What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I have heard all sorts of tips and tricks for structuring stories - but the vast amount of information has always overwhelmed me. I was looking for one central course to simplify things whilst digging deep into each method.

I appreciated that additional information on topics such as character-building were still offered where they were relevant to story structure, giving you a little more than what was promised. That was a nice surprise!

I feel that I am now able to apply structures to books and films I see and read. The course has solidified my understanding of story structure and going forward I believe what I have learnt will flow naturally into my outlining and writing processes.

Great way to expand your knowledge of 'writerly' terms and processes - gives you the broad scope but delves deep into the important bits. Will definitely be purchasing more courses as I need them in future.

I enjoyed the depth of information shared and interacting with the tutor and other participants. It has already helped me to redesign my own website, which should go live in the next few weeks.

UX Writing is an excellent course for anyone interested in learning best practices for website design.

I was already submitting entries to AWC Furious Fiction, and it dawned on me that I needed help. A friend suggested I investigate the courses offered by AWC. That's the first realisation - an epiphany if you like.

I didn't become a registered nurse (actually a midwife) by just dreaming about it. I had to take action and do the work on myself, to acquire the skills that enabled me to act and become proficient and professional. Learning a new skill is no different.

There were little surprises in every module. I was unprepared for the joy that flooded over me as I heard about narrative tension. I had no idea such a process as "building narrative tension" existed. Before, it was like trying to build a house without a hammer!

I think the length and content of this course was highly satisfying to me, and I am now looking forward to the next course - Fiction Essentials: Characters. I know I am going to develop even more as a writer with Pamela Freeman's tutelage.

I will never be able to write again without the consciousness of building narrative tension and POV characters pervading my thoughts. The advice I received in this course about those topics alone was worth the asking price. The rest of it is a bonus.

This has made my writing "come alive" again and I am keen to get into it once more, because as any writer knows, it's a buzz to bring a story to life. My characters are telling me - "Thanks for showing the real me in this story." Now I won't disappoint them.

AWC is more than a one-stop-shop for writers and budding writers. No matter what stage of your writing career you are at, AWC can take you to the next level. I find that the courses are fairly priced and easily accessible online. It is clear that there is real caring behind this business. The AWC team love what they do, and clearly share in the pleasure of seeing all writers enjoy the craft of creative writing.

No matter the genre, there is a course for you and a tutor standing by to bring you to a professional standard. Takeaway point - don't hesitate.

I have self-published my first book and wanted to improve my skills for the second one. Also identify any gaps in my knowledge and learn from a published author.

I was hesitant about the time needed to complete it. To my surprise, I really enjoyed it and found the time to go through the modules and tasks every week. They didn't take up too much of my time.

I really enjoyed the live Zoom call with Angela and the rest of the class. It was so useful to get a chance to chat with Angela and get her feedback. She knows her stuff and yet was so approachable and encouraging.

The information was broken down into chunks which were easy to follow and understand.

Some of the stuff covered in it like setting scenes and dialogue etc really got me thinking about how to incorporate these skills in my next book. I also saw clearly where the gaps in my knowledge and skills were. I'm excited to put these skills to good use in my next book and hope it'll be an even bigger success. I'm planning to go through the course many times to pick up any nuggets I may have missed.

The AWC has some of the best courses for writers. Relevant information, great tutors and so flexible.

I loved the sense of camaraderie obtained by week 4; I also loved the inclusion of the reasoning mechanisms of the brain and how writing can induce / influence responses for the writer and reader. It also opened questions that have been very productive in my writing journey that I will be forever grateful for.

I have found a new way of writing I had not considered and it opened me to ideas for my work and validation for my ideas. I wish it wasn't over. It was a fascinating course!

I always recommend AWC as every course I have done has provided really useful honest information.

The information was incredibly helpful and not too detailed or overwhelming. It was nicely paced and structured.

Honestly, the world of publishing seemed too big and scary with no clear start points or directions... it was nice to know which steps to take and in what order before reaching out to publishers.

It was great. It met the expectations I had based on my research on the website. Enjoyed every week learning something new and stretching myself by putting it into practice.

Lovely tutor, good at delivering feedback in a sensitive way and generous with her knowledge.

I was initially worried I couldn't handle the commitment on top of my existing family and work commitments but it wasn't a problem. The audio files meant I could listen and learn on the go while driving, walking or doing tedious tasks.

I want to do so many AWC courses now. I loved learning so much in 5 weeks. It was more meaningful and handled better then creative writing I did at university years ago.

Kate approaches life and her writing from a different perspective. She adds that touch of fairyland, pixieland, elves and all things of another dimension. She is enthusiastic, dedicated and wants other writers to have joy in their work.

I enjoyed the beautiful graphics; the descriptions of other writers and poets and their lives; the way our writing works in the different parts of the brain; and doing the memory and secret writing exercises each week. The course demanded a certain amount of commitment without creating guilt if you couldn't keep up every exercise every day. Kate was encouraging and listened carefully to some of the writers who needed help.

I recommend AWC to EVERY friend and several completed courses with you and went on to write books.

At almost eighty I am taking a more relaxed approach to life and Kate's Dare to Dream was the perfect dash of fairy medicine I needed. Thank you Kate and thank you AWC.

Bernadette is a wonderful lecturer. The time she takes to give us feedback on all our assignments is priceless and she genuinely has a love for what she does which is infectious! The assignments were so useful.

I want to be a copywriter, and not just a copywriter, a GREAT one at that. I feel like it's possible after doing this course.

DO IT! If you love writing just do some AWC courses to be inspired!

I was not expecting the depth of information. The subject matter covered is really impressive.

The tutor was professional and super experienced. I enjoyed Bernadette's tutoring style – conversational, easy to digest the information and her guidance throughout the course was logical.

The course provided me with a lot more confidence to progress my love for writing and not put it off any longer.

If you've ever wanted to improve how you shape and sharpen your content, this is a great course to start with.

I think your course is brilliant and it has opened up an opportunity I would like to pursue. I have never really written anything in my life and I have always wanted to do this. It has only taken me about 20 years to work up the courage to have a go. So thanks.

Have a go. You haven't got the free time, but you will make it and you will have a lot of fun.

I knew a bit going in, but this course took my understanding of romance writing to a whole new level. What I enjoyed most was how vast the romance genre is! You can explore until your creative heart is content.

It made me look at my writing, and what kind of story I want to write, in a new light. I've been confining myself (and my story) to a box and now I feel free to explore in different ways.

I think this course is great for people wanting a greater understanding of the romance genre. DO IT! Your writing will never be the same again.

This is actually one of the best and most relevant courses I've ever completed. Often you leave a writing course feeling a little underwhelmed, but I can't say enough about this course or Bernadette. I've now started listening to her podcast - also really informative and engaging.

I've worked in corporate communications for 20 years but never once considered that I write copy. I'm looking to change pace next year and wanted to learn more specifically about copywriting and gain confidence to back myself - and to be honest, see if I really had been writing copy all that time!

I had no hesitation about enrolling, and was really excited, but I was also nervous about whether my experience in corporate writing was enough. Imposter syndrome is most definitely real!

This course has been brilliant - so practical, informative, and engaging. I'm really glad I found and decided to enrol. I've loved listening to Bernadette's insights, practical tips, brilliant advice and constructive feedback. Thank you, Bernadette. You've given me the boost I needed to get started on my freelance career.

The entire course has been really enjoyable, but I've really loved the tools and resources which have helped support the practical learning. It's all been fantastic. I'm about to enrol in two more AWC short courses!

Margaret was excellent in offering constructive advice and feedback. I feel very encouraged by her comments on my work.

It's just so meaty! I feel like I'll be digesting the info for weeks (months?). It covers far more, and in more detail, than I was expecting.

I'm feeling more encouraged and confident in my writing than ever before. It no longer feels like the road to publication is something only other people can do.

Margaret was absolutely lovely. Her feedback was always positive and constructive.

I loved the assignments, actually. The prompts made me think outside of the box and I loved reading what the other students submitted too.

Now I know how to go about my creative writing. Sure, I can just sit and write but now I know how to construct a scene and build and get to know my characters.

The AWC is a great place to learn what you want to know about writing without doing a full-on tertiary degree. You get the right education and support for your work.

Vivienne is a great teacher. Not every expert knows how to share their knowledge, but Vivienne used explicit examples to scaffold our learning.

Although the concept of homework was a shock at first, it was a great opportunity to apply our new learning at each step. Vivienne's feedback was detailed and supportive.

My 'aha' moment was that it's okay to feel passionate about your opinion piece subject matter. I'm far more aware of how to structure an opinion piece.

It was so full of information and it is an amazing feeling that I have learnt enough even at this foundation level to be able to go out and pitch and write stories.

I really feel that at 49 years of age, having worked so many years in education as an administrator, I can finally within five weeks begin the transition to writing and perhaps even doing this full time. I cannot imagine what a change this would be to my life to have a flexible, creative, career where I actually get to think and not just assist someone day in and day out. I feel I can begin turning my dream into reality. I mentioned in the group chat that I envied Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City... now I feel I might be able to be like her. I admired many writers for International Flow magazine and I can see myself now writing like them. Thank you.

Within 5 weeks, you could learn and develop the skill to actually change your life and live your dream.

How I write my dialogue has improved greatly which was the goal, but there were a couple of tidbits in the course that have really helped: know your characters, don't be embarrassed by making a dialogue scene 'more' and finally just keep writing without worrying about redrafting until the first draft is complete.

Dialogue isn't all about speaking, but everything that goes around it. I now have tools to play with when writing dialogue.

I found Suzanne gave incredibly useful feedback in a manner which allowed me to improve my writing and move forward in my quest to become a published picture book author. My knowledge of many aspects of children's picture book writing has increased beyond measure.

If you would like to increase your knowledge on the skills needed to become a children's picture book writer, then this is the course for you!

Bernadette was encouraging and a wealth of knowledge. Somehow, she answered my questions before I even asked them.

I have applied my newly found knowledge directly to my emerging business.