What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I love writing and I wanted to improve my writing and gain new skills which I can use in more stories.

I really liked my online tutor. She made the audio lessons fun and gave a lot of tips and advice to writing that I hadn't known. I really enjoyed working on character developments and learning more about how publishing works.

I feel like I now look at writing and planning my stories in a whole new way and have learnt so much in how to improve my writing.

This course has re-inspired me to want to become a writer in the future and has motivated me because now I have some tools and techniques to help me. Thank you!

AWC have great writing courses that you can do anytime you like and learn so much more about writing.

The documents and resources I now have to keep for ongoing reference are high quality. I felt as if Kate was talking directly to me and never did she say that her way was the only way to plan and plot.

The way Kate distilled her lifetime's experience of writing stories into a comprehensible structure was invaluable.

Kate provided a way to sort out what I am doing with my story. Rather than having a vague idea, I can now use her experience to make sense of how to organise my projects. Not knowing how to start was always a problem for me. You can use a logical approach to organising a project without losing the creativity of writing a story.

Thoroughly professionally presented and organised course. The Centre's technology was easy to use and made working through the modules simple.

I've pretty much pivoted in my job. I have been in marketing for years, but I do a bit of everything. I wanted to focus on the writing. This course has helped me do that.

So much useful and practical advice. I completed most of the course a while back. However, I hadn't completed the final module. I wish I had. I've been working in copywriting now for a few months, and I wish I'd listened to the advice about pricing and presenting the work to the client before now. Would have come in handy.

Great practical courses, and good value for money.

This course has blown the roof off my head. Just amazing. Big thanks to literally everyone involved. And I mean literally everyone - from Valerie Khoo and her easy-to-listen-to, articulate voice, to Cathie's feedback, to the accountant who processes the pays for people in charge of keeping the website bug-free, to the people who designed the website, to the people who managed to make an online course so interesting (including encouraging students to talk to each other)... just everyone. The whole course was so impressive.

Cathie is amazing. Her feedback was so good and really helped me understand the material I'd been learning. Having this feedback made all the difference between reading information / listening to the audios thinking "ah yep, I get it" and then being like, "ohh I hadn't actually got it at all, but now I know why." I just appreciated this feedback a LOT. So much so that I wish Cathie lived up the street from me and would pop in for a cup of tea and offer to read my manuscripts and give me feedback every week for free. I'd give her biscuits in return. Sometimes homemade, but more often than not probably Arnott's Monte Carlos. They just dunk better in a hot drink.

I liked having encouraging classmates. I liked Cathie's feedback. I liked the handouts. I liked having a list of children's picture books recommended to me. Do I really have to pick one thing, or can I just say that I found it all enjoyable? Imma go with 'all of it' as my final answer to what I found most enjoyable.

The only time I didn't find it enjoyable was when my preschooler had to stay home one day and every time I tried to listen to an audio he'd ask for a snack, or interrupt to show me the tower he built, or tell me that he needed to poo... but I think all of that was out of AWC's hands, and so we're back to my 'most enjoyable part of the course' being 'all of it.'

I'd previously spent a lot of time googling information about how to write a children's picture book. I knew it was 32 pages, I knew some other stuff, so I really wasn't sure what else I'd learn. I knew that there was a lot I didn't know, but hoo-boi was there A LOT I didn't know. ALL of the information in the course was fascinating, mind blowing, and interesting. It was all new information for me. I seriously cannot wrap my head around how deceptively simple picture books are. The information in the course, and the way it was presented, just scratched an itch I'd almost become numb to.

I did a course with AWC, and it was AMAZING. It was so good. Go and do a course with them. I mean you literally will not regret it. It will be impossible to regret it. Just enrol. The quality of both course and content is incredible. It is superior. Thank me later.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the course, the logical format, and that the lessons can be saved for future reference.

I've already edited my short stories and flash fiction pieces! I can now send them out with confidence that I have the basics right.

Go for it: school was a long time ago! Absolutely nothing to lose.

I enjoyed all aspects of the course, particularly the different options available as a writer. Excellent starting point, if thinking about becoming a writer. Course delivery was clear, concise and logical and delivered with integrity.

I needed a refresher on my grammar and punctuation. I understood the basics (that much I knew), but I always felt I was missing the confidence behind my words. This course helped with that. I now have a greater understanding of why we use certain punctuation that we do, which is immensely helpful for someone who wants to pursue writing and/or editing for their career.

The course boosted my confidence to continue writing the draft for my first book. It reaffirmed my choice in past tense - I often worried that it was a mistake and learning that most fiction is written in past tense sets your mind at ease. It was even interesting to learn that writers in present tense could move up and down depending on whether it was a memory or flashback.

If you are struggling with your writing and need a comfortable place to improve your skills, then joining the AWC community would be the place to do it.

The resources that were offered were excellent and helped alleviate a lot of the stress about how to present my work should I decide to go through the traditional publishing method. At the moment I am considering self-publishing but I will consider traditional publishing as well. I now feel I have the tools to do so.

I enjoyed how the course was delivered. The recordings were supported by the downloads with examples, and I could do parts of the course and come back to it with the right mindset. The information was clear and the terminology used for a new writer was excellent.

I have the self-belief now to continue writing and to know that I have access to people who have the knowledge and experience to help me progress my writing.

For anyone interested in writing, I would suggest to undertake the course to have a solid foundation of knowledge and experience to guide you. I was resistant to doing a course initially because I was nervous about not being good enough or that the course would be laborious and that I wouldn't enjoy it - that I wasn't skilled enough to do it and that I wouldn't cope with the feedback. I was wrong! I would encourage my friends to do this course.

The course helped to reaffirm that the creative/fiction area is exactly where I want to be, and has also opened the idea/possibility of linking my extensive knowledge, skills, and experience in Early Childhood Education with a writing career. Mainly through freelance feature writing for childhood development/parenting websites and magazines.

I enjoyed the case studies. It's so inspiring to see and hear from people who had regular day jobs and turned their passion for writing into their day job. And they've done it from all walks of life at different stages of their life. It highlighted the notion that it's never too late to make the change. There is literally no boat to miss unless one does not apply themselves.

Invest in yourself and go for it; there is nothing to lose and so much to gain.

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.

Useful info and ideas were provided. I enjoyed the opportunity to get some additional skills and see others at the same point of their writing odyssey.

It's given me more confidence to keep pressing on with my writing - others can do it successfully.

The course taught me so many new skills, but most of all assured me I am a writer. It pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and I enjoyed that more than anything.

Margaret was amazing in her feedback on our writing. I learnt so much from listening to her feedback not only on my writing but all the other participants. I grew in confidence learning from her.

Great to see such a diverse group of writers all with different genre intersects, and so enthusiastic. The tutorials were very informative and inspiring.

It has helped me step out of my own fear about writing, something I didn't achieve all the way through my PhD but this course has helped me do this in only 5 weeks. Perhaps I was ready to be pushed.

If you want to learn about creative writing and taking steps toward writing that novel, this course is for you. But even if you don't want to write a full novel there is still so much to learn.

Loved the tutor. She was honest and helpful and knowledgeable.

POV and tense were both pivotal moments for me. I know a lot more than I did before!

I felt smug as I liked my opening but thought I might learn something. I certainly did! Great information and made me reevaluate my openings. They ticked some boxes but could be improved.

I respect Pamela's knowledge and style of teaching and I always enjoy and learn from her. I enjoyed the concrete learning and examples which all grounded Pamela's very clear explanations.

I've gained the knowledge of what makes a good opening instead of just winging it.

Don't struggle alone: learn from the expert, practical information from AWC tutors that is sure to improve your writing and understanding of what publishers want.

I've always wanted to write but felt overwhelmed by how to get started. When I saw the course outline for Creative Writing Stage 1, I decided to just give it a go and see what came out of it.

I loved the way feedback was provided. Having someone read out what I had written provided me with an understanding of how someone else might read my words on a page.

The tutor was fabulous! She gave great feedback whether it was for something done well or something I could work on.

I loved that I wasn't doing this alone.

I learned that I can actually write something people find interesting and there may be a possibility of doing something with my writing in the future. I felt completely supported!

Do it! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Thank you and I can't wait to join more courses.

Margaret was great and gave everyone good feedback. Always positive and making sure to point out what she thought worked and what did not in a constructive way.

A great first step towards getting more confident as a writer.

Thank you!

I found it really useful in terms of the building blocks of writing - character, setting, scene etc. I found the feedback provided very helpful, not just that provided to me, but to other students as well.

I enjoyed the interaction with other writers and reading their work.

I'm still waiting for some aspects to gel, but I understand much more fully what is involved in writing a novel.

I'd say that the course I completed was very helpful in developing my craft as a writer. I found engaging with other students really helpful and the course helped improve my confidence in my ability.

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.

Pamela is an excellent teacher - clear, concise, articulate. She makes use of relevant practical examples to support her explanations. Pamela is always easy to listen to.

This was just what I needed to help with my writing. It answered questions that I didn't even know I should be asking!

The Australian Writers' Centre is an excellent place for sound content and teaching about writing from creative, to children's books, to copywriting, to murder mysteries. The eclectic list of courses is amazing.

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.