What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I wasn't sure how much information would be included or how much I would learn from the course. Having now completed the course I can confidently say it was well worth the time and money spent.

Cathie was very knowledgeable and her insights as someone who has worked in publishing were invaluable.

The most enjoyable part of the course was writing work for feedback each week.

I have a better understanding of how to write picture books specifically, as well as how to present my work professionally when submitting to authors.

The AWC is a great place to learn the ropes or to further hone and polish existing writing skills.

The information was delivered in an easily accessible and understandable format.

It has inspired me to start writing again.

Kate's lectures were very interesting and informative - I learnt a lot. And I really loved the time we spent going over extracts from published works and talking about the various techniques the authors used to achieve different effects.

Kate is clearly experienced and knows a lot about writing across a number of genres, and I really loved getting to learn from her.

Other than the lectures - which were excellent - I also really loved getting to take part in a writing course specifically about genre fiction! In the past writing courses I've done with AWC, most people were not writing genre fiction, and even fewer were writing fantasy - so it was really nice to feel like I wasn't the odd one out for a change.

Going through the extracts has inspired me to read some favourite passages from other novels more closely, and try to learn how the authors are working their magic. It was also just really motivating and inspirational to be in the course. Since finishing it, I've been working on my novel idea again, with more confidence about how I'm mixing genres. There was so much information in the course that I feel like I am still 'digesting' it all, and will be for some time to come yet.

I loved the dialogue examples, particularly the opportunity to rewrite examples for clarity, action etc. I now feel better equipped to write dialogue and look forward to building my confidence in this area.

The examples and writing exercises make the courses very practical, and the self-paced format allows you to revisit the course materials and exercises repeatedly to hone your skills and build confidence.

Petronella was great. The feedback was supportive and useful.

I enjoyed the interaction with other students and reading all the great work everyone did.

I have only just started writing for myself again. So being able to just write with some feedback has given me the wings to carry me forward.

I would recommend doing any course at the AWC as it takes you away on a journey of discovery. It can answer the questions you have and any doubts you feel. It can open your eyes to possibilities and adventure!

Really great and engaging feedback from Vivienne. I really appreciated the time and effort she put into personalising feedback for each of us and the value I gained from listening to feedback for others in the course too.

I enjoyed how all the modules connected and flowed step by step to show you that you could really write a proper feature article with the assignments.

I feel more confident in being able to write a proper feature article.

No matter what experience level or what ideas you have, you will gain so much value from AWC courses.

I love listening to Kate; she is so passionate and so great at making the complex simple. I love getting a look inside her plotting process and visual way she does her research and plans her story. It was fascinating to see.

There is so much content that I wish I knew before I wrote my first draft but it will definitely make it a faster writing process next time.

I like the fact that steps are fed to you in a particular way for a reason which you don't realise until you get to the end.

It has made me realise that all the mistakes, habits, patterns, etc are not unique to me - they happen to everyone, especially first-time writers. It was a great confidence booster in that regard.

The courses give you structure, a place to start, a roadmap. I have done many AWC courses and live workshops and all have been worthwhile.

I'm over halfway through my novel and I thought it might be a good time to check in to see if I was on the right track.

Prior to the start, I was surprised and pleased to watch the pre-recorded video of writers who took advantage of AWC courses, utilised the knowledge and tools they were given and found themselves published authors. As for the seminar itself, Pamela presented well and was very knowledgeable. I've been published only once (non-fiction) but find myself in this exciting novel space. It's a long haul -- joys vs challenges, brain drains vs emotional highs, crickets chirping vs conceiving explosively exciting concepts. You'd think I'd have given it all away by now, haha!

I took the course to reassure myself I was heading in the right direction. I found myself nodding as Pamela was presenting, and realised with relief that I am hitting my marks as I progress through my novel. There was a series of 'yay!' moments all the way through as I realised I was on the right track. It was the reason I signed up and for that reason, it was very much worth the fee. Going forward, it's also great to have notes to remind me of my compass points.

Keep doing what you're doing, and thanks for providing guiding lights for the Australian writing community.

Pamela has a great manner and explained a lot in the short period of time; I enjoyed what I learnt.

I now have some structure to work with and I know exactly where I am going now with my story.

Identifying my questions and knowing where to answer has meant that I have been able to plan an ending for my work; definitely a light bulb moment.

No matter what sort of writing you're interested in or what level of writer you are there really is something for everyone at AWC.

The content was really good, and having the handouts to keep and notate as the lecture proceeded was excellent.

The courses are very well-structured and clearly presented by experienced professionals.

Thank you for offering excellent assistance with the craft of writing.

I have done all the Focus on... seminars and they've been great. This one was not only informative and useful, but also practical. I like the focus on how to implement the information and make it work.

As I'm actually writing a climax and resolution (as part of the WYN 6 month course) at the moment, I found I was able to make notes on how to move forward with that and (hopefully) make it all work.

Great courses, great presenters. Definitely worth doing any of their courses.

I enjoyed how humble and happy Pamela was - there was nothing pretentious about it - just useful and practical information which I have found SO great!

It's put me on track to start writing a novel. It's given me some sort of structure in tandem with the creative writing course that I'm doing with AWC. It's an "I can do it too" feeling.

I can do it too.

If you're serious about writing a book or novel, or series, do these courses.

After the Writing Picture Books course, I spent a fun few weeks writing stories. Before long I realised I didn't have the skills to edit them!

I loved taking all the learnings from the modules and applying them to my story after the fresh read. I've had some real breakthroughs with my story, in ways that I never would have foreseen without the guidance of this course.

I loved gaining a better understanding for rhythm in my writing. I was able to read my work in a whole new way and make some big changes.

The course offers essential tools for those new to writing picture books. I now feel I can assess and edit my work with greater confidence, and my stories are all the better for it!

I have an idea for a novel and I kind of know the characters and the setting and what I want to show, but I was struggling with the plot and what happens, especially the climax. The Creative Writing Stage 1 course helped, but I was still struggling a bit with this, so the idea of one seminar for a low price was appealing.

Pamela is a great presenter! I can SEE the climax in my story now. As soon as Pamela explained a couple of key points, I could see why I had been struggling and the way to fix it. That was totally worth an hour and a half of my time!

Definitely worth your time and money. The courses hit right to the crux of writing issues. They are so encouraging, making you really feel that you can do this!

Pithy, actionable and practical advice from Pamela. She makes excellent sense and packs a lot of information into a brief space of time.

I now know what to do next in my book. I'm still confused - there are a lot of subplots and character obstacles to pull together, and lots of work to do, but I'm not flailing now. I just need to do the work. And Pamela inadvertently gave me a great plot question idea!

Excellent, practical advice for anyone looking for structure, depth and direction in their writing.

I have written a novel and want to be able to perfect it prior to trying to get it published.

This course was both comprehensive and easy to follow. The activities given provided the perfect opportunity to test the knowledge gained. Much of it I already knew, but it just sharpened my knowledge. It also showed me a few errors that I've unknowingly made throughout my novel.

It really was exactly what I needed to take my novel to the next level.

I feel like I've had a crash course that answered all my questions that my own knowledge was lacking in. I love that it was kept simple. It means that all those basic grammatical rules can be followed easily. It's had an impact on me because I feel that, in future, my editing will be so much more streamlined.

Give it a go! Taking a short course is never going to hurt.

I'm interested in writing for this age group and think Lesley is a fabulous writer so wanted to learn from her. After completing this course, I feel as though I'm ready to start working on my chapter book.

Scrivener was a program that has been recommended to me but I was not inclined to pay for and download something that I was unsure how useful it would be. After having read through the instructions that come with Scrivener I was in despair, but seeing it explained by Natasha opened many doors and now their instructions mean MUCH more.

The course went into what I think will be the most practical aspects of the Scrivener program. Good, clear, concise video instructions with matching printed sheets to refer back to.

It has addressed a few problems I was having juggling aspects of my writing in "Word".

The AWC provides encouragement to emerging writers by offering good practical advice.

I was writing my first novel and was keen to know how to create compelling and engaging characters.

The course provides so much information about understanding your characters and the importance of working out how they interact, think, behave, respond, and why. This helps the characters create the story!

My characters will be more developed now that I've done the course. I look forward to building them further and changing some interactions with other characters. The course has identified how to do this.

What a great source of information and coaching for writing all sorts of materials. They are professional and practical, understand the technicalities of writing in different genres and make learning easy.