What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I am doing the final edits of my manuscript, but after multiple drafts I wished I had this earlier!

It seemed to address the exact things I was struggling with and made issues that I thought were complex, like tense, very easy to digest. It has made me confident to move through a final copy edit knowing exactly what I am looking for.

These highly focussed courses are perfect because each person struggles with something different and it allows you to get amongst the weeds of what it is you need to understand more.

The way it was structured enabled me to build my knowledge from the basics to the more complex at my own pace.

I now remember the things lost to me through the sands of time.

I have learnt so much that I didn't even know I didn't know. Thank you!

I have been so unsure and full of self-doubt when I write. I finally have the basic understanding. I have needed this so much, even for activities outside of writing. I am not uneducated. In fact I have a bachelor's degree in science, but I have always found the rules of grammar to be so ambiguous. I need a set formula when it comes to grammar, and I think this course has really tried to provide just that. For so long, I have been trying to write this one flashback scene in my story. I just haven't known how to do it, but now I do! Thank you! I REALLY needed this!!

I enjoyed the simplicity of the course, the logical format, and that the lessons can be saved for future reference.

I've already edited my short stories and flash fiction pieces! I can now send them out with confidence that I have the basics right.

Go for it: school was a long time ago! Absolutely nothing to lose.

I needed a refresher on my grammar and punctuation. I understood the basics (that much I knew), but I always felt I was missing the confidence behind my words. This course helped with that. I now have a greater understanding of why we use certain punctuation that we do, which is immensely helpful for someone who wants to pursue writing and/or editing for their career.

The course boosted my confidence to continue writing the draft for my first book. It reaffirmed my choice in past tense - I often worried that it was a mistake and learning that most fiction is written in past tense sets your mind at ease. It was even interesting to learn that writers in present tense could move up and down depending on whether it was a memory or flashback.

If you are struggling with your writing and need a comfortable place to improve your skills, then joining the AWC community would be the place to do it.

Grammar and punctuation have always been the weakest part of my editing skills. I relied on my instincts but didn't know the rules.

Everything in the course was explained simply and clearly. I have awareness of the rules now.

If you never got grammar and punctuation in school, this course will teach you everything you missed.

I didn't realise how many gaps I had in my knowledge of English grammar and punctuation until I did this course! Having gone to school at a time when grammar was not specifically taught, I learnt to write intuitively, without really knowing what it was I was doing grammatically. Now I feel I have the understanding to write with more confidence and have more control over my storytelling.

When I re-read my draft novel, I discovered the many mistakes that I had made without realising it. A course everyone should take as revision.

Definitely do it. You will be amazed about what you have forgotten from school.

Grammar and punctuation are areas I know I fall down in, and this course seemed to be tailor-made to help writers improve quickly.

I now know where commas belong and where to put apostrophes. Both of which I was complete rubbish at previously. The exercises helped to solidify the information being presented.

I've recommended AWC courses at almost every job I've had in the last decade or so.

I believe a good writer should understand proper grammar and punctuation for clarity in any forms of writing. Refresher course for me as a newbie writer.

The bite-sized learning modules are simple to understand. Absolutely love the content and listening to the audio helped sealed into my memory. Having these notes on hand as reference is vitally important. It's like a handy dictionary to flip over and over again.

The difference between how a writer writes and a reader reads are addressed in these modules. I am beginning to transition from a reader to a writer in this course. I have more confidence in novel writing without going through the pitfalls of getting tenses mixed up in the story.

The course gives you a roadmap of understanding the basics of grammar and punctuation, which is a must for every level of writing. Definitely a go-to fast track English lesson for serious writers!

There were some things I felt I could identify and amend quite easily - joyful! It's become a 'safe' building block for me to build on, and has encouraged me to keep going with my learning.

It is helpful how the course draws attention to the common mistakes. 1) you can go, ah ha, I do that and 2) you don't feel it's just you!

AWC courses are easy to follow, have great resources, tips and exercises. You have nothing to lose, only something to gain!

I wanted to write a novel, so I was keen to recap on the essentials of English grammar and punctuation.

I love Valerie's presentation. She is clear and precise, and has a sense of humour. It clarified a few points that I was unsure about. The use of dialogue punctuation; whether to use one or two speech marks.

AWC offers an extensive and varied range of informative courses to help improve any potential writers' ability.

I enjoyed the whole course. I needed to find out more about comma splice sentences and did. Also, learning more about tense means another review of my manuscript.

Another step toward improving my story telling - thank you.

I have written a novel and want to be able to perfect it prior to trying to get it published.

This course was both comprehensive and easy to follow. The activities given provided the perfect opportunity to test the knowledge gained. Much of it I already knew, but it just sharpened my knowledge. It also showed me a few errors that I've unknowingly made throughout my novel.

It really was exactly what I needed to take my novel to the next level.

I feel like I've had a crash course that answered all my questions that my own knowledge was lacking in. I love that it was kept simple. It means that all those basic grammatical rules can be followed easily. It's had an impact on me because I feel that, in future, my editing will be so much more streamlined.

Give it a go! Taking a short course is never going to hurt.

I'm writing my first novel and want to start with a solid understanding of grammar and punctuation requirements early on. I imagine an editor or publisher would be frustrated by those not attending to this part of the art of writing.

This is a very helpful course. I feel more confident now that I have clear resources to depend on. Getting on top of this early will help to avoid having to go over and over my drafts and fix mistakes.

I like the structure and process used by AWC to do the work online and in my own time. It is well worth doing the AWC courses - they are practical, useful, well-structured, and well-delivered. The information provided is contemporary and technically useful.

While my grammar is good, it's instinctive. I cannot parse a sentence to save myself.

I enjoyed finding out I know a lot more than I think, plus great tips to improve my writing. Not in the least bit dry. Lively and informative.

I've always felt a bit of a fraud for coasting on a gift for writing grammatically with no clue as to why. Now I have the answers.

Your courses are well designed and presented. I am a better writer because of them. For example, I placed second in a national competition with a story I developed in your Short Story Essentials course.

This is a great foundation for fiction writers. It was easy to understand and was delivered in short and to the point videos.

As a reformed comma splice offender, I will no longer abuse the comma key on my laptop. Prepare full stop, ellipses and em dash: you're up!

The course offers a solid foundation of punctuation and grammar for fiction writers across all genres.

This is a terrific course to brush up on the use of punctuation in your writing. Very accessible and a great confidence booster!

Valerie has a lovely voice to listen to so I found the units welcoming and easy to listen to several times. I liked the repetition in the activities to make sure you had a good grasp of the concept.

It has cemented my understanding of grammar and punctuation, which I thought was shaky at best. It has given me the confidence to submit my work and believe in my abilities.

I have recommended AWC courses to several friends. The self-paced courses are judgement free and welcoming, being able to work through the material at your own pace, when it suits you, is also a big plus. The satisfaction and self-confidence you have in the knowledge you've harnessed is also very motivating. Thank you!

You're never too old to learn grammar and punctuation. The Australian Writers' Centre course improved my grammar immensely, so much that my writers' group now say my punctuation skills are better.