? Perfect! Why not use that time to fill your stories with fascinating, well-rounded characters? Character creation is central to
COMP CLOSED: Win 16 books in our crime and thriller short story competition
Dear readers, are you ready for a challenge? Our competition is a little bigger than usual this month – in terms of the prize AND
Word of the week: Ineluctable
Ineluctable (adjective) “This means impossible to avoid or inescapable. It comes from the Latin ‘to struggle’. So you might say that it reached an ineluctable
2016 Ned Kelly Awards shortlist announced
The Australian Crime Writers Association recently announced their shortlist for the 2016 Ned Kelly Awards for best in Australian crime writing. We were thrilled to
“So you want to be a writer” listed in top writing podcasts!
Now, for more than two years, WE have known how brilliant Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait’s weekly chats on all things writing, blogging and publishing
41 short, short stories containing “winter”, “writer”, “silhouette”…
Recently, to celebrate the shortest day of the year, our CEO Valerie Khoo asked our community (via our weekly newsletter) to create a 23-word short
A Month of Murder and Mayhem. The free ebook and podcast series.
Crime. Murder. Espionage. Mystery. It’s a world filled with more evil and crime than you can shake a sharpened stick at – where people save
Writing Podcast Episode 118 Meet author John Birmingham, writer of ‘He Died with a Falafel in His Hand’
In Episode 118 of So you want to be a writer: Are you writing a hybrid book? Discover the people writing poetry as a service and the
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
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 waiting with bated breath…
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
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 comparing comparisons… Q: It’s
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
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 trademark our words… Q:
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
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 rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we get our fill of
How to turn your commute into characters
Bored on your trip to work? Perfect! Why not use that time to fill your stories with fascinating, well-rounded characters? Character creation is central to writing fiction – great characters can keep people reading long after their bedtime, and bad characters can have a reader dropping a story in mere
COMP CLOSED: Win 16 books in our crime and thriller short story competition
Dear readers, are you ready for a challenge? Our competition is a little bigger than usual this month – in terms of the prize AND the word count – and we can’t wait to see what you come up with! The crime and thriller short story competition We challenge you
Word of the week: Ineluctable
Ineluctable (adjective) “This means impossible to avoid or inescapable. It comes from the Latin ‘to struggle’. So you might say that it reached an ineluctable conclusion. Or that it is ineluctable that my cat Rexy is going to land a modelling deal one day soon because of his amazing beauty…”
2016 Ned Kelly Awards shortlist announced
The Australian Crime Writers Association recently announced their shortlist for the 2016 Ned Kelly Awards for best in Australian crime writing. We were thrilled to spot a couple of familiar faces among the acclaimed authors. Candice Fox, our amazing presenter of our How to Write About Murder course, is up for her
“So you want to be a writer” listed in top writing podcasts!
Now, for more than two years, WE have known how brilliant Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait’s weekly chats on all things writing, blogging and publishing are. But it’s always nice to get a little extra recognition – as we did this week when So you want to be a writer
41 short, short stories containing “winter”, “writer”, “silhouette”…
Recently, to celebrate the shortest day of the year, our CEO Valerie Khoo asked our community (via our weekly newsletter) to create a 23-word short story that had to contain the words WINTER, WRITER and SILHOUETTE. That was the only rule. The challenge certainly struck a chord! We were overwhelmed
A Month of Murder and Mayhem. The free ebook and podcast series.
Crime. Murder. Espionage. Mystery. It’s a world filled with more evil and crime than you can shake a sharpened stick at – where people save the world from certain destruction, where spies, terrorists and thugs abound, and where the killer could be someone in your very own home. It’s also
Writing Podcast Episode 118 Meet author John Birmingham, writer of ‘He Died with a Falafel in His Hand’
In Episode 118 of So you want to be a writer: Are you writing a hybrid book? Discover the people writing poetry as a service and the predictive text generator writing fan fiction. We dive into the huge self-publishing success of romance writers and share the meaning of ineluctable. Our writer in
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