Australian Writers' Centre Team | Australian Writers' Centre

Fiction writing

Apsara Baldovino’s picture book ‘The Lucky Shack’

“I sent one of my stories to Cathie and she told me that she felt that I should consider starting with the foundations first and recommended the Australian Writers’ Centre Writing Picture Books course before taking on a mentor,” Apsara told us. “It was the best advice I could have ever received. Cathie had designed the course so, in a way, I was able to learn from the best in a structured way with a group online.”

27 September 2023

Fiction writing

Three writing tips from Katherine Rundell

Katherine Rundell is a bestselling author whose novels for children include Rooftoppers, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer and The Good Thieves. She has won the Costa Children’s Book Award, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, amongst many others. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide.

26 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

WRITER 563: Bestselling author Sophie Green on Weekends With The Sunshine Gardening Society

Bestselling author Sophie Green on Weekends With The Sunshine Gardening Society. Should you read other books while you’re writing your own? And win Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Craft of Journalism by Leigh Sales. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS

26 September 2023

Competitions and Opportunities

COMP CLOSED: ‘Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Craft of Journalism’ by Leigh Sales

We are surrounded by news stories on a daily basis, but have you ever thought about how the news gets made or perhaps considered becoming a journalist yourself? In this week’s giveaway journalist Leigh Sales takes us behind the scenes of the industry in her book Storytellers: Questions, Answers and

25 September 2023

Furious Fiction

Furious Fiction: September 2023 Story Showcase

Welcome to the September Furious Fiction story showcase – our monthly spotlight on our community’s creativity and the opportunity to have YOUR OWN story featured or acknowledged. Here were this month’s criteria: Your story must start and end with the same sentence. Your story must feature something being inflated. Your

22 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

WRITER 562: Heidi Walkinshaw on reinventing her life as a picture book author and copywriter

This is Heidi Walkinshaw’s inspiring story on how she reinvented her life, transitioning away from a career that no longer served her to become a picture book author and copywriter. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite

22 September 2023

Alumni/Student success stories

Carla Francis loves cats – and is making a career out of writing about them!

We already know that cats rule the internet, but AWC graduate Carla Francis is making sure they rule our bookshelves, too! After the successful release of her debut memoir, The Cat With Three Passports, Carla has now published The Zen of Cat, and a follow-up is in the works, as

19 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

WRITER 561: Simon Higgins on his novel ‘Dragons of Dusk and Dawn’

Simon Higgins on his novel Dragons of Dusk and Dawn. Using moodboards to help create your characters. And win The Chasm by Bronwyn Hall. 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

19 September 2023

Competitions and Opportunities

COMP CLOSED: ‘The Chasm’ by Bronwyn Hall

This week’s giveaway takes us all the way to the mountains of Victoria. We have three copies of The Chasm by Bronwyn Hall to give away. Bronwyn has fast made a name for herself as one of Australia’s most exciting thriller writers. The Chasm, her second novel, won’t disappoint readers.

18 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

WRITER 560: Jo Dabrowski on scoring three book deals

Jo Dabrowski scored not one, not two, but THREE book deals. She has published two picture books: Higher! and Have Your Seen My Friend?. And has now released her middle grade novel Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify,

15 September 2023

Competitions and Opportunities

HarperCollins Publishers Australia announces shortlist for the 2023 Banjo Prize

HarperCollins Publishers Australia has revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Banjo Prize. We are so excited that AWC graduates A’Mhara McKey and Natasha Neary are on the list! A’Mhara and Natasha are both members of a writing group that grew out of Write Your Novel in 2021. Since then, the writing group

14 September 2023

Alumni/Student success stories

How workshopping helped Bronwyn Hall achieve publishing success

When community health worker Bronwyn Hall found out she was going to be published she was delighted – and terrified!

“Firstly, I felt a profound shock,” Bronwyn recalls. “It was a case of, ‘Really? I mean, have they thought it through?’ Thankfully, my anxiety faded and the happy came back when the editing started.”

Bronwyn’s edge-of-the-seat debut thriller Gone to Ground is out now with HarperCollins and it’s already getting rave reviews.

14 September 2023

Our famous Q&As!

Q&A: The origin of ‘under my belt’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, it’s all about the belt..

13 September 2023

Fiction writing

The creative magic of the mundane

“The best time to plan a book is while you’re washing the dishes.” You don’t have to wander too far across the wild plains of the internet to discover this quote from acclaimed mystery writer Agatha Christie, and it’s one I’ve used myself in author talks for many years –

13 September 2023

Alumni/Student success stories

Sarah Rodgers releases her novel ‘In the End’

Sarah Rodgers was talking to a friend about a novel manuscript she’d started a few years previously but hadn’t managed to finish. Her friend suggested that now was the right time to get back to work on it. That night, Sarah enrolled in the Write Your Novel program at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

12 September 2023

Fiction writing

The 70-20-10 formula used by author Vikki Marmaras

By Vikki Marmaras For the past few years I have immersed myself in the world of children’s literature. I started writing when my eldest son was born, at a time when I was looking for a change but didn’t want to commit to long term study. Naively, I thought writing

12 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

WRITER 559: Sarah Ogilvie on ‘The Dictionary People’.

Sarah Ogilvie on The Dictionary People, the fascinating story of the unsung people who helped create the Oxford English Dictionary. Word lovers: this is a must-listen! And your chance to win: Oh Miriam! by Miriam Margolyes. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add

12 September 2023

Competitions and Opportunities

COMP CLOSED: ‘Oh Miriam!’ by Miriam Margolyes

This week’s giveaway is a hilarious and powerful read. We’re giving away three copies of Oh Miriam! By award-winning actress and bestselling author Miriam Margolyes. Here’s the blurb: Join us on another unforgettable adventure through the extraordinary life and strong opinions of Miriam Margolyes. ‘My new book is called OH

11 September 2023

Podcast: So You Want to be a Copywriter

Ep 060: How to find work on Rachel’s list

From Rachel Smith, the founder of Rachel’s list It’s not every day you get to speak to the eponymous founder of a successful business but today I get to speak to Rachel, the Rachel in Rachel’s list. If you haven’t heard of it, the List is an online platform that

11 September 2023

Alumni/Student success stories

Kiralee is on track with her first picture book

Kiralee Strong never imagined she would be a published author one day. But needing a creative outlet, she dived into the Writing Picture Books course with the Australian Writers’ Centre and quickly caught the writing bug. Kiralee’s debut picture book, Hugs Still Feel the Same, is soon to be published by EK Books.

10 September 2023

Author: Australian Writers' Centre Team

Apsara Baldovino’s picture book ‘The Lucky Shack’

Three writing tips from Katherine Rundell

WRITER 563: Bestselling author Sophie Green on Weekends With The Sunshine Gardening Society

COMP CLOSED: ‘Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Craft of Journalism’ by Leigh Sales

Furious Fiction: September 2023 Story Showcase

WRITER 562: Heidi Walkinshaw on reinventing her life as a picture book author and copywriter

Carla Francis loves cats – and is making a career out of writing about them!

WRITER 561: Simon Higgins on his novel ‘Dragons of Dusk and Dawn’

COMP CLOSED: ‘The Chasm’ by Bronwyn Hall

WRITER 560: Jo Dabrowski on scoring three book deals

HarperCollins Publishers Australia announces shortlist for the 2023 Banjo Prize

How workshopping helped Bronwyn Hall achieve publishing success

Q&A: The origin of ‘under my belt’

The creative magic of the mundane

Sarah Rodgers releases her novel ‘In the End’

The 70-20-10 formula used by author Vikki Marmaras

WRITER 559: Sarah Ogilvie on ‘The Dictionary People’.

COMP CLOSED: ‘Oh Miriam!’ by Miriam Margolyes

Ep 060: How to find work on Rachel’s list

Kiralee is on track with her first picture book

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