What’s it like to learn with AWC?

It was exactly what I was looking for - practical and concise information to get me started on my freelance writing journey.

It's given me the confidence to begin my freelance writing career.

The course showed me what I needed to focus on in order to get published. I think had I not done this course, I would have been trying really hard and putting my effort into tasks that were not going to get me published.

I really enjoyed the tutorial content and the material in the handouts. That was really useful. I enjoyed analysing the articles in the handouts to identify the different elements of an article such as intro, transitions and so on. Seeing that every good article has a set structure is a bit of a relief.

Don't even think of starting out as a freelance writer if you haven't done this course. The content of this 5-week course has been more useful than the content of my entire 3-year university degree.

A big, wonderful thank you!

Alex was great. Very descriptive, helpful and she provided some excellent feedback and advice. I found that listening to the feedback for the other students was also extremely useful. I think having the deadlines makes it more real. Forced me to focus during the week and do the work.

I enjoyed seeing the process so easily laid out. While I've still got so much to learn, the course has made the steps to getting published look very achievable. I've made lots of notes and now have a nice collection of ideas to work on.

It's given me a framework to play with. And it's given me the confidence to just follow the steps provided. And be OK with rejections and turning 'No' into 'OK, next!"

Just do it. Sign up, do the lessons, do the homework. It's 5 weeks and you'll learn plenty.

I loved the coursework and assignments. I loved that it was self paced during the week and I could participate through an online platform and not actually have to attend in person (difficult as I live miles away from the city).

I'm looking for a career change. I live in rural Australia and there were not many appealing jobs so I figured I might have to create a niche for myself with freelance writing work.

I just loved how practical it was and covered all the facets of freelancing. Brilliant course. Super practical and I learnt so much. Thanks!

The course was a good insight into freelance article writing. I thought Cindy was very knowledgeable and her feedback was useful.

I like the assignments. Actually doing some writing is the best part.

I can now see how to pitch ideas and know how to analyse a publication and then have the best chance of being published.

The courses are flexible and informative. The site is easy to navigate. You'll always learn something you never thought you needed to know.

I’ve had a long-held desire to write for some of my favourite publications and see my name in print! (And of course, earn some money writing professionally). I was hesitant about the cost of the course - it was hard to muster the courage to spend that much on myself but it was TOTALLY worth it.

Cat was incredible! She provided us with quality feedback quickly that was constructive and encouraging. It was like having a personal cheerleader, cheering us on! She was very supportive and knowledgeable, and I feel very grateful to have had her as my tutor.

I enjoyed the support from the AWC team - I wasn't expecting to feel so supported as an individual (rather than an inconsequential course participant).

The weekly content was SO informative, the assignments weren't too scary, and the ability to read everyone's assignments was extremely useful as a learning tool.

I now have the courage and confidence to give it a shot - I'm still crippled with self-doubt and fear of sending my work out there (god forbid I start to call myself a "writer") - but this course has shown me that becoming a freelance writer is achievable, and that has had the biggest impact.

The AWC takes you step-by-step through the process of how to do what it is you want to do as a writer, with real-world experience that is not only applicable to you, but also achievable - so you finish the course with a feeling of empowerment.

Thanks for all the invaluable information. Valerie was so honest and open with insights from the world of freelance writing and I learnt more than I thought I would.

I was very impressed with the information regarding obtaining work and the appropriate methods of contacting editors etc. Made me realise that I CAN do this and all I need to do is put the work in.

The tutor was excellent; very knowledgeable and helpful.

The course was easily understood and has up to date AUSTRALIAN information which is great.

Thank you all for your hard work in putting this course together :)

Cat was a fantastic tutor. She was very clear on areas I needed to work on. Her knowledge is truly valuable.

I enjoyed the assignments. Putting the theory into action was a great experience.

I feel I have the tools to go forward and pursue freelance writing.

Thank you so much to Valerie. Her classes and words of wisdom are priceless. Do it! You won’t regret it.

This course taught me more than I thought it would - including to believe in what I am capable of.

The tutor was awesome. I loved the video feedback.

It has given me the tools and encouragement to push for a different career in life, and that I am not just stuck at a desk job.

Overall this was an amazing experience. I have learnt a lot about myself and my skill set. I look forward to working toward my goal of getting published this year and cannot wait to share my successes!

I felt I really fitted this course i.e. the lessons, handouts, assignments and feedback all pushed me one step further in my expectations of self, ability and understanding of 'polishing my craft'.

The tutor was great! Cindy was very thoughtful, helpful, thorough and positive in feedback to me.

I liked the freedom of doing the course online when I was ready to meet each challenge i.e. listen to the audio, take notes and listen again later, reading handouts and absorbing the information, instead of being in a classroom with so many distractions. I liked the method of sharing assignments amongst the group. I really enjoyed doing the profile of another person.

The whole course was challenging, encouraging and exciting. The lessons were easy to understand (Valerie is brilliant at breaking down her years of experience and translating her knowledge into the right words and at the right pace for a learner), the assignments were not too difficult and easy to understand and the whole course was laid out in well thought out steps.

At the beginning of the course I thought, "I really want to do this course but that will be it". Now there is a voice in there telling me to go on and take the next step, put my big toe in the water and try being a freelance writer. Take it as it comes but keep moving forward. Push through the self-doubt.

I would say definitely to give it a go. The course is conveniently online, with easy self-paced lessons, weekly feedback to keep you on track AND I won't forget the support I had from Abby and the encouraging messages from Rah. This all adds up to a very encouraging, supportive writing experience.

I really enjoyed the course and congratulate all of you at AWC for doing a grand job in this really trying time of COVID etc.

I wanted to learn practically the business of writing for paid publication, to earn some form of income and build a portfolio of writing articles.

There was a lot of detailed practical information about freelance writing that was really what I wanted to hear about, particularly at the end re: the process of submitting, pitches and invoicing.

It was helpful, friendly and good to have verbal feedback online; that was something new for me. It demystifies the process of writing for publication and makes me think it's practically do-able. It's a detailed, hands-on online course that equips you in real ways to get writing and submitting articles afterwards.

I love writing, and while it has always been a part of my jobs, I've never given it the focus I'd like it to have. I wanted a recognised, online course that was straight-to-the-point about how to get started with freelance writing. This was perfect!

I wondered what the commitment would be - time wise, and for the assignments. The way it's structured, it really makes you WANT to give everything a go. Everything was presented so well, and the assignments are simply a great opportunity to apply learnings, rather than being daunting.

I have loved every minute of this course!
I loved the podcast resources.
I loved the assignments.
I loved the feedback from Alex.
I loved the flexibility - it was easy to fit into my life.

Alex is so knowledgeable. She was supportive and encouraging, but specific with her feedback. I loved the podcast feedback she posted - it was great going through each of my classmate's work, as well as my own. Shared learnings!

I feel empowered to make a career in writing. I love the idea of applying my writing skills to areas that interest me - the 'interest me' bit is really exciting! I've done lots of copywriting for companies / businesses in the past, but I feel like I now have the templates and tips to approach editors and write feature articles in the right way, removing some of the imposter syndrome I've always felt.

Before I enrolled in this course, I'd been thinking I may need to go back to Uni and do a writing or journalism course. This course was less time intensive, lower cost and very practical - but would it actually deliver? I had listened to many of the AWC podcasts, which I love, so it seemed like a logical step forward. I am SO grateful that I took the step and enrolled. I have loved every minute and can't wait to get started on another one!

Don't hesitate! The AWC courses are practical and informative, challenging and empowering. AWC connects you with fellow writers who are on the same path as you. The support is amazing. Enrol today!

I've been receiving the AWC weekly email for a couple of years now and been reading about this course. Now was a good time for me to dive in and see what it was like.

The assessments were the most valuable part of the course as Cat's suggestions were especially eye-opening for me.

Cat was very perceptive and appeared to give everyone solid counsel as well as good encouragement.

I enjoyed Valerie's podcasts. I learnt many new things that are particular to feature writing which I appreciated.

Well done, Valerie and Cat. And thank you!

If you're wanting to be a freelance writer then do this course!

My only hesitation was that I might not have the time to do it properly with work and home life. I delayed signing up for years because of this but always kept an eye on when the next course was coming out.

I loved the tips and examples in the course material! I finally have a method for feature writing and pitching to editors. I had no idea about either of those things before, it was very much trial and error. I feel more confident incorporating freelance writing into my communications consultancy now.

A fantastic introduction into the world of freelance writing. The course is well paced and each module builds on the previous one. At the end, you have the basics to get out there and start writing and pitching articles.

Sue provided great feedback. It was great to hear her voice in the first module too. The assignments and feedback were a great addition to this. I'm sure I wouldn't have learned as much had this not been offered.

My pitching has improved as well as my writing. Valerie's tips were great and really helped me see features in a different light. I can pick up on the format when I read a feature now, and identify the conventions. I also feel more confident in interviewing. I really appreciate the way the course was laid out. Previously I did a tiny bit of research and would then pitch. Unsurprisingly my pitches were rarely commissioned. Now, I can see the work that goes into a story idea before pitching, and I hope this will make the difference between my pitches before and after.

If you're at the beginning stages of wanting to freelance and you're wanting to learn more tips and tricks of breaking into the industry, leap at the chance to study the Freelance Writing Course with AWC. You won't regret it and it's great value for money.

I really enjoyed the course and found it extremely practical.

The feedback from Sue was great, very useful and constructive and very welcome. I think the feedback on my work and on others has helped me a lot in understanding what might be required of a freelance writer and what editors are looking for.

It is very confidence boosting and makes you feel like this is not totally out of reach. It has given me the very practical tools required to actually start putting myself out there to see what happens.

I think it has improved my writing by giving me more structure and focus, and a framework within which to work.

I'd just like to thank Sue for her very helpful and supportive feedback!

I appreciated that the tutors were veterans in the writing field and could provide real practical advice for any beginner writer.

The tutor was encouraging yet constructive. Alex provided great advice each week. I enjoyed listening to her weekly feedback.

I liked having an assessment to complete each week. It helped me to get out of 'listening' mode and begin practising from day 1.

This course was like a blueprint to becoming a freelance writer. Valerie has considered every possible step along the way and covered it with great advice.

This is a great course for anyone who is serious about a career in freelance writing.

I was looking for a writing course that would let me "dip my toe in the water" so to speak without outlaying thousands of dollars if I then found that writing wasn't for me.

The resources are extremely helpful, in particular the audio lessons that you can download and listen to as many times as you need to. The lessons by Valerie are explained in easy-to-understand terms which was very beneficial to me because I have never had anything at all to do with the writing industry before.

Sue White was very helpful with the feedback she provided so you knew where you got it right and where you could improve.

I really enjoyed the way the online classroom is set out whereby you can chat and comment with your fellow classmates and tutor. I also felt that because you could view your classmates' assignments and the feedback they received from the tutor, it meant you could learn more about what to do and what not to do when writing a feature article.

I am longing for a new career path because I have been doing the same job for 10 years. I want a new direction in my life and to do something I am passionate about and something that gives me the flexibility to work from home or from anywhere at all really. My dream would be to go road tripping around Australia and to be able to write for publications about our beautiful country.

I would highly recommend the course to anyone. For a small monetary and time commitment you learn so, so much! And not just how to structure an article but about how to actually pitch to publications so you earn money from writing.

I started publishing pieces on Medium.con this year and this gave me the confidence to consider freelance writing. I found this course and it looked practical and useful as well as affordable. I liked the flexibility of the Online learning platform.

Cat was very supportive and approachable and provided useful advice.

I really liked the listening materials- very informative and entertaining. It was great being able to listen to them in my own time. They're a really good resource and I'll be dipping back into them over the coming months.

It turned the idea of freelance writing from a fanciful dream to a realistic prospect and gave me the tools to get started.

I think it's a really good course and I'm looking forward to more.