Michelle Upton goes from school teacher to successful author
A few years ago, Michelle Upton made the life-changing decision that she wanted to be a writer. So she focused her efforts on learning about the craft and getting as much practical experience as possible. This included entering literary competitions, enrolling in the Romance Writing course at the Australian Writers' Centre and taking part in the Centre’s Furious Fiction competition.
Read MoreHow Madeline Te Whiu became a fantasy author
Her perseverance paid off with the completion of her first draft for The Assassin Thief. But over 50 rejections later, she knew she needed to try a new approach. Madeline enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1 at the Australian Writers' Centre to nail the basics of her story, then went on to edit her manuscript with Cut, Shape, Polish. After taking Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers, she was ready to send out her novel again – and this time she was snapped up by New Dawn Publishing.
Read MoreKarina May is set to be the Next Big Thing in rom-com writing
Karina May was working in digital marketing when she started dabbling in creative writing just for the fun of it – but she soon found herself hooked on the craft of storytelling. She voraciously attended courses at the Australian Writers' Centre, including two rounds of Write Your Novel with Pamela Freeman, which gave her the structure to complete her first manuscript. After signing a two-book deal with Pan MacMillan, Karina has now released her novel Duck à l'Orange for Breakfast.
Read MoreZewlan Moor launches her career as an author with two picture books!
When Dr Zewlan Moor started her training to become a general practitioner, she had two goals: to complete her GP fellowship and to write a novel for National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo). It might seem like an unusual combination, but Zewlan was determined to follow her passion for writing alongside her medical career. She was drawn to Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers' Centre and is now delighted to announce that she will be publishing two picture books in 2023.
Read MoreJemima Parker kicks off her new career as a picture book author
The only thing that Jemima Parker regrets about the Writing Picture Books course is not doing it sooner! With a varied career that spanned law, communications and visual arts, Jemima knew she wanted to take a writing course ‘one day’. But it wasn’t until she was knee-deep in wedding decorations that she finally made the commitment to herself.
Read MoreWRITER 576: Joanna Nell on her novel ‘Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year' and how to build a career as a bestselling author
AWC alumni Joanna Nell is a bestselling author and her fifth novel is Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year. She has carved out a successful literary career alongside her work as a medical doctor. When Joanna first explored the world of writing, she completed several courses at the Australian Writers' Centre. One of the writing […]
Read MoreSusannah Glenn’s reinvention to become an author
“My earliest memories were of reading and writing and dreaming of becoming a full-time writer. Instead, I became a journalist and editor (the pay was better), thinking ‘one day’ I’ll turn my attention to fiction,” Susannah told us. “Well, that ‘one day’ had come! I rolled up my sleeves and learnt everything I could about how and where to start. Fortunately, one of the amazing resources I discovered was the Australian Writers’ Centre.”
Read MoreWRITER 574: Lucy Lever on how she got a book deal for her novel ‘Mystic Ridge'.
Lucy Lever on her novel Mystic Ridge. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. Links mentioned in this episode Buy So You Want to be a Writer – the book! Facebook group for So You Want to be a […]
Read MoreA publishing dream come true for Pamela Jones
When her youngest son was a toddler, Pamela Jones found herself with two whole free hours a week. Not wanting to waste that precious time on household chores, Pamela instead decided to do something delicious for herself: she enrolled in Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers' Centre.
Read MoreWRITER 572: Vikki Marmaras scores three book deals and reveals the process behind her latest book, ‘I Spy Treasure'.
Vikki Marmaras scores three book deals and reveals the process behind her latest book, I Spy Treasure. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. Links mentioned in this episode Buy So You Want to be a Writer – the […]
Read MoreMeet our Creative Writing graduates
Creative Writing Stage 1
Writing Picture Books
Writing Picture Books Masterclass
How to Write for Children and Young Adults
Build Your Author Platform
Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder
2 Hours to Scrivener Power
Build Your Author Platform
Dinuka McKenzie was a busy working mum when she decided to start writing as a creative outlet. The more she wrote, the more she loved it, so she decided to complete a few courses at the Australian Writers' Centre to hone her craft. After finishing her first crime manuscript, she entered it in the Banjo Prize for unpublished fiction – and then came the extraordinary news that she had won!
Writing Picture Books
Vikki Conley dreamed of writing for children and, over the years, that little voice telling her to write books got louder until she simply couldn’t ignore it. She threw in her marketing job, enrolled in an Australian Writers' Centre course and started writing. Within two years, she has already established herself as a prolific author, with the publication of seven picture books and contracts with four publishers. Her most recent book is the CBCA shortlisted Amira's Suitcase, while Milly and the Mulberry Tree and Where the Lyrebird Lives will be released in 2022. Vikki's other publications include Tomorrow Girl, Little Puggle's Song, The Lost Moustache and Ella & Mrs Gooseberry.
Write a Business Book
Travel Writing
Blogging for Beginners
Travel Writing
Food Writing
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Copywriting Essentials
Freelance Writing Masterclass Program
Creative Writing Stage 1
Travel Writing
Copywriting Essentials
SEO Copywriting
Short Story Essentials
Write Your Novel
Online Travel Writing
Freelance Writing Masterclass
Laura Waters walked over 3000 kilometres across New Zealand to conquer her anxieties and find her true passion: writing. After finishing the Australian Writers’ Centre Travel Writing course, Laura turned her hobby into a profession and now writes travel articles fulltime. She is also a published author with Bewildered, the incredible story of her extraordinary hike, out now with Affirm Press.
Blogging for Beginners
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Travel Writing
Profile Writing
Ashleigh Mills wanted to combine her passion for cats, travel and freelance writing. So she took AWC’s courses in Blogging for Beginners, Travel Writing and Freelance Writing Stage 1. Then everything fell into place.
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Copywriting Essentials
Travel Writing
Profile Writing
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Inside Publishing
(previously called How to Get your Book Published)
After self-publishing four novels and a series of eight illustrated children’s educational books on Amazon, Jaci Byrne decided that she wanted to get her books ‘traditionally published’.
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Travel Writing
How to Build a Successful Freelance Copywriting Business
Copywriting Essentials
Living with profound vision impairment (Graham is legally blind) and growing up prior to the advent of the adaptive technology that has so enriched his life today, Graham felt completely lost when it came to mainstream employment. He had finished a Certificate IV in Professional Writing & Editing qualification at Melbourne Polytechnic TAFE but felt it was geared predominantly to fiction writing. So he decided to enrol into AWC’s online Freelance Writing Stage 1 course, and has never looked back.
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Travel Writing
Copywriting Essentials
How to Write Media Releases
Mandy McKeesick completed the AWC Freelance Writing Stage 1 course with the aim of showcasing the Australian bush. Today she has a successful business working with both magazine and corporate clients doing just that!
Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1
Freelance Writing Masterclass Program
Copywriting Essentials
Profile Writing
The Business of Freelancing
Writing Australian History
Writing for the Web and Mobile
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Freelance Writing Masterclass Program
Profile Writing
Reinvent Yourself
Creative Writing Stage 1
Make Time to Write
Life Writing
Travel Writing
Profile Writing
Copywriting Essentials
Freelance Writing Masterclass Program (current member)
Working as a part-time lawyer, Libby first completed a five-week online course in Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1. That changed the course of Libby’s life. "Before I started the course I actually had the goal of getting published, I wanted to see my byline in a magazine or a newspaper,” says Libby, who was working part-time as a lawyer.
Her company wanted her to return to work full time. "I remember sitting in front of my computer one day and thinking: 'what do I do?'" she says. "I always wanted to try writing since I was a little girl and I got caught up in this sort of sensible path of the mainstream thing people do. So I sat there and thought, right it’s now or never."
Creative Writing Stage 1
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
History, Mystery and Magic