Dorothy Wakelin 1 month ago

I have learned a great deal from this course. And enjoyed it!

It has motivated me to do more writing, including writing some short stories for my young grandson. It's a pleasant contrast, while being also complementary, to the adult creative writing courses I've done/am doing. Definitely improving my grasp of humour techniques which has enabled me to apply them across the age spectrum.

Keziah Forwood 3 months ago

My five-year-old son loves humour and I wanted to explore different types of humour for his benefit.

It was very thorough and covered a broad range! I took heaps of notes!

Lots to think about and ponder. I know how to add humour to my writing and I can't wait to dabble. Amazing.

Cathy Knox 5 months ago

Tim's presentation and exercises to complete were excellent. I enjoyed learning the many small things that kids find funny that adults certainly don't.

It has taught me that humour can be used in many ways to make a piece of writing more entertaining than I would have ever thought about.

If you want to do a writing course that's a little bit different, do Tim's LOL because it's not only fun it's also very informative.

Cathy Knox 6 months ago

I was interested to learn what kids considered funny and after reading the outline I thought this course would be a great introduction to learning how humour can be incorporated in kids books.

Tim's approach to the delivery of the course was great. You can tell he has been a school teacher. I enjoyed the variety in the modules and Tim's way of delivering the subject.

I think writing funny stories for kids is a great way to connect. It can provide a learning experience in life lessons while still being entertaining. Kids have the chance to laugh at ridiculous things and don't have to be serious all the time.

AWC offers well-structured courses about all aspects of writing. A course for everyone interested in learning more about writing.

Judith Clear 1 year ago

I have lots of ideas for stories for children and as I don't consider myself to have a funny bone in my body, wanted to get some tips to inject some humour.

Because I suffer from imposter syndrome and constantly wonder if I could / will ever see any writing of mine in print, I wasn't sure if the course would help me inject humour in writing for a younger audience. However I found the concepts covered could be applied to meet the expectations of readers of any age.

The practical exercises really made me think through the concepts and how they work in practice.

Tomi Rues 2 years ago

Tim did a great job! I appreciate how organised he was. He also put a lot of effort in giving us homework. I thought it was a good thing. I am learning and growing and that requires work.

I love laughing and we all need more joy in our lives.

I will be a better writer after taking this course.

I always recommend AWC courses to my writer friends. AWC offer quality courses. It's worth it!

Karen Andrews 2 years ago

I loved this course. It gave me some great ideas in an easy-to-follow format. Tim Harris is a fabulous teacher, entertaining, insightful and experienced in delivering punchlines! Definitely recommend Laugh Out Loud!

I have changed up my writing and started writing a funny chapter book series. I'm loving it.

Kathy Szaters 3 years ago

I wanted to learn more about crafting humorous stories for kids. My aim is to write picture books, so I wasn't sure if the content would be geared more toward junior fiction and middle grade, but I needn't have worried. The same concepts apply, and I have learnt a lot.

I enjoyed the videos, examples, and exercises - which is pretty much everything, really!

It has taught me a great deal about different types of humour, and got me thinking about how to use humorous techniques in my writing.

Jump on board! There is an amazing array of courses, with something to suit everyone.

Barbara Norris 3 years ago

I enrolled in your course Laugh Out Loud as I wanted to lighten my stories and put humour into serious situations. As we all know, laughter is the best medicine. I have written a few stories for young readers which address indigenous and political based outcomes and believed that some light hearted humour could be the key to taking my story to another level.

This course exceeded my expectations and I enjoyed it immensely.

I found Tim Harris's ability to teach this course is spot on, as it suits the course's outcomes. Tim presents as if in a classroom environment and his books portray that environment. So the course actually allowed me to knock down a few walls of my own seriousness and offered me an option to rise above and address my long-lost sense of humour.

The course brought back memories of my own student days. I could only have wished that I had a teacher such as Tim, to teach us, as I'm sure that my own education would have been a lot more successful.

Christine Camp 3 years ago

The modules were to the point, short and funny. The clips were also short and kept my attention, as watching a video online and staying motivated can be challenging.

I enjoyed understanding the different types of humour that can be written in a book, and just because you don't think you are funny, if you have a great hook idea, have a go.

Great, practical and useful tips for writers.

Joanna Donaldson 4 years ago

Tim's presentation style was excellent and engaging. I enjoyed learning a variety of techniques as to how to make kids lit funnier! It encouraged me to keep on trying in writing for kids by injecting more humour.

You don't need to be funny to write a funny book. You need to IDENTIFY what kids will find funny.

Give it a go! If you are interested in writing for children, whatever tone or length, humour plays a very important role.

Emma Counsell 4 years ago

I love funny stories and wanted to learn how to write like that.

The content was engaging and interesting. It was just really good content; easy to understand.

I now feel confident that I can try writing funny stories with all the tips in this course from a highly successful children's author.

Emma Hopkirk 4 years ago

I am not a funny writer and enjoy extending my skills into new areas. Everything helps to develop the craft of writing.

Tim's video modules were really engaging.

I enjoyed the writing exercise. It stumped me for a long time but once I was able to put something together, it was very satisfying meeting the brief.

I am attempting to bring humour into a story I'm currently writing. I'm able to do this now as I have a better understanding of humour techniques.

Arielle Lenthall 4 years ago

The course is sooo detailed; I had no idea that there were so many techniques to make kids' books funny.

There was so much to enjoy, but being a nerd, I have to say completing the assignment and receiving Tim's detailed and positive feedback was the most enjoyable. He was so thorough and kind.

It is cementing something I have been considering for a while, namely writing something in a longer form than picture books. While middle grade has always been my preferred reading style, the longer word count has made this rather daunting and prohibitive. I was given a great idea for a story by a child years ago, which I thought was rather ridiculous at the time, but still instinctively always knew there was a gem in there somewhere. With the knowledge gleaned from this course and the detailed planning and editing methods I've learned through this course, I may just attempt to write it. Even saying that I might use planning techniques is in itself a HUGE change. I'm rather excited to see what, if anything, will come of it.

The innovative and forward thinking team at the Australian Writers' Centre are always looking out for and developing new course ideas to meet the needs of writers in the 21st century, whether that be in actual formal writing courses, or in blogging, or promoting yourself and your books/work. There really is something for everyone and I have no doubt that there will always be something (often new) for everyone who is keen to engage in communicating with others through the magic of putting words on a page.

Cindy Bennett 4 years ago

Tim's video presentations were amazing. I also enjoyed Tim reading my work and giving feedback on video.

This course is amazing if you are looking at ways to add humour to your writing. Even if you aren't, the course is loaded with information relevant to all styles of writing. It's well presented and the feedback was meaningful.

Kristy Nita Brown 4 years ago

I enjoyed learning about the different types of humor and how to use them in my writing. I'm now aware of the different types of comedy that I can use in my writing, and I can begin to be consciously funny.

I enjoyed the opportunity to learn at my own pace throughout the year-long duration of the course. Seeing the presenter in videos provides a nice balance with the handouts and exercises.

Ann O'Hara 4 years ago

I enjoyed this course. The way Tim presented it was entertaining and humorous. It was so easy to watch his personality shining through the videos. The professional way he taught was really good.

Take that step and enrol in a Writers' Centre course. I have done quite a few to give me more knowledge with my writing. See where this journey takes you. Although you may find, like I did, that it takes you in a different direction. After doing Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 year olds and Laugh Out Loud, I have now found my writer's voice. To write funny stories for children. Thank you AWC.

Ann O'Hara 4 years ago

I enjoyed this course. The way Tim presented it was entertaining and humorous. It was so easy to watch his personality shining through the videos. He gave us the knowledge in a light-hearted, humorous fashion. Thank you.

Take that step and enrol in an Australian Writers' Centre course. I have done quite a few to give me more knowledge with my writing. See where this journey takes you. Although you may find, like I did, that it takes you in a different direction. After doing Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 year olds and Laugh Out Loud, I have now found my writers voice. To write funny stories for children. Thank you AWC.

Rhiannon Dowding 5 years ago

Tim is a really easy person to listen to. Great presentations.

It has made me think about humour in a completely different way. It was freeing to realize I could add humour later and not stress about making something hilarious in the rough draft.

I have recommended AWC to friends and colleagues. It is simple to access and well set out. The courses I have done have been of an excellent standard.

Fiona Holmwood 5 years ago

Tim was great with so many tips and stories to tell! Thank you! I enjoyed the videos and bits of advice along the way.

I know more about the process which is comforting for me. I like to have a pathway to work towards.

Highly recommend before you start your writing journey as an excellent overview.