What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I was very impressed with the way the information in this course was organised. It waded through a morass with insight and clarity.

I enjoyed learning about something I knew very little about.

I have been toying with the idea of having several of my fictions produced as audiobooks. This course has made that possibility more of a probability.

I enjoyed all the helpful tips and practical information and following the live website examples with other authors. Each module was very informative and very easy to listen to. I didn't notice the time passing, nothing felt lagging or unnecessary.

I am an unpublished author who really hopes to be published one day. This course has helped me to take myself more seriously as an author. If I make my own author website, then other people will see I am a real author and so I can take myself more seriously and not feel the imposter syndrome so much. It has also given me a drive to finish my books and self-publish and then sell on my website.

Great courses, very practical and informative.

Although I thought I knew a fair bit about chapters, Pamela raised many more issues such as having a rest scene or chapter but these must still raise narrative tension. Oops, mine hadn't. I will be more mindful of several issues that I hadn't been aware of before.

I'm completely satisfied with the seminar.

From a 'know it all' novice, AWC courses have changed me into a writer. A writer who is still on a fascinating learning journey of discovery.

I have wanted to write my novel for a while now. I had the idea but didn't know how to start it.

Nat was fantastic. She was incredibly knowledgeable. Watching her give feedback for myself and other writers was a highlight. I learnt a lot through them. It made me aware of the problems in my work, and how to fix them.

The most enjoyable but also terrifying part was the workshopping. I loved reading the other writers' work and their feedback for me.

I am quite a socially anxious person so the layout was perfect. I only wished it was longer. I truly didn't want it to end.

It has motivated me to keep writing, and has given me the confidence that I can write a story.

You must do it if you want to write a novel! The knowledge and the experience that you gain will change the way you look at writing!

I found the course inspiring and practical. I enjoyed the real-life stories of writers; they resonated with me and inspired me. I also enjoyed Val's no-nonsense advice throughout the course. She gives practical advice that is easy to follow while understanding that people have lives to live and may not know where to start.

Louisa is a brilliant and enthusiastic tutor who is an expert in crime and thriller writing. She really brought the genre alive and her enthusiasm is catching! She is really warm and encouraging, and I will seek out 'Novel Writing Essentials' with her as a tutor in a future course.

I really enjoyed learning 'in real time' with a group of other writers on zoom. I also enjoyed chatting to other writers in the breakout rooms. It was fabulous to get instant feedback from Louisa and other classmates too.

I now have a framework for writing a mystery/crime novel which I hope to utilise at a future date.

You can't possibly go wrong with AWC! The courses are all so well thought through and structured. You will always be amazed at how much you will learn.

This course is fun for novice writers but really valuable for more experienced writers who are already writing in this genre.

I didn't realise how much I didn't know about the craft of writing until I did this course. I gained a lot of basic skills and knowledge on what I needed to look out for and how to structure my story and develop 'authentic' characters.

Very useful for people who are serious about writing a book. The workshopping element of the course was pretty useful. Nat was also a great tutor and her insights and feedback helped immensely. Her feedback is on point.

A very useful course to do if you are serious about becoming a published author one day.

I finished the first draft of a manuscript last year, and although I believe the storyline is quite sound, I struggled with depth in the characters and my dialogue needed work. I wanted to learn more about the writing craft to edit the draft effectively.

Nat was very clear when she addressed both of my submissions, and those of my fellow students. Her style in critique was constructive and delivered with humour and sensitivity. She clearly outlined the problems I had with character interiority, transitions and dialogue. Her advice was light bulb stuff, and I'm very grateful for her input. I recommend her for a pay raise.

Although I struggled with the synopsis, it was very helpful. Receiving feedback was good for both my confidence and hesitancy moving forward. It has given me confidence in completing my first draft for my new story and editing my first manuscript later on.

Thanks to Nat and the team at the Writers' Centre for all your help in my writing journey. Also, I loved listening to Valerie delivering the modules. They were clear and very valuable.

I've cut, shaped, and polished my story through to the manuscript stage. It's been a satisfying journey on its own. My 'aha' moment is that I now believe that I have the skills required to become a published writer.

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.

The course is well structured and covers the major areas for murder and thriller writers. I looked forward to meeting with the group each week. The breakout groups enabled us to interact with different classmates each week and receive feedback from our peers.

I am so very glad that I have had the opportunity to undertake two courses with Louisa. She is the most positive, supportive and encouraging teacher I have ever met. Having been a lecturer for over 40 years, you can imagine I have met many. I feel she has set me up with all the skills I need and now I need to do the work. Louisa provides constructive feedback in a very nonthreatening manner.

The group was talented and extremely supportive of each other. The interaction with Louisa was both challenging and entertaining. The two hours each flew by.

I have a better understanding of structure and suspense and have the opportunity to practice these skills. Being a published author in this genre, Louisa was able to draw on many of her own and other writers' examples to illustrate the topics under discussion.

The Australian Writers' Centre has many pertinent courses for prospective writers and the instructors are all published authors, which is very encouraging and believable. I only wish I had discovered this centre before I had proceeded so far with my novel.

I thought Margaret was incredible! The feedback that I received from Margaret has been invaluable to me as an aspiring author and has given me incredible insight into my writing. I look forward to using the skills I have learned so far to develop my writing further.

I enjoyed everything! It has given me the courage to keep going with my writing and to use the skills I have developed to really give it a go.

Having someone tell you what is working and not working in your manuscript helps immensely. I can now see what I am doing well and what mistakes I am making. Taking out all the words that are unnecessary was a big one and also how to structure the story properly.

Stop whatever it is you are doing and just enrol! I would highly recommend this course and I would explain to people how much knowledge and skills I gained from doing it.

I would like to say a big THANK YOU! I am actually sad that the course has finished, I looked forward to it every single Monday and I am incredibly grateful to Margaret and everyone behind the scenes who makes it an amazing course. I am looking forward to enrolling in the Picture Books Masterclass asap! Many thanks!

I have written a novel and I'm nearly to the end of my second, but I've always loved picture books and wanted to learn more about writing them.

I was happy with the flexibility of the course, especially concerning assignments. Also, it's great that I can go back over the modules as often as I need for the next twelve months.

Margaret was very positive in her comments and always gave you a takeaway, something constructive that you could then work on.

I enjoyed the insights into the tricks to writing sparkling prose. Also, the parameters involved in picture books was interesting.

Five weeks is a good time frame, and the content is excellent. I now have a draft of a story that I have been thinking about for years.

I have completed three courses at the AWC and I have been happy with all of them. I think the AWC courses target a range of writing genres. Their courses are easily accessible and affordable. I especially appreciated the constructive feedback from my tutor in this course.

So much amazing content in the course. I'll be referring back to it so much!

I enjoyed all of it! Can't narrow it down - each week built on the skills of the previous one. I'm sad the course is over

Feedback was really valid and prompt.

It's given me the confidence to put myself out there and reevaluate my work with a much more critical eye. It provided a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to build our skills and confidence, plus the insider knowledge to take our work to publishers and hopefully into little hands one day!

I've always wanted to learn how to turn my food memories and stories into a creative piece. Having the opportunity to present my real life experiences and pitching them to editors was a big attraction for me.

Carli was a great tutor who has a wealth of experience in travel, writing and pitching to publishers. Picking her brain was highly useful in understanding potential steps forward in the food writing industry.

I feel really passionate on getting pen to paper and going through my food travel pics and writing stories from Vietnam, Malaysia and Italy. I want to write some pieces, start a website and combine these travel stories with restaurant recommendations and recipes.

This course is a great way to flesh out all of your food ideas and memories into a well published piece. It gives you an opportunity to learn about the fine details and nuances that put you above the rest when pitching to a publisher.

Margaret was very knowledgeable. She was kind in her feedback but honest at the same time. The feedback she gave made sense and was very helpful.

I learnt so much in this course and so many things surprised me. Doing this course completely changed the way I write a picture book and I have more confidence that what I submit to a publisher might actually have a chance to be looked at.

It taught me more than I thought I needed to know.

I write with more confidence now and I feel like I have a clear pathway towards getting a book published

It's definitely worth it. It doesn't take up all your time. You can do it.

I imported a manuscript that I had abandoned for two years now and finally have the courage to edit it. It needs so much work but at least now I don't have to print out hundreds of pages to do so.

I learned things I didn't know the program could do that are extra helpful. The labels and corkboards. Oh and the Linguistic feature. So handy!

I would say the Australian Writers' Centre is a great place to harness your writing skills. It provides helpful courses that you can incorporate into your life without giving up your day job...or at least until you can...and don't have to give up years for tertiary education. You will learn what you registered to learn.

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.

Such a comprehensive course relevant to any genre or audience. I have a much better grasp of how to approach my story in terms of plot as well as characters.

Every AWC course is full of wisdom and insight from experienced authors who are passionate about helping you write better stories.

I now know what to look for when writing and editing to make my writing connect emotionally with my readers.

I liked the concrete examples of the same extract written as telling then rewritten as showing.

AWC is such a professional, accessible supportive resource that enables would-be writers to skip from being amateurs to professionals after learning from AWC's practical courses.