What’s it like to learn with AWC?

This course has given me the confidence to pursue writing picture books! I feel like I now have a really good understanding of structure, character and rhythm, and how to polish the story over time.

The real-world knowledge shared by the tutors is so beneficial and the wide variety of courses means there's something for everyone.

I came to the course wanting something that would keep me accountable to writing practice and I also wanted to gain some feedback on my writing/story. I learned a lot more than I thought I would.

I found Pamela's feedback really helpful - every suggestion or query she had improved not only the piece of writing I had but how I approached the next piece of writing. She was very engaging, thoughtful and kind.

I enjoyed the assignments because they were so relevant to the coursework. I really looked forward to Pamela's feedback each week because I was excited to hear her thoughts not only on my work but everyone's - I felt her advice really improved my writing skill and confidence.

I feel confident about my writing ability and story and feel driven to finally write my novel - which has been put aside for a few years now.

If you have a novel/story idea and you don't know where to start - start here!

I am currently editing my manuscript and needed a reminder about 'showing' to make sure I'm doing it right.

Pamela's explanations are easy to understand plus we get handouts.

It highlighted some areas that may need some checking in my manuscript - summary scene vs full scene. Will summarising have an impact on the character? But it also reassured me that I have been showing and not telling for the most part. Now I also need to check for floating white rooms.

Whether it's the full workshops or the Focus On seminars, there's something at the AWC for new writers and experienced writers.

Feedback was both comprehensive and constructive. Thank you!

I gained a lot of technical knowledge that will be so useful! I really enjoyed the human aspect in the assignment where we interviewed a classmate.

This is a very worthwhile course to take if you're starting out in the industry, and it's packed with valuable resources!

I'm at a time in my life where I'm transitioning from corporate to creative, i.e. what inspires me, and thought this course would be an excellent overview of other options.

Thank you for an excellent overview. I especially enjoyed hearing about other writers' experiences and how they have made writing work for them.

I've realised I already know the area of writing I'm interested in and already have lots of experience from my corporate experiences. Now just have to get on with it while the time is right. Will also be looking at some other AWC courses to support my journey.

Do it! Tremendously helpful.

I enjoyed this course. It's inspiring and informative. Great topics covered and clear explanations. The lecturer has interesting stories and clear explanations for each topic in the course.

Enrol and start as soon as you can; you won't regret it.

Kate took me on a journey I never imagined possible. I am now inspired to write more because it is what I love to do, for me, rather than anyone else. Who knows where that may take me in the future.

As a marketing professional heading towards the end of my full-time career life I still have the passion and desire to work post retirement. Copywriting is something I have dabbled with over the years but wanted to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the skills required to successfully freelance in the future.

The course challenged me to write conversationally and from the perspective of the audience rather than as a marketer. Yes ... I know this point and have provided feedback to creative teams along this line. But actually doing it myself I found enjoyable and enlightening.

The AWC provides accessible learning content that focuses on developing real-life skills for copywriters.

I was just in need of a little help in getting into a better writing rhythm, and some structure and tools to help with the planning.

Sometimes - often - I hit creative blocks, and I can go for weeks without any progress. I am finding that having a better toolkit is a great help in filling in that down time with other steps that will help me reach my target. Getting some plans in place, some characters better defined, some plots better organised, doesn't necessarily require the creative juices to be percolating at the time - but these all help to move the story along.

Some obvious and basic tools had been evading me - so, not so obvious after all!!

Unless you studied this at school or university, you will invariably pick up some very useful tools to supplement your creative writing journey.

Easy to understand content and a lot of useful information, which I can implement. Many helpful tips how to start and continue freelancing as a writer.

Highly recommend doing courses at AWC. The courses at AWC provide you with industry knowledge, useful information and tools, which can be applied as soon as you finish the course you are studying.

The course established the notion that freelance writing is doable. There was no abstract idea of what life will be like after completion, like there is at university. It was almost as if the assumption was there that students would go on to enter the world of freelance writing.

I feel empowered to enter a new phase of life - to pursue a dream, I suppose.

Alexandra was fantastic. Her feedback was frank and helpful.

I liked the style of introducing a small aspect of someone's life as a metaphor for the crux of the article. It was interesting to see the techniques and structure used in articles that I found pleasant. I'm excited to play with these ideas.

If you have ideas about what you want to write, it could be the gentle nudge you need to get going.

Kate Forsyth is such a breath of fresh air! She is so genuine, really keen and interested in training up budding writers without threat to herself. She is generous and plainspoken but with an obvious rich background in the development of writing and its present application. She got me writing again! I kept having to pause her as ideas were streaming through my mind. I thank her tremendously. AWC...you have a gem in your midst!!

Have not bothered to write for a while, but during this course I found myself grabbing a pencil and paper and streaming my mind out.

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!!

I wanted to learn the basics about plotting and planning out my novel idea so that I could have more success with finishing it.

I liked the way Kate used examples to explain different aspects of the plotting and planning process.

I liked that the handouts were print friendly; that is most helpful as I can refer to them frequently especially if I am only scribbling in a notebook (I don't have to turn on my computer to refer to them).

As a person who likes to plan and create checklists, I now have a clearer understanding of where to start. I can now set progress goals for my novel and stay on track.

This course is perfect for absolute beginners especially if you like to plan things out first. Now I have the necessary tools to properly plan my background stories and scenes, set progress goals and stay on track. Finally, I can start my first novel with clarity and confidence, thanks to Kate Forsyth.

After looking at all the available courses, I thought this was a good starting point to getting serious with my creative writing and receiving some professional feedback.

Jennifer is a generous tutor, who sees the positive in your writing and boosts your confidence and opens your eyes to the potential in your story that you didn't think was there. She always offers constructive criticism with reasons for why something isn't working and examples of how it can be improved. I learned a lot from listening to her feedback, not just for my work, but also for my classmates' work.

The writing exercises and assignments were a lot of fun.

Before this course, I'd sit in front of a blank word doc trying to formulate the perfect opening sentence before starting to type. Now, I keep referring to the advice to get the words on the page, no matter how rough; you can polish it during editing. It's a very good way to overcome self doubt.

The course material is easy to understand and informative. The exercises and assignments are fun and challenging in the best way possible. The tutor is knowledgeable, engaging and offers solid feedback. You'll be exposed to other writers' work and can learn from their writing styles and the feedback they get on their work too.

It's given me confidence in my ability to tell a story that people may actually want to read! I'm going to pursue my writing journey and see where it leads.

Having completed Copywriting Essentials, I was keen to do another course that would assist me in my job, and perhaps help me feel more confident about doing freelance work. The Email Marketing and Copywriting course was a good opportunity to learn more about the process of email marketing and the different types of campaigns.

The bonus content on ChatGPT and the inclusion of the case studies/examples was so helpful. I am planning to work through the content again as I am sure there are things I have missed.

Our tutor was great. We received honest feedback that was provided in a supportive, constructive way.

Even though I have spent the last couple of years writing emails I have never taken the time to really understand the process and the systems, until I did this course. Using my brain and learning more about email marketing has been a positive, worthwhile experience. I also love to see how other students approach the assignments; it inspires me to think differently about my writing and I am always amazed by the talent and creativity of others.

I was made redundant shortly after completing the course and although I have not secured full-time employment I have recently picked up some freelance email marketing work. Completing the course has given me the confidence to say yes to the opportunity.

The Email Marketing and Copywriting course I took at the Australian Writers' Centre has been a worthwhile experience for me. Not only did I learn the ins and outs of email marketing, but the experienced tutor and my fellow students were incredibly supportive. The online format is flexible - perfect for fitting study in around work and in addition to receiving meaningful feedback from the tutor, you also have access to some seriously valuable resources too.

I am currently doing the Write Your Novel course with Pamela Freeman and I felt this genre specific course would complement it. My genre is psychological thrillers. It did :)

Louisa was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humour which added to the enjoyment of the course.

I have done many AWC courses recently and each has always delivered a gem or two that hits the mark for me. Writing an elevator pitch was one of those gems. To come up with a short and punchy pitch is a skill we all need as writers with a desire to be published. The genre-specific material helped push me along with my writing. This is one of the great benefits of AWC courses: it keeps feeding the motivation beast within.

The learning was fun and varied. Louisa was professional in her approach and knowledgeable. Great handouts for future reference. Valuable skills for my toolbox. The course has helped me with structure and building suspense.

Give it a go. Lots of courses presented in a variety of ways. Great newsletter keeps me in touch with the industry.

I had seen the presenter at a previous writers festival and knew she was good. I needed skills and motivation to write my second novel which will be in that genre.

A well-structured course and great handouts. Seemed a friendly group and lots of opportunity to interact. The info about plot was particularly helpful, but all learning will be beneficial to improve my writing. I was absent for one session so it was great to have the recordings so I didn't miss out. The five weeks went quickly. I'm thinking about doing another course with Louisa now.

Louisa was very engaging, and generous with her feedback. Her presentation style was friendly and non-threatening and she was very knowledgeable about all things writing. I also found her very inspiring, this time as well as the first time I saw her present a few years ago.

I enjoyed the step-by-step nature of the handouts which I can also refer to in the future. Getting to know Louisa and meet fellow writers. I liked the homework - not too onerous and it kept me interested and on task.

Thank you Louisa. I am honoured to have met you and to have benefited from your experience, talent and wisdom. The course was lots of fun too. Thank you AWC.

My life has been impacted profoundly by all the courses I've done with AWC. This one in particular has motivated me to write that crime novel and given me skills and the direction that I needed.

I'd say - go for it. It will change your life.

I was attracted to this course because I wanted to share a story I felt passionate about which I thought could have broad appeal. I liked that it was so comprehensive and able to be completed flexibly.

The course has given me the skills to take my manuscript to the next level, nearing completion. It has helped to give me the confidence to continue writing my book and see it through to the finish.

Go for it!

I had already done another creative writing course and wasn't sure about whether I would get more from this one. I was pleasantly surprised as I got a lot more than I was expecting, especially in terms of practical ideas.

Jennifer's feedback was very encouraging and helpful with ideas on how to improve.

I have tended to be more concise in my writing and I now see the value of being more colourful in describing scenes and characters, and using all five senses. I enjoyed challenging myself to be more creative.

The course will open your eyes to how to write more creatively.