Category: Fiction writing

Author Madeline Te Whiu working at her desk, surrounded by editorial notes and bookcases.
Alumni/Student success stories
Australian Writers' Centre Team

How Madeline Te Whiu became a debut 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 More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

An insider’s guide to story structure

By Allison Tait Do you know an inciting incident from an exciting accident? Do you know what needs to happen at the mid-point of your story? Have you heard of the three-act structure? Structure is one of those areas of writing fiction that can feel both simple and incredibly complicated.

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

VIDEO: Kate Forsyth on her novel, ‘The Crimson Thread’

Dr Kate Forsyth is an award -winning author, poet, and storyteller. Her most recent novel is The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II. Her other historical novels include Beauty in Thorns, a

Read More »
A celebrating, well-dressed man in a purple suit and green hat. Accompanying image text reads “10 great reasons to write short stories”.
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

10 great reasons to write short stories

Whether you’re beginning your writing journey or looking for a distraction from your latest novel manuscript, short stories are a great way for writers to grow. In fact, we’ve collected 10 great reasons to consider making your next story a short one! 1. You get instant gratification It’s incredibly rewarding

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

VIDEO: Polly Phillips on her novel ‘The Reunion’

Polly Phillips currently lives in Australia, although she is originally from the UK. She’s the author of The Reunion and My Best Friend’s Murder, which won the Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Literature Festival in 2019. Polly has also worked as a journalist in Australia, Dubai, Denmark and the

Read More »
Build your profile and promote your book
Australian Writers' Centre Team

8 songs about writing to use in your Instagram reels

By Allison Tait In case you haven’t heard, everyone’s jumping on board the Reels train to expand Instagram engagement. If you’ve been living under a rock and are not familiar with Instagram Reels, these are short, 15-90 second video clips. Wait, whaaat? You thought Instagram was all about photos, not

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

VIDEO: Emily Henry on her novel, ‘Book Lovers’

Emily Henry is the author of Book Lovers and other butterfly-inducing romantic comedies. Her novels Beach Read and You & Me on Vacation were both New York Times bestsellers, and Jodi Picoult calls her ‘my newest automatic-buy author.’ Emily studied creative writing at Hope College and now lives and writes in the American Midwest. This interview

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Why I loved the Northern Beaches Readers Festival SO MUCH

By Valerie Khoo I loved the Northern Beaches Readers Festival for SO MANY reasons. And if this year’s event is anything to go by, I suggest putting next year’s dates in your diary now. The name of the festival may sound parochial (and, I agree, it does), but I believe

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

How Ellie Marney got the idea that sparked ‘The Killing Code’

By Ellie Marney About ten years ago, I watched a BBC Television production called The Bletchley Circle, an historical drama about four women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park during WWII, and how they regroup a decade after the war to solve a mystery. I was completely fascinated by

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

VIDEO: Veronica Lando on her novel, ‘The Whispering’

Veronica Lando is an Australian crime author who won the 2021 Banjo Prize for her then-unpublished manuscript The Whispering. As a child, she grew up above her parents’ Melbourne bookstore, surrounded by other people’s stories. Now, as an adult, she lives in Queensland and enjoys using the uniquely wild and sometimes

Read More »
A circle of hardcover books against a green background.
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

7 publishing opportunities right now

By Allison Tait It’s a wonderful time to become an author. Here are seven publishing opportunities you may not have considered. Remember to give yourself the best possible chance of success by reading the publisher’s guidelines carefully, and prepare to be patient! With declared waiting times of up to six

Read More »
Photographs of the exterior of Sulari Gentil’s writing hut, and the interior where two dogs sleep next to a heater.
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Sulari Gentill’s idyllic writing hut

Many aspiring writers dream of an idyllic creative space where they can pen their next masterpiece. Sulari Gentill, who has recently released her 15th book, The Woman in the Library, turned that dream into reality when she installed a writing hut on her property in the Snowy Mountains in Australia.

Read More »
Build your profile and promote your book
Australian Writers' Centre Team

How to establish and build a long-term author career

By Allison Tait. Unless you’re planning to write just one amazing book and disappear (hello, Harper Lee), chances are you’re hoping to establish and build a long-term career as an author. But just what does that take? One person who has insider insights on that question is Sophie Hamley, currently

Read More »
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

VIDEO: Kathy Reichs on her novel ‘Cold Cold Bones’

Kathy Reichs has written over twenty novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, including Cold Cold Bones. An international best-seller, she’s also worked as the producer of the television series based upon her work, Bones, and she’s one of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

Read More »
A woman smiling at her laptop in a cafe, with a cup of coffee next to her.
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

How to make a living as an author

By Allison Tait. Authors can earn money from a diverse range of income streams. Check them out …. Diverse income streams are key So, where does the money come from? How can you make a living as an author? If you’re an author, whether traditionally published, hybrid or indie published,

Read More »
Man in striped top with a pipe sitting in front of laptop.
Fiction writing
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Top three tips for writing cosy mystery stories

By Allison Tait. If you are a regular visitor to the Australian Writers’ Centre’s courses, a regular listener of our So You Want To Be A Writer podcast, or a regular attendee at our Zoom events and seminars, chances are you’ve come across our amazing director of creative writing, Dr

Read More »
Browse posts by category

Courses starting soon

SALE ENDS MIDNIGHT TONIGHT SEE COURSES

×

Nice one! You've added this to your cart