What’s it like to learn with AWC?
Each year, thousands of students just like you achieve their writing goals through our courses and world-class presenters. Here they share how their new-found skills and confidence enriched their life.
I really appreciated the well thought out stages of the course, the interviews with Katrina and all the very useful practical advice from Valerie!
I enjoyed learning new skills, the engaging manner in which Valerie delivers the course and the excitement she conveys about this career.
I'm very excited to get started by developing ideas to pitch and begin writing (I've already thought of some along the way whilst I've been doing the course). I'm working out my next steps in what my next career looks like after a long career as an accountant and then in risk management. Travel writing as the next phase in my life would be wonderful. I really enjoy travelling and pushing myself to learn and grow. Let's go!
Excellent course material, well structured with a fabulously engaging presenter, who explores practical skills required to enable you to (hopefully) become a successful travel writer.
Easy paced, lots of case studies and examples. All great information. I am already pitching stories.
I love reading travel articles and travel a bit for my job as a sales rep. I've always wanted to write. I have completed Bernadette's copywriting course, and the real estate writing course. This has added another string to my bow.
Loved the easy to watch format, and the step-by-step instructions are simple to follow. Both Valerie and Katrina offer insights and tips that make you forget that you're learning something!
It's given me the inspiration and nudge to make the leap to start writing and putting myself out there. I need to stop procrastinating and get cracking!
I have recently started to travel more frequently again and have always enjoyed writing and it occurred to me when writing my own travel journals that my recounts are something that I would like to share. I considered starting a blog (which I may still do) but getting the basics of how to embark as a travel writer going forward is something I wanted to pursue. I have enrolled and completed other courses at AWC so was confident in the course material and teacher.
I was pleasantly surprised by the number of useful and informative additional resources that have been made available for this course (relating to all the handouts especially) in addition to the examples provided and explained.
I found it easy to follow and pick up the information being explained. In fact, I was honestly able to draw on the information throughout the day and would be distracted from my day job when inspired by different story ideas. So much so I always kept a small book next to me to jot these down so that I could expand on them when I was able to.
I have worked in the travel sector for some years but never as a writer and I know there is a budding travel writer within me! I felt that a course offered by the Australian Writers' Centre would be very professional and I have found it to be so!
There were lots of fabulous handouts, Valerie and Katrina were easy to understand and spoke and presented at a good pace which was easy to keep up with!
I am going to finalise my website, and start pitching some stories from my recent trips. It has motivated me.
There was so much detail and the course is well structured with a skill-building approach, which builds confidence as you progress.
I loved building a 'travel reading habit' into my week and have learnt so much about destinations I'd never even heard of before! I love that I can now analyse every travel article I read.
I've just come back from a family holiday in the Grampians and have returned with a notebook full of notes (for the first time ever). I'm looking forward to putting some pitches together and will be signing up for the Freelance Masterclass asap.
Go for it. You won't believe how much you will learn and it could change your life. However, be warned, the courses are addictive! Once you start on a learning path, you realise how much more there is to learn to be a better writer!
It was really satisfying to be able to complete the course. I have been unwell for some years, I am just getting back into writing again, so doing the course and completing it was very satisfying.
All you need to know, presented in an interesting and informative way.
The course was brilliant. Easy to access on a range of devices. It covered everything I needed to know and some things I didn't realise I needed to know. It was so practical, focusing on the end goal and giving me the knowledge I need to get there. It was so helpful with the insider tips and examples of article types, pitches, checklists and write-ups.
It fuelled my passion for travel.
I know so much more about travel writing now, and have the tools to begin making it professional.
I love travel and lived overseas for 26 years! I want to write about travel and share experiences so this course seemed perfect.
Valerie explained everything so well and the course detail is comprehensive with the handouts and videos. You have more than enough to get started.
The interviews with Katrina Lobb were really useful. It was really helpful to see so many examples of the different types of travel articles.
It got me started! I got the confidence to send my first pitches, and the tools to plan some possible article ideas for an upcoming trip to Malaysia.
Do it! It's a practical course with something for everyone.
I really love writing, not just travel writing but all sorts of writing. I loved your easy-to-follow course. Everything was laid out so professionally and I learnt so much. I liked that the course was Australian and not an American course and I could relate to the content so much easier.
I found the whole course enjoyable. I loved the handouts and the videos. Really interesting and kept you engaged.
Got my creative juices flowing. Lots of different ideas on how to write etc.
I have been reading travel articles all my life and writing sporadically for the past few years. I've now learnt the actual terms of certain things like write-offs and breakout boxes. I am also now able to identify areas for improvement in my pieces.
AWC gives you all the tools you need to become a successful writer - the rest is up to you.
I have always loved writing and traveling. Having raised three children who are now all on their own path, I thought it was time to combine two of my passions. I found this course online and watched the preview/promotional video which made learning about the specifics involved in travel writing look very interesting, relatable and easy to follow. I liked the idea of self-guided learning at my pace.
The detailed, relevant and hands on information made the learning process very easy. The review check lists, sample pitch and email templates for editors are excellent and the variety of sample reading material and extra links are invaluable.
I really enjoyed reading through the travel articles and the interviews with Katrina Lobley. I also thought Valerie spoke very clearly, concisely and personably. She provided and presented excellent information in a very comfortable setting.
I have had many story/articles ideas swirling around in my head for years - interesting places I have been to, things I have seen, unique experiences, travel emergencies I have had to navigate. Now that I have completed this course, I have a fire in my belly. I cannot wait to get started.
Sign up today! Don't wait. If you're interested in learning to write emotive, informative, captivating travel articles professionally (or simply for your own satisfaction) and you want to know the correct way to contact the right people in order to get published, then this course is perfect.
I loved Katrina's snippets and the way she and Valerie complimented each other as presenters. Both very clever and inspiring women who are very generous with their knowledge.
It's inspired me to get writing - not travel yet but I have been entering short story competitions.
Useful information and resources, and engaging content.
Not only did the course meet my expectations, it far exceeded them. The segments were thoroughly thought out, extremely well organised with great breadth as well as depth.
An excellent, thorough guide to travel writing. You will be so impatient to get started after completing this journey.
I'm always interested in learning something new. I enjoy seeing the world and have travelled quite a bit and wanted to see if travel writing could appeal to me as a freelancer.
I enjoyed dissecting actual published articles to learn the best way to structure an article. I enjoy reading about destinations, both local and overseas.
I believe I could write travel articles in the future.
I think AWC courses are a good way to learn different types of writing and find out what suits you.
I've always loved experiencing new places, and I've always loved writing. We've started to travel again recently (now the kids are grown), and we have plans to do lots of caravanning and possibly overseas travel very soon. I have also had a few profile pieces published, and received great feedback on those, so I want to have a go at writing travel articles and getting paid for them.
I liked the real practical information given, e.g. on photos, contacting editors, who to approach for interviews etc.
It was great to hear Katrina tell her stories about the different articles she's written, and to hear her tips, tricks and practical aspects of the job.
I now have a plan to follow to get started; ideas for articles and hooks are blossoming in my head, and I believe more fully that I can do this!
If you are serious about becoming a travel writer, do this course! If you are kind-of interested in becoming a travel writer, do the course anyway because it will turn your spark into a fire.
I enjoyed the pace and the flexibility - being able to do the modules at my own pace and at times and periods that worked with my somewhat unusual life. Having Valerie as a constant with writers like Katrina Lobley contributing their experience. The tools and the example documents like how to pitch etc. Over the months I have worked with the course I have learned a lot about the industry and how it works and feel I now have the tools to restart writing. Now it is up to me!
I am going to put aside my hesitation and start to work with actually pitching. I am going independently to Albania for the first time in May and having started researching what's out there and doing lots of background reading, I feel there is a real opportunity to start my travel writing with this - an unusual destination, some Australian connections and lots of fascinating hooks in its recent and ancient history.
Valuable and professionally-run course which you can do at your own pace, providing industry insight and great tools and examples.
The content is comprehensive, easy to follow and great bite-size to do at your own pace. It's an excellent introduction to travel writing.
Top class information and delivery through video lessons with Valerie and interviewing a professional travel writer with great tips!
All the practical information and behind the scenes lifestyle of a professional writer. It's like going on a virtual world tour, enjoying the ride, and ready to take flight to amazing destinations!
The course content and delivery are beyond expectation. Great tips and pitfalls of travel articles through many practical examples, including the last module 18 of Valerie's insights and personal experiences.
Highly recommended for anyone who's considering a career as a travel writer. Valerie is a great presenter and all the modules are well structured.
I loved the video chats between Valerie and the travel writer and her quick video tips while on travel writing trips. I felt the mixture of video and handouts kept the course entertaining and engaging.
I'm a content copy writer for a tourism and events organisation and often write listicles. However, it was great to be reminded of the fundamentals, given practical advice and to revisit certain aspects, like coming up with fresh hooks and intriguing angles and the art of pitching to magazines and newspapers, and to people who don't know me. The course also got my creative juices flowing again. I needed inspiration and this happened to me during the course.
The Australian Writers' Centre is great for beginner writers and for experienced ones, too. You can never learn too much. People who want a career in copy writing and freelance journalism will also benefit. The courses provide a mixture of practical and creative advice in easy-to-digest modules, including handouts and videos. Nothing beats actually writing or coming up with ideas but these courses get you thinking, provide lots of inspiration and point you in the right direction.