What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The seminar was conducted in a clear and concise way, and the use of the handouts was all very helpful.

I now know so much more about not only when and how to use a flashback or a memory, but also the tenses, which I can sometimes struggle with.

I used to think memories and flashbacks were basically the same thing. Now I understand that a memory is a summary, and a flashback is a whole scene which will help with my future writing immensely.

If anyone is thinking about whether or not to do a course with the Australian Writers' Centre, I would tell them to go ahead and do it. Their information is invaluable.

The course provided incredible foundations for me to build upon. I enjoyed learning to develop my voice as a writer.

I think Scrivener is brilliant and the way Natasha explained how it worked was very easy to follow.

I really liked the way you could set up your scenes and chapters and then work on which ever section you felt like on any particular day. I really feel that this capacity will encourage me to write my memoir. Natasha was able to demonstrate different ways that you could use the program which was also very helpful.

I like the way that you can move things around easily, bookmark and annotate what you are doing. I also like the way you can include your research material all in the same place. Having already started my writing I have so many documents already so the idea of being able to keep everything within the one place with easy access is so empowering. It really streamlines the whole process.

I really like AWC's courses. They are very practical and useful. The information you share really empowers anyone new to writing to get started.

I thought Grant was exceptionally informative and knowledgeable.

I liked it all. I now have confidence in editing and a better understanding of the rules of grammar.

Very professional level of education.

Carla was super positive and encouraging. I loved her honesty and the connections she made with each writer. I thought her feedback was honest and supportive which made me want to write and do more learning activities/exercises.

I feel like I learnt so much about my character, my writing style and what publishers are looking for. As well as how to write my story ideas down in the most suitable point of view.

Loved everything about it. Thank you very much! :)

Absolutely loved the course and information presented. Being a teacher, I thought I knew how to write a narrative, but there is so much more to writing an engaging children's novel. I loved the tutorials with expert writers and authors and well as publishing perspectives. When we completed the written assignments, I valued Carla's critical feedback, and it definitely encouraged me to keep writing and get my ideas down.

I really enjoyed the practical nature of the course. I'm starting to learn how to build scenes and plan structure. This is a big step forward for me as I have never tried to write a novel before.

Nat was great and provided really insightful, helpful feedback. She was always respectful and encouraging.

I think the course would be very helpful to anyone who wants to learn how to write a novel.

Despite my initial concerns, I am glad I enrolled in the course. It has helped me to remember my love of writing, overcome my writers block and has given me the tools to push past my perfectionism. I loved the weekly assignments. The deadlines kept me accountable, and sharing them to our public forum was a great way to get comfortable with other people reading my work.

Petronella was really encouraging and a great help. Her feedback on our assignments was great. She highlighted things we did well and suggested improvements with an explanation of why something was confusing or didn't read well. I know for one of my assignments, I had made it too complicated for such a short scene, which was evident when Petronella gave her feedback.

I enjoyed the weekly assignments, where we would demonstrate our understanding of the modules in a concise scene and then receive feedback on our work. It was really interesting to read everyone else's assignments too.

The course exceeded my expectations. I am amazed at how thorough and informative the intensive learning modules are! I am beyond grateful to have completed this course.

Bernadette is fantastic! She is truly a copywriting guru. Her in-depth knowledge and life experience as a copywriter is priceless. She exudes confidence coupled with humility. Her authenticity and kind approach to her students made it so easy to listen and learn.

Moreover, Bernadette is a wordsmith architect and her teaching style is so thorough and intensive that I felt personally mentored by her within the group setting. The critical feedback that Bernadette gave was always constructive and helpful for growth. Every week she encouraged us and revealed the positive aspects to our copy, highlighting our strengths, and cultivating self-belief.

What I loved most about Bernadette's teaching style, was her ability to encourage you to believe in yourself and empower you to want to be the best copywriter.

I have learnt tangible and practical formulas that I can go to when writing copy for clients. I now feel better equipped with marvellous knowledge and skills to get out there and give this a real go!

Thank you to Bernadette and the team at AWC for an incredible experience. I believe that what I have learnt here will be life changing.

I needed help to kick-start my writing as it had languished for far too long. I also wanted help with problems which were getting in the way of continuing to write my book.

Jenny was very helpful and knowledgeable as well as encouraging. Her feedback picked up a key issue with the beginning of my story on which I needed to focus. She also pointed out other more minor things to be aware of and keep in mind as I write.

I enjoyed learning more about plot, character, structure and storytelling. I was pleased to improve my understanding of these key areas of novel-writing. Giving and receiving feedback was also a very enjoyable part of this course.

I feel that I have a much better understanding of what is required to write a novel, in terms of effort, time spent and establishing a routine. This has been eye-opening and a good reality check for me.

If you want to learn more about writing fiction or non-fiction, build your knowledge and skills in the craft of writing, and believe in yourself as a writer, then do an AWC course.

Thanks for another great course! This has pushed me farther along on my writing journey and for that, I'm very grateful.

The course is thorough and really steps you through the process. It has really helped me think about next steps clearly. I won't be ready to narrate for some time but it will be helpful to be thinking of this next stage as I edit my memoir for re-release.

I enjoyed the step-by-step approach and the narrator's enthusiasm for audiobooks.

The AWC is a good resource for courses about the writing craft and the business of being a writer.

I found it practical and easy to follow. Fast paced and practical. Common sense advice plus a lot of tips and information.

I am set to start now. No more mulling. I am going to write my book...maybe even a series!

Jennifer was perfect. Prompt. Fair with criticism. For me it was picking over the fine points of the plot and that you can't get away with things.

It was great reading others' work. Seeing we all have the same difficulties and fears. Seeing there are some really good writers out there and I need to lift my game! Seeing what I liked and what I didn't like as much, and understanding why. It was great having other eyes on my writing. Seeing different opinions. Jennifer's opinion obviously was a big incentive to see if I'm on the right track etc.

I now know I have it in me. Having other (talented) writers reading my stuff made me really have to work on my own writing. It was much better after the course than it was before.

The course is essential. Better done sooner rather than later. Don't be embarrassed, we all started somewhere, better to get good, constructive feedback early and in a supportive environment.

The course was amazing! It was so practical and the formulas were so easy to use.

Bernadette is the best. I would follow her anywhere and I will follow her into the next copywriting course. Bernadette's knowledge is brilliant and her willingness to share tips and tricks is invaluable. Bernadette's feedback was amazing and so helpful. She made the subject matter so appealing and easily understandable and did it with humour.

I now know this is what I want to do.

I enjoyed the voice and friendly manner of the presenter, the self-paced structure, and the regular pauses to write the next part of my story. So many learnings backed up by examples.

I know now how to structure the hooks, the planting of clues, driving the story with action, dialogue and the senses. I now read in a totally different way as well, and can see how the writer is 'manipulating' the reader (in a good way).

Go for it. Totally professional info that will change your writing.

The course was thorough and covered a lot more than I had anticipated (even though I'd read the course outline, there was so much more). Michelle is a fantastic tutor. The topic is huge and dynamic, and she was able to provide lots of clear and practical 'how to' advice, terrific website examples and ideas to think about when personalising our own sites.

I basically binged the whole course over a few days, as I wanted to get an overall picture of the content. I'm glad I did as now I can work through the modules that are more relevant to me in my own time.

The very first thing I have done (literally, within half an hour of completing the final module) was go back over the content about domain names, took Michelle's advice of 'run don't walk' - and have secured my domain name! Her enthusiasm and encouraging 'can-do' approach made what I'd thought was going to be a 'hard thing to do' not hard at all.

Michelle touched on a lot of important topics, and I now feel I have a better understanding of what I need to be thinking about in terms of what is important to me, and what my actual goals are. Module 1 really set the scene for the whole course. Plus, as she reinforced, I want to focus on my writing, so I'm happy for the expert web designers to do the website work, but now I have the confidence to be an active voice in my brand and know what to 'ask for' - and not just 'looking in' and hoping they're presenting me as me, if that makes sense.

The AWC is an all-welcoming, warm and supportive organisation for writers at all stages of their career. They offer a variety of resources that offer practical advice and encouragement in the craft of writing and storytelling. And the monthly Furious Fiction is always a blast of a challenge!

I needed direction on how to progress my novel. Structure, discipline and deadlines. The course met my expectations, and my expectations were very high. I wanted it to dig me out of a very deep hole - and it did!

Bernadette was fantastic. For me, just the right kind of personality - having the authority of years of working in the industry but exuding a true love of books, writing and writers. Her advice was direct, practical, genuine and always kind. She made me feel I had something worthwhile to contribute and, further, that every writer in the course had something worthwhile to contribute. For some reason that dissolved a big defensive barrier in my brain - letting in a community of writers and letting myself out amongst them.

I discovered that I can write, that I deserve to write, that my novel is entertaining, to believe in myself, trust my ideas. And that there as so many writers out there just like me, writing away. I felt alone before, but now I know I'm part of a pod in a big ocean.

Two big takeaways: That having your drafts read by other writers/readers and getting their feedback is invaluable. And, that the first draft is simply 'writing the story', and then there is time and a process for turning the story into a novel after that.

Don't hesitate, just do it, your writing will improve. Life is short and novels take time to write.

A really practical and well-rounded course. It helped give me tools and clear direction to move from someone just passionately playing around with creative writing into someone who feels excited to pursue the challenge of pulling my writing into the form of an actual book.

Really enjoyed learning all the tips about structure and importance of creating a cohesive narrative that builds upon itself and weaves together with resonance.

Very practical and interesting course. Well worth the time and investment!

Creative Non-Fiction is a writing style I wanted to explore for a while and which I believed would broaden my knowledge and flair.

The course was planned meticulously and this showed distinctly in every aspect - from the design of each module with each being broken down into digestible chunks, to the course materials and the ease of navigation on the website. Plus, it's always a pleasure listening to the soothing voice of Valerie Khoo - and the author interviews were a fantastic bonus!

The course has opened my eyes to the depths and dimensions of Creative Non-Fiction, how important all the elements are even if seemingly tiny, and expanded my knowledge, which in turn has inspired some confidence in my capacity to be able to write well in this genre.

Every now and then, I mention to friends that I like to take a course with the Australian Writers' Centre to replenish my knowledge and skills - and my comments are always the same: that the AWC is fantastic, thorough, trustworthy, and with a genuine interest in both the content it teaches and its students. I always then go on to note that many of Australia's best writers have come out of the AWC. All wonderful things! Thank you, AWC!

My dream is to write romance novels so I was looking for a course that would teach me the foundations and expectations of the romance genre. I wanted to know the structure and the rules to put myself in the best position possible to fulfill my dream.

This course was so enjoyable and encouraging. I loved that one of the main messages is that your story is unique and only you can write it. The whole romance writing community feels so warm and inclusive and it was such a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Zoom question and answer sessions. I got just as much out of them as the modules. I also really loved learning about the world of romance writing and the different categories and sub-categories available. It has made me love and appreciate the craft that goes into these stories even more.

It was so practical and in depth. With the focus on structure and expectations for romance novels, it answered all of my questions!

I feel a lot clearer in my approach to writing my first draft. Having the expectations and structure has eased a lot of my worries and has sparked that excitement to hit the keyboard running.

These courses are the best investment you can make for yourself. The course material is clear and in depth and the community in the groups and on social media are all so inclusive and encouraging. The modules are really well presented, and I found myself laughing along and genuinely having fun while learning.

The tutor was super knowledgeable and provided very thorough feedback.

I enjoyed stretching my brain, and learning more about SEO.

The course is easy to fit in with work, good pace and content.