What’s it like to learn with AWC?

This seminar allowed me to further explore my characters and check the POV is deep enough to serve them and the story best. POV is a choice you control and a skill you can master. Be brave enough to fully inhabit your POV character!

If you want to improve your writing, AWC courses are the best! With high quality content, exercises and examples and the flexibility of self-paced online learning, I highly recommend Fiction Essentials Point of View.

I loved writing growing up and wanted to explore if freelancing could be for me.

I've valued Alexandra's input each week and I am especially grateful for the additional information she provided.

I think the course covered everything that we need to know. Learning the techniques to pitch and tips on ways to structure the feature were really useful. I would have had no clues otherwise.

I have already recommended this course to an ex-colleague and I've mentioned to her that I've learnt a lot and that it is an excellent course. The investment is worth it.

As with all of the AWC's FOCUS ON seminars I have enrolled in so far, I really enjoy Pamela Freeman's simple relaxed method of teaching. I love the clear, concise, down-to-earth manner (and with-a-good-dash-of-humour!) with which she imparts information. You don't have to be a Rhodes Scholar to understand what she is explaining to you. She has a lovely way of making you feel as though she is sharing writing advice with you personally, rather than addressing the 'class' as a whole.

Each FOCUS ON seminar I have enrolled in has inspired me to become a better writer by applying what I learn... to produce work I can be proud of - even if I am the only one who's read it!

What I found particularly helpful was having the differences and similarities between style and tone clearly clarified, how each relates to specific genres and sub-genres, and how to deepen POV simply by removing filter words.

I encourage anyone who is interested in writing - and keen to hone their craft - to enrol in a course with the Australian Writers' Centre. The AWC offers a wide range of courses which cater for everyone. The high volume of graduates who have gone on to become successful published authors is proof that the courses at the AWC are value for money - worth every cent!

I hope Pamela will continue to conduct more FOCUS ON seminars. Not only do I really enjoy them but I learn something new each time. They also refresh my memory when it comes to things I do know!

Pam is an excellent presenter. Her accent on character-driven writing goes right to core of great writing. It will be in the forefront of my mind as I edit my writing.

The content was thorough. It was also good to be able to see what other students were doing and learn from their feedback.

It's given me the basic knowledge I need to get started and also to understand how the market works.

Good course content and structure at a fair price.

I'm a former property journalist who went into corporate comms and am now looking to go into freelance real estate copywriting and wanted to brush up on my skills.

I liked that I could do it at my own pace. I liked hearing the case studies and the final module was probably what I found most helpful, simply because of my background in property writing.

It's given me confidence that I know what I'm doing, I know how to write a listing and it's given me the kick I needed to start reaching out to old and new contacts.

I've recommended AWC before, time and time again! This is my second course and I love how easy it is to log on and do all the study and I love what's offered. For someone like me (part-time work and a 2yo) it's great to have the simplicity and flexibility of these courses.

Cathie provided constructive and insightful feedback. I felt supported throughout the whole process.

I feel invigorated about writing for children. I can see ideas everywhere - it's just about learning more about the 'craft' of writing.

This course offers lots of inspiration, and the module handouts are invaluable, and something I will refer to constantly.

Every aspect of this course served to motivate and support anyone who is interested in writing for children. I really enjoyed it. Thank you!

Bernadette provided me with both positive and constructive feedback, giving me areas to focus on. I really appreciated Bernadette offering me extra exercises to extend my ideas and skills.

The optional activities really cemented the concepts learnt in previous modules and helped improve my writing skills. I also liked reading my classmates' assignments and the feedback they received.

As a new writer I found the course perfect for me. It's given me confidence to continue with my first novel. The course inspired and motivated me.

The work at your own pace is fabulous - and what you learn is invaluable. My writing improved considerably and my confidence levels increased too.

Just a big thank you!

There was so much depth to this course. Kate is incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much in a concise way so it wasn't overwhelming. It was such a great course!

I enjoyed how tangible all the information was.

I now have a plan for my novel from following Kate's procedures.

If I were to recommend AWC to someone, I would say that they would get so much value for money, learn so much information and feel really supported in their writing.

The tutor was very knowledgeable and really got me thinking deeper about my manuscript and the path that it's now going in!

I enjoyed meeting all my classmates via Zoom and getting to read their incredible manuscripts whilst receiving invaluable feedback on mine.

The course was amazing! Got me to really see my manuscript through fresh eyes.

After writing one book without any preparation or experience, I realised I needed to learn more about plotting and planning before attempting my second book. I found this course advertised on the AWC web, registered my interest, and booked in once it was up and running.

Kate was amazing. Although I had discovered some of what she was saying (through trial and error), I also learnt so many things that will help me with my next book. The main point I took from it is that I need to be more professional and organised, and I love the 'top down' approach, i.e., write a telegraph, expand it into a synopsis, then expand that into an outline.

I like the artwork and I enjoyed how Kate related her tips to her own books. Also really appreciate the Challenges booklet. This will be very useful moving forward.

This is a step-by-step process to planning your novel. I can now approach writing my second book with much more confidence.

The author testimonials/stories were great and they spoke to me. Helped to take the fear out and allowed me to own my life as a writer and hopefully soon to be published author, which has always been my dream. Writing books seems to be on the up and up at the moment.

This is a great centre which helps writers of all kinds to learn enormous amounts about a vast array of forms of writing, which enables many of them to reach their goals.

Pamela's knowledge is refreshingly wonderful. Everything she says is like a light bulb moment for me. The way she explained style versus tone as well as the main points on achieving closeness with your reader were highly valuable. I will be actively using the tips and tricks Pamela discussed in my writing going forward.

If you enjoy writing and you enjoy learning, don't hesitate! AWC have something for everyone at every stage of the writing journey.

I always enjoy Pamela's presentations. This one made me more confident to keep writing and not to overdo my writing. I think too many writers get carried away trying to show how clever they are.

It's a great opportunity to improve your skills.

I am editing my novel with a focus on sharpening the POV. I have had feedback about my use of deep 3rd person POV and I couldn't explain it well enough to convince my critique partner that I knew what I was doing by using this technique in critical parts of my story. I needed a refresher, and when this course was offered along with Kate Forsyth's course, it was serendipitous.

I enjoy the ability to access the material when it suits me, and having access to the course for 12 months is also handy when I need to remind myself of some of the theories as I apply the techniques.

I am now more confident with my understanding of POV and when to use specific POVs in my writing and editing.

The flexibility of AWC's online courses is fantastic. The content of this course covered the basics for beginners, then covered the more complex application for writers who want to level up their craft.

I spent 15+ years in the tourism industry, but since having a child 7 years ago I have moved away from it. I wanted to find a way to get back in the industry that would work for my family life. This course seemed to cover all the basics and have a great overview of travel writing for newbies like me!

I don't know what I expected, but I can tell you I didn't expect to finish the course feeling like I'd just had all the nuts and bolts of the industry revealed! The course was superb: easy bite-sized modules with clear action points and takeaways.

I feel like a whole other world has been revealed to me! I am a freelance event manager who is feeling rather burnt out. A client said to me last week, "I don't have any more events coming up right now but if you ever start copywriting let me know, I could really use a hand." Because I was doing this course, I felt confident enough to say to her that actually I am doing a travel writing course and I would be interested in writing copy for her. We immediately had a Zoom call and decided I would write some blog posts and newsletter copy for her. They are not travel-related posts but I get to practice my writing with a client that fully understands I am a novice! I would never have put my hand up for this type of work if I wasn't doing this course.

I just loved how positive Valerie was in that if you keep trying it will happen!

The course was SO comprehensive and easy to digest - and also very good value!

I was attracted to this course because I actually wasn't entirely sure what style and tone are. So felt I needed to know more.

Pamela Freeman is a wonderful tutor and makes the subject easy to understand.

I belong to a writers group, and I am happy to keep my style light and easy as that is the main character's POV, but I have had comments I need more description of scenes, more in depth. Now I realise my MC would not see the scene that way.

You'd be crazy to not do at least one course from the AWC; it has helped me and the courses suit authors from beginner to published.

I always like Pamela's material; it's carefully considered and very well presented. I especially love the speed and authority of her responses to questions; it shows how well she knows her stuff, and her warmth and humour show a real depth of understanding of people, too.

The examples were simple and well chosen to illustrate the points being made.

There is a genuine commitment at the AWC to helping writers understand what publishers are looking for.

Pamela is brilliant and delightful ;)

I appreciate the honest feedback to help improve my writing. I learned that you need to get the character to do something to create a good story and how you should show and not tell.

A good starting ground to launch your interest in writing.

I have been interested in writing middle grade novels for a while, and was half way through my first attempt. I decided it was time to find out more, and this course seemed the perfect fit.

Pamela knows so much about writing and was generous in sharing this knowledge with us all. Her feedback was constructive and I learnt a lot from the feedback I received, both for my current work-in-progress and also in a way that will be useful for my future writing.

I enjoyed being part of a cohort and sharing the experience with others, including the sharing of writing and feedback - this made the course so much richer than just doing it on your own.

The course made me think more deeply about the audience of my writing. While this seems obvious, it was the much-needed shift I needed.

I have loved every AWC course I have done so far. I was so nervous before I enrolled in my first one, but as soon as I started I knew it was exactly what I needed and more. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to jump on in!