What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I'm a retired teacher with grandchildren. I'm currently immersed in children's picture books and enjoy them. I needed a challenge. The course outline was enticing.

Having done a number of academic degrees in my past, I was pleased to see the rigour in the course design and the professional industry focus.

I gained a much greater appreciation of contemporary publishing in this genre. I was impressed with the very comprehensive information and detail provided. The realities of contemporary publishing were comprehensively explored and I really appreciated that.

The courses are intelligently designed, with a comprehensive coverage, and genuine professional insights into the industry. They give value for money. For me, the online option is gold. My health doesn't allow attending multiple conferences and courses as I have done in my more youthful past.

I found Kate's down-to-earth approach warming. It made me think about many aspects of writing that I had not understood before.

I'd completed several AWC courses and they were all amazing, so I knew - when I had an idea for a picture book - that I had to sign up for this course!

I wondered if it was really necessary to take the course as, after all, how hard could it be to write a children's book? I was wrong! There are many principles and lessons to learn to plan, structure and write a picture book. There is also a lot to learn about pitching your manuscript to publishers and the production processes involved, including the importance of trusting the illustrator to enhance your story through "show don't tell".

I really appreciated Cathie's voice of experience, and practical observations and advice, as a picture book editor and publisher, as well as a judge of prestigious picture book competitions.

Completing the assignments was my favourite part of the course... firing up the creative juices and trying to put myself into the mindset of the children and their gatekeepers.

Since completing the course, I can read published picture books more analytically, noting what works particularly well, gaining insights and greater confidence in my own writing as a result.

Whatever writing genre you're considering, don't hesitate signing up to an Australian Writers' Centre course. Just do it. You'll be so glad you did!

Thank you Cathie, Valerie and the team at the AWC. Your courses and podcasts are so enriching for aspiring authors!

There was so much information that I was ignorant about prior to this course. I would recommend this thorough course to any writer/author needing a webpage.

This course exceeded my expectations. It was so packed with the info I needed. It helped me to get a very realistic understanding of the components involved. Demystified the subject in a measured, informative style. Well-paced.

Do it, it's SO worth it!

L. A. Larkin was great. Very personable and natural. While she was teaching us, it didn't feel like we were being dictated it.

I enjoyed the interaction with the tutor, the Zoom meetings and the breakout rooms to discuss with fellow writers. It was a very supportive environment.

It's a really interesting and useful tool to have course information at your disposal before you get too far into your book. It has put me in a better direction to specifically write a crime/thriller novel, not just a novel.

Absolutely incredible course! I've now got the tools to take on writing a novel and feel inspired to finish that first draft.

The tutor was amazing. Nat's feedback was awesome and she has the perfect personality for online classes. Her feedback was invaluable for me and my novel will be better thanks to her.

I think I can actually write a novel now! I'm feeling inspired and my imagination is running so high I feel like a kid again. Worth every penny. Learning skills WHILE getting inspired, absolutely invaluable.

This is the best course I've taken at AWC. Huge thanks to Nat and everyone who put the course together.

I had heard wonderful things about AWC courses and was wondering if my writing needed more structure (turns out it did!) so I invested in the course.

It's made me see how my own writing lacked proper structure and allowed me to be able to build it in.

I liked the tutor's approach. I liked the way she was just straight with the feedback and if something wasn't working. I enjoyed having the writing prompt/assignment every week and having a deadline. I've really looked forward to doing the course each week and I'll miss it now.

I loved the reminder that novels don't just get written in the first draft and that it takes grit and subsequent drafts to get there.

This is my 3rd course with the AWC. My first (the copywriting one) led to me changing careers. I've loved reading and words since I can remember, so I'm thrilled I now get to write for a living. For that, the Australian Writers' Centre will always have a special place in my heart and I'll always recommend it to others.

Although I had started writing and planning a novel in much the way Kate outlines, she gave me ideas about how I could deepen and make it more thorough and systematic. The course gave concrete steps but stressed flexibility.

Do it. You won't regret it for a moment.

Nat was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this course and found her to be a stellar professional and diligent to a tee. It was like I had my own personal editor helping me write better, but then watching everyone else's feedback taught me even more. She was wonderful. Talented and exactly right for the role.

I especially enjoyed workshopping with all my student peers. I finally figured out show don't tell.

I've signed up for the longer 6-month course and will finish my novel. I am committing to get published.

If you want to be a writer, start here.

The exercises and handouts have great content, and I like that we can go back to them at any time.

It reminded me how I love writing, after not doing it for so long. It makes me want to get back into and ideally start/finish my idea for a novel.

The course is super flexible. It allows you to listen to the audio classes any time during the week. The exercises and content are really insightful and reusable for you to use in the future. The assignments were super achievable and not too overwhelming.

I was on the fence about using Scrivener, but think it's going to be an excellent program to write with. I will now use it and hopefully it will save me time and streamline the writing process.

The AWC is an awesome resource for writers of all levels. Such a great support and champion for writers.

I always thought of dialogue as the easy part, but never felt it came out well. So I took this course to see what I've been doing wrong.

The great examples and light tone make the course easy to follow.

I now know the elements around dialogue (paralanguage especially) and how they affect the scene.

AWC tutors are published authors and it's welcoming and fun.

I was drawn to this course by the opportunity to get feedback on my writing and learn about the fundamentals of writing from professionals. The weekly assignments also drew me in as I know I need external accountability to work towards my goals.

Surprisingly, I found receiving feedback the most enjoyable since I wanted to know if my intentions came across in my writing. I also liked reading my classmates' writing as it inspired me.

I feel more confident sharing my writing with other people for feedback.

If you want to learn the fundamentals of writing and get some practice in without it being too overwhelming, this is a great course! It's also great for people who need external accountability to write consistently.

This course has given me the confidence to pursue writing picture books! I feel like I now have a really good understanding of structure, character and rhythm, and how to polish the story over time.

The real-world knowledge shared by the tutors is so beneficial and the wide variety of courses means there's something for everyone.

I am currently editing my manuscript and needed a reminder about 'showing' to make sure I'm doing it right.

Pamela's explanations are easy to understand plus we get handouts.

It highlighted some areas that may need some checking in my manuscript - summary scene vs full scene. Will summarising have an impact on the character? But it also reassured me that I have been showing and not telling for the most part. Now I also need to check for floating white rooms.

Whether it's the full workshops or the Focus On seminars, there's something at the AWC for new writers and experienced writers.

I came to the course wanting something that would keep me accountable to writing practice and I also wanted to gain some feedback on my writing/story. I learned a lot more than I thought I would.

I found Pamela's feedback really helpful - every suggestion or query she had improved not only the piece of writing I had but how I approached the next piece of writing. She was very engaging, thoughtful and kind.

I enjoyed the assignments because they were so relevant to the coursework. I really looked forward to Pamela's feedback each week because I was excited to hear her thoughts not only on my work but everyone's - I felt her advice really improved my writing skill and confidence.

I feel confident about my writing ability and story and feel driven to finally write my novel - which has been put aside for a few years now.

If you have a novel/story idea and you don't know where to start - start here!

Feedback was both comprehensive and constructive. Thank you!

I gained a lot of technical knowledge that will be so useful! I really enjoyed the human aspect in the assignment where we interviewed a classmate.

This is a very worthwhile course to take if you're starting out in the industry, and it's packed with valuable resources!

I'm at a time in my life where I'm transitioning from corporate to creative, i.e. what inspires me, and thought this course would be an excellent overview of other options.

Thank you for an excellent overview. I especially enjoyed hearing about other writers' experiences and how they have made writing work for them.

I've realised I already know the area of writing I'm interested in and already have lots of experience from my corporate experiences. Now just have to get on with it while the time is right. Will also be looking at some other AWC courses to support my journey.

Do it! Tremendously helpful.