What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I'm planning a 'silver gap year' in 2024 and was looking for a way to share my experiences with others. I needed some knowledge about how to write successfully.

The course is very well-paced. I appreciated the modular approach and the detailed information and handouts. Knowing how experienced Valerie is meant her presentation was a warts-and-all approach which I appreciated. Hearing from other successful writers was also useful.

I have a much greater understanding of what's involved in travel writing, how to go about it and will definitely pitch my ideas to editors now. Without the course, I would never have done that.

I write about travel on social media and on my blog, and wanted to learn more about travel writing techniques and industry requirements, and whether some of my articles might be suitable for submitting to print or online media. Enrolling in the AWC Travel Writing course seemed the perfect way to find out!

Valerie's insider knowledge and tips were invaluable, as were the handouts for reference.

I loved being able to pick up the course whenever it suited me and I really enjoyed working on it at my own pace.

I am writing more regularly and feeling confident about how I write. Although I haven't as yet submitted any of my work to media outlets, I am producing a lot of content for my blog, and happily sharing it on social media.

The AWC offers a wide range of writing courses in a variety of formats. If you are serious about improving your writing skills and gaining industry knowledge, this is the place to do it.

I spent 15+ years in the tourism industry, but since having a child 7 years ago I have moved away from it. I wanted to find a way to get back in the industry that would work for my family life. This course seemed to cover all the basics and have a great overview of travel writing for newbies like me!

I don't know what I expected, but I can tell you I didn't expect to finish the course feeling like I'd just had all the nuts and bolts of the industry revealed! The course was superb: easy bite-sized modules with clear action points and takeaways.

I feel like a whole other world has been revealed to me! I am a freelance event manager who is feeling rather burnt out. A client said to me last week, "I don't have any more events coming up right now but if you ever start copywriting let me know, I could really use a hand." Because I was doing this course, I felt confident enough to say to her that actually I am doing a travel writing course and I would be interested in writing copy for her. We immediately had a Zoom call and decided I would write some blog posts and newsletter copy for her. They are not travel-related posts but I get to practice my writing with a client that fully understands I am a novice! I would never have put my hand up for this type of work if I wasn't doing this course.

I just loved how positive Valerie was in that if you keep trying it will happen!

The course was SO comprehensive and easy to digest - and also very good value!

I enjoyed this course as I learnt more about travel writing. The fact that it was self-paced gave me flexibility to structure my learning and allowed me to rewatch videos. I also liked the handouts - it was easy to follow.

I'm more motivated to write articles as I can see a pathway to becoming a travel writer as outlined in the course.

Enrol! You'll learn a lot.

Really helpful to have practical and hands on insights from Katrina and Valerie - a great way to learn.

There was a lot of information, but broken down into manageable bites made it less daunting and practical when working full time.

I believe I can be a travel writer and look forward to an upcoming trip to Scotland to practice my new skills.

Just do it! They are great courses, really informative and delivered in a practical real world style.

I'm keen to develop my writing skills and I am travelling to some interesting places over the next few years, so I thought this could be a way to keep motivated to write, learn to write for a different market and have some fun.

The course is well organised, the learning outcomes are clear and it was easy to negotiate online.

I enjoyed being pushed out of my comfort zone. It's a little daunting to have your assignment seen by other members of the course, but it's a good way to learn and is consistent with up-to-date teaching and learning theories which advocate peer learning.

If you want a 'no nonsense', concise, but comprehensive introduction to travel writing then this is the course for you!

I hope to continue my writing with AWC in some way. Thank for another excellent course.

Valerie is honest, caring and extremely supportive of her students. She really encourages us in every way. You know you are being guided by an expert, and this is so inspiring.

I loved the assignments; they made you think and challenged you in a great way. Also, I loved going through all the example articles with Valerie; her knowledge as she broke them down really helped me see how they should be written.

I feel as though being a travel writer may not be out of my reach. Valerie helps you believe it is possible.

Do not hesitate. You will be so rewarded and addicted to their courses. They make learning fun, easy and accessible. They are the best in the business in my view! I can't wait to do another course!

The feedback was clear and constructive and much appreciated as it helped me to see where I was going wrong. I enjoyed the clear instructions on how to approach an editor and make a pitch, plus reading other students' pitches and intended destinations.

I've gone back over the itineraries for the out-of-the-way/less usual places I have travelled to, re-accessed the posts I made at the time and started working on the sorts of angles for each that might appeal to an editor, with a view to pitching some of the destinations as possible travel stories.

The course covers the basics of travel writing concisely and clearly, with relevant and timely feedback. A five-week course is do-able for someone combining work with study and will get them quickly to a point where they can start pitching ideas and writing.

Valerie was great, and it was awesome to have someone with her experience guiding us. The feedback was always useful.

I loved the actual writing. It was so good being creative, as that is sometimes lacking in my work. I also really enjoyed the overall learning experience and reading the work of other participants. The course is super practical, and I'm ready to pitch.

AWC courses are excellent, practical and highly useful. They are led by experienced professional writers, who openly share their knowledge and experience.

The tutor was knowledgeable and helpful. Interesting technique to have all assignment feedback shared for all to hear and learn from. Good idea!

It was a serious course, but I really got into it and enjoyed the challenge!

I learned so much that I now look forward to documenting my future travels and I no longer fear the thought (even) of submitting a pitch to a travel publication. I do not fear rejection, but never knew the first thing about how to go about trying to get anything published! It's confidence I did not have before.

It was a great learning experience and I loved it!

The huge amount of practical info given is just invaluable. I'm so impressed. I also loved all the real articles we were given to read.

I loved Valerie's super pragmatic and positive approach. I love that she told us the realities of the industry but always made it seem like it was within our grasp. I have a tendency to succumb to overwhelm and imposter syndrome and feel like I need to know EVERYTHING before I can start, so Valerie's approach and encouragement was really refreshing.

I feel a bit emotional actually, because in many ways my creative life had stalled a bit, but I now feel really excited about possibilities again.

AWC courses are hugely practical with a real focus on getting you started in the industry, giving you invaluable insider info and concrete steps you can take to start your career.

I have always been interested in travel writing but was never sure how to start. It would have taken me months or probably even years to find out all of this information on my own. Without this course, I wouldn't have known how to pitch my story to an editor, what a 'famil' or 'on spec' was, or how to structure my article. I now feel confident to start my freelance travel writing career.

I really enjoyed getting feedback on my work as it gave me confidence to continue learning and improving my work. I also enjoyed learning about the business side of travel writing, such as how to email an editor and rates of pay.

One major learning point was understanding the different types of travel articles and how they are written. After learning this, it was really interesting to look at newspaper articles and analyse their structure.

I would definitely recommend the Australian Writers' Centre to anyone thinking about pursuing a career in writing.

I intend to get back in to the world as my last child leaves home this year and was a freelance writer previously. I have done previous courses and I enjoy the structure and discipline which makes me shift my own career forward rather than getting caught up in everyone else's needs.

The tutor was great. Love the feedback in its honesty and clarity. I am always hungry for feedback so the recordings of these was a highlight. I like being forced to write as I enjoy it. Also working with such a wide variety of people in an online class.

It has made me think that maybe I can do this. I have been published for many years before but lost a lot of confidence over the years of doing other stuff.

A good way to get going with your writing, whilst being able to fit into your week.

As always, Valerie is thorough, visionary and practical. Some of her suggestions were quite unexpected; but she was right.

I now have the confidence to get on with travel writing and, in particular, pitching.

Do yourself a favour. Do it.

I wanted to expand on the freelance writing skills course and write about my travels.

Valerie is an amazing tutor with a wealth of knowledge, who provides very specific targeted feedback. This is incredibly helpful.

I enjoyed learning how to describe my travels in a commercially viable writing format. I feel equipped to be able to pitch articles to publications with confidence. Now I just have to do it!

Excellent quality of both content and teaching, intensely packed with useful information.

I have an interest in travelling throughout Australia and I wanted to learn a change of writing style to gain flexibility.

Valerie is down-to-earth and honest, but also approachable and encouraging. I learnt a lot about travel that I never knew: Pitch, hook, and angle.

Just do it if that's your passion!

I follow the Australian Writers' Centre newsletter. This course seemed perfect for my love of travel and writing. The time difference between Canada and Australia initially seemed like an obstacle but since all of the modules are recorded with printed handouts, that turned out not to be a problem.

The course is well presented and provides great information about the travel writing industry. Valerie is extremely professional and clear in her presentation of the course modules. She has a direct approach to feedback that was helpful.

It has broadened my knowledge about the travel writing industry and the approach to submitting pitches. It is very different from the type of writing I have been doing lately - which is poetry and memoir writing.

The information about the travel writing industry is excellent and will help shape your path as a travel writer.

I thought the specifics in term of instructions, explanations and examples were fabulous. The tutor was brilliant. So much knowledge. I found learning about the process in such a chatty style entertaining and enlightening.

I actually loved the process of evaluating the way other travel writers had tackled the task.

I knew the time was going to be pressured and I struggled to keep pace, but I'm so glad I pushed myself to do it. I now have a lot more strategy to my vague idea that this is something I could now do.

I enjoyed the flexibility and the bite-sized learning modules. I feel empowered that I can actually do this...I know I am still learning but I am confident to call myself a freelance writer now.

The Travel Writing course reinforced many of the underlying principles I learnt in the Freelance Writing course earlier in the year. But as this course is purely about travel writing it really made me focus my attention on looking for even better angles to fit with this genre. Just practising the craft - analysing, writing and pitching - in a safe environment has been, along with the excellent feedback from Valerie, really confidence building.

Over the last few weeks I've noticed a new habit: when I'm out and about - walks or hikes with friends, exploring somewhere new, visiting a museum or new micro-brewery - I'm asking myself: "Is there a story in this?" or "This is interesting, where's the angle?"

The AWC offers a really good framework for budding writers. You are guided supportively by some great tutors. Week by week they build on very well-structured lessons with great advice, examples and feedback that helps build skills and confidence. I have learnt tons from the AWC courses.

Anything is possible i.e. becoming a freelance or travel writer. Trust the process, do the homework, listen to the tutors, and I'll get there!