What’s it like to learn with AWC?

Before this seminar, I felt 'show don't tell' was a buzz phrase that I would strive for. The fog has cleared and in one hour, I actually understand and have the tools to move forward.

My worksheet has so much scribbled on it. I love the quote "Put the head, heart and body of the character on the page". The explanation of showing is trusting the reader was probably the 'aha' moment.

If like me you're curious about writing, pick the brains of the professionals by enrolling in one or more of these fabulous courses on offer. I promise you, the fog will clear and your writing will shine.

I loved the practical examples that Pamela gave. Also Pamela is a good presenter - clear and informative and everything was easy to follow and understand. I feel like I now have a good handle on showing not telling. The practical examples in the handouts will help me in my writing and be useful for editing. I also loved the list of filter words - very helpful!!!

I feel like I finally understand the difference between showing and telling! Pamela explained the concepts clearly and succinctly and backed it with helpful examples that clearly illustrated the main points.

Pamela mentioned at the start that journalists often struggle with this concept. I am a journalist and I do! So the examples were exactly what I needed to learn. I also loved Pamela's concept of getting the head, heart and body on the page - this really resonated with me and is something I will keep in mind when I'm writing.

The courses are by writers for writers and you will learn something from every seminar or course - even if it's just one tiny thing - that will transform your writing.

My online teacher was very good and I particularly enjoyed the video format in which feedback was issued. The critique I got was very insightful and allowed me to improve on my story.

I enjoyed completing the weekly activities and receiving feedback the most.

The course has allowed me to look at my writing from a more critical perspective and taught me many things about constructing believable characters and creating an engaging story.

One major 'aha' moment in the course was when I learnt how to more expertly create a unique voice for my characters. Before, this was something I struggled with, but the course has helped me on the road to improving this skill.

I would say that the course is very extensive and helpful to teens such as myself who are just starting to find their way in the complex world of writing. It gave me a greater understanding in just about every area of storytelling.

I was attracted to this course because it was a beginner course, had exceptional reviews and also the online tutor was Victoria Purman. I love her books!

I enjoyed the assignments. It was great to submit a short piece of work practicing the skills we had just learnt and getting real timely feedback. I also loved reading other students' works. The online feedback was very timely, detailed and really provided an insight into ways of improving my writing.

I had no idea (which is why I took this beginner course) how a book was structured, the recommended do's and don'ts of writing scenes and POVs and the overall process behind writing a novel. I am now armed with so many more skills that my confidence has been boosted and I have actually commenced writing!

The Creative Writing Stage 1 course provided a concise overview of story writing with enough detail to give me the skills and confidence I needed to actually begin writing my novel. I was challenged to submit short assignments each week specifically working upon the skills taught in that weekly module and I received timely and encouraging feedback within a safe environment. All in all, it was thoroughly enjoyable too!

Lesley's lessons are clear and she breaks the process down so that it all seems very possible.

I am excited to continue to write Chapter Books. The encouragement from the feedback is invaluable.

A great course that is self-paced with fantastic audio feedback.

I like creative writing in general, and wanted to know how to make my own story for fun by knowing the basics, how to construct the plot, make a character, etc.

I found doing the assignments most enjoyable, because it was fun for me to write something in where I'd get feedback on without there being a mark.

This course helped me with how to construct a character which does impact my writing skills quite a lot within stories.

The Australian Writers' Centre is an excellent source to learn about different forms of writing and can help improve your writing skills.

I've done many courses through the Australian Writers' Centre and am aware I need an author website. Unfortunately I have no idea about going about creating one. I jumped at this course. It was also an added bonus that Michelle had created this course as I listen to her podcasts.

I learnt so much; the content and delivery were both fantastic. I feel I'm so much closer now to having my author website.

AWC courses are great. You'll learn so much and feel supported on your author journey.

I love writing but did not know how to get into it in a profitable way. This course caught my eye and I have had it in the back of my mind for a long time. I also wasn't sure how much of a time commitment it would take, but it was easily doable around full-time work and raising children!

The actual writing exercises were the most enjoyable part! Mark's feedback was great. I don't know how he remained engaged in everyone's writing all the way to the end!

I can see now how I too can be a copywriter.

Once again, it was full of the meaty stuff. Pamela emphasises the importance of show, don't tell, and manages to deliver it in an interesting yet informal way.

I'd aways felt the required 'telling' in my novel distanced the reader. Now with the removal of filter words (which I've been working on today) I can see it makes a remarkable difference.

I've heard the advice to 'show, not tell' so many times, but never really understood what it meant.

Pamela was amazing. She made it so clear, and made a molehill out of what I'd believed was a mountain. Her examples were great, the way she explained things was so accessible, and I feel like a veil has been lifted on this subject for me.

It's given me the key to immerse myself more fully in my fictional universe, as experienced by my POV characters.

I thought the presentation was excellent. As an older woman who has just completed a long memoir I have always found difficulty in the concept of 'show don't tell'. I feel now I can re-look at my manuscript clearly understanding what this means and how to change 'tell' into 'show'.

I enjoyed the practical tips - it wasn't just an explanation of show vs tell, but was packed with ways to identify telling and how to rectify it.

I've already started reading over my (in-progress) first draft to spot the telling. I feel like I now know how to amend this writing and improve my manuscript.

This course will help to strengthen the writing on every page of your draft! To have someone delve into what it means to show, rather than just advise you to show, was just brilliant. Getting a handout was great too. I will definitely be referring to it in future.

Pamela Freeman is an excellent presenter. She gave organised comprehensive notes, kept the information rolling, answered questions succinctly and finished on time.

The examples Pamela used were more than helpful and the slides and handouts worked well for me. I have done quite a lot of work on 'show don't tell' over the last few years, but I can always learn more.

Pamela highlighted the importance of seeing this as part of the editing process. It has reminded me not to be too worried about it during the creative writing time. I needed that reminder.

All AWC courses are of a high standard and the presenters are well prepared and easy to listen to.

I was happily gobsmacked that, yes it was a good refresher but oh so much more. I immediately went to my computer and started implementing what I learned into my draft.

Show don't tell became much clearer to me. The list of filter words was great. The seminar notes are excellent.

If you want to be a competent writer, save yourself time by investing in some AWC courses to guide you on your way.

to AWC for yet another valuable lesson.

Pamela used some excellent examples to underscore her key points. Without examples, I find it very hard to see what is being said. I have often found it hard to determine what parts of my scenes need more showing and now I feel like I have a solid understanding of where to focus and what to do when I get there!

I am working on the first draft of a romance novel and I really need my readers to experience my protagonist's emotions and I wasn't 100% clear on how to do that. Now I feel like I have a clearer understanding.

AWC courses are practical, informed by real experience from multi-published authors and include techniques that can be easily applied in our own work!

I'm about to begin my second draft so it made me feel a lot better about all the 'telling' I've done and confident in changing it to 'showing' as I move through the editing/rewriting process.

This has been a great first online experience for me. I hope to do many more as I learned so much in a short space of time and came out feeling confident and inspired about my writing.

Thanks to Pamela for her enthusiastic and generous sharing of tips and information! As usual, her seminar was full of very helpful suggestions and examples; along with the handout for future reference. Similarly, her succinct responses to a variety of questions enabled her to cover a lot of ground!

It was invigorating and empowering. So many brilliant reminders and explanations through examples. So helpful to explore the understanding of first and second drafts as a writer and editor, and the subtleties of when telling is an appropriate vehicle to move the story forward while still capturing the reader. I could listen to Pamela for hours!

Helped me to refocus and increase awareness in my own writing and also in my work as an editor. I will be able to bring this to my clients in a better way and, hopefully, teach/show them why it's important in their own writing. Pamela's examples made her explanations super clear! The time simply flew by.

I have completed numerous AWC courses over the years. They have given me confidence as a writer and editor, led me into some cool freelance writing opportunities, helped me to create a successful copywriting business, and now are really helping me explore and refine some of the more detailed parts of writing and creating. Incredibly valuable!

Pamela is a fantastic speaker and author. She explained everything I was hoping to understand about 'show don't tell'. The examples were extremely helpful and I learnt so much that I can implement into my second draft. I really appreciated a copy of the slides and the handout so I could focus on the seminar.

I'm stoked POV was touched on as well (felt like a cheeky bonus!)

I always feel motivated to get back to writing after a seminar. They're like little boosts of rocket fuel.

Pamela gave so much useful information in a really easy to digest and friendly way. Within the seminar, specific examples were given that could be put into use immediately, plus the handouts can be kept and referred to in the future. I also found Pamela inspiring and encouraging.