Learn from the best

With great courses comes great responsibility. Our amazing presenters not only possess truckloads of talent and experience, they’re also great at sharing! Meet them now.

Pamela Freeman is the award-winning author of more than 50 books. Pamela has a Doctorate in Creative Writing and is the Director of Creative Writing at the Australian Writers’ Centre. She has developed many highly regarded writing courses that have inspired and educated thousands of writers.

Her most recent novel as Pamela Hart is An A-List for Death. This follows Digging Up Dirt, the first in the Poppy McGowan mystery series. She also publishes Regency romance novellas with Escape Publishing. Prior to this, she’s published a number of historical novels, mostly set in the first part of the 20th century (WWI and the Roaring Twenties).
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Some of the courses Pamela Freeman presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Creative Writing Stage 2

Novel Writing Essentials

Write Your Novel

Edit Your Novel

Dr Kate Forsyth is an award-winning author, poet, and storyteller. Her most recent books are The Changeling, a spellbinding tale of witchcraft, forbidden love and defying fate; Psykhe, a new telling of the classic myth; and Long-Lost Fairy Tales, a collection of lost fairy tales from around the world.

Kate’s other historical novels include 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; The Blue Rose, set during the French Revolution and the first British embassy to Imperial China; Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ told in the voices of four women of the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists and poets; The Wild Girl, the story of the forbidden romance behind the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales which was named Most Memorable Love Story of 2013; and Bitter Greens, a retelling of ‘Rapunzel’ which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction.
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Courses Kate Forsyth presents:

Dare to Dream

Plotting and Planning

History, Mystery and Magic

Cathie Tasker is a fiction editor with more than 25 years’ experience and has also been a judge of the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and the Aurealis Awards. Cathie has worked for children’s publishers such as HarperCollins Publishers, Scholastic Australia and Koala Books. She has edited books by Mem Fox, Jackie French, Bruce Whatley, Judith Rossell, Sue Whiting, Pamela Freeman, Coral Vass, Craig Smith, Dee Huxley, Hazel Edwards, Ann James, Matt Cosgrove, Meredith Costain, Rod Clement, Sally Odgers, Patricia Mullins, Rodney McRae, Pamela Lofts, Junko Morimoto and more. Many of her students end up with published deals.
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Some of the courses Cathie Tasker presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Novel Writing Essentials

Presenting to Kids

Write Your Novel

Short Story Essentials

Allison Tait (also known as A.L. Tait) is an internationally published bestselling author of novels for children. Her most recent novels are Danger Road, Willow Bright's Secret Plot and The First Summer of Callie McGee. She's also author of the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.


Allison’s previous series is The Ateban Cipher, which comprises The Book of Secrets and The Book of Answers, and continues Allison’s success with epic adventure stories.

A multi-genre writer, teacher and speaker with many years’ experience in magazines, newspapers and online publishing, Allison is also the co-host of the popular 'So you want to be a writer' podcast.
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Courses Allison Tait presents:

Creative Writing Quest for Kids

Make Time to Write

Creative Writing 30-day Bootcamp

Candice Fox is the award-winning author of bestselling crime novels, most recently 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, her eighth collaboration with iconic crime and thriller author James Patterson, and the sequel to the bestselling 2 Sisters Detective Agency. Some of her other recent novels include High Wire, a high-octane outback thriller set in the wildlands of Australia and The Chase, an electrifying cat-and-mouse thriller set in the Nevada desert, which was the winner of the Best Crime Book in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards.

With James Patterson, she is also the author of Gathering Dark, The Inn, Hush Hush, Liar Liar, Fifty Fifty, Never Never and Black & Blue. Described as “a brutal, action-packed and really hard-edged novel about a crime set in a FIFO mine in the outback,” Never Never hit number 1 in the New York Times bestseller list and around the world. 
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Courses Candice Fox presents:

Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder

Petronella McGovern is a bestselling author and editor. Her latest novel is The Liars, a heart-stopping cocktail of family secrets, sinister unsolved disappearances and a community at war with itself. Her second novel, The Good Teacher, was longlisted for the Sisters-in-Crime Davitt Awards, and her first novel, Six Minutes, debuted on the Australian bestseller list and was shortlisted for three prestigious awards. Both psychological suspense novels, they have been described as gripping page-turners. She has also co-written two non-fiction books.


Petronella has been working as a writer and editor for thirty years, managing and training in-house editorial teams. She holds a Masters in Arts (Creative Writing) from the University of Technology, Sydney. Petronella lives in Sydney on the edge of a national park, and when she’s not reading books, she enjoys bushwalking.
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Courses Petronella McGovern presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Novel Writing Essentials

Amy Hutton is an award-winning author and former TV producer who spends her days writing swoony love stories.

Amy’s latest book, Ghosted, is a swoony, sexy, spooky paranormal romance, and a Romance Writers of America prize winner for Best Light Paranormal. Love from Scratch was a 2024 Spotify Wrap Editors’ Pick and her debut rom-com Sit, Stay, Love was one of Kobo AU’s best romances of 2023.
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Courses Amy Hutton presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Creative Writing Stage 2

Nat Amoore is an award-winning internationally published author of books for children, including Secrets of an Undercover Activist, We Run Tomorrow, The Right Way To Rock, The Power Of Positive Pranking and Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire.

Nat is the 2021 winner of the Environment Award for Children’s Literature. She has also been shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize and the REAL Children’s Choice Book Awards. In 2019, Nat was Australia's #1 bestselling debut children’s fiction author. Nat has also placed first and second at the CYA Conference and was the recipient of the CBCA Maurice Saxby Creative Development Program.
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Courses Nat Amoore presents:

Presenting to Kids

Lesley Gibbes is an internationally published author of more than a dozen books for children. Her latest picture books are Dinosaur Dads, Dinosaur Dads to the Rescue, Three Little Mermaids and Searching for Cicadas.

Her hilarious, internationally published chapter book series Fizz, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (CBCA Notable Book, Younger Readers), includes Fizz and the Police Dog Tryouts, Fizz and the Dog Academy Rescue, Fizz and the Show Dog Jewel Thief and Fizz and the Handbag Dognapper.
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Courses Lesley Gibbes presents:

Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 year olds

Tim Harris is the award-winning bestselling author of several laugh-out-loud series for kids, including Ratbags, Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables, Toffle Towers, and Exploding Endings.

A former primary school teacher of 15 years, his stories are filled with quirky scenarios, loveable characters and plenty of imagination.
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Courses Tim Harris presents:

Laugh Out Loud

Natasha Lester is an award-winning author of historical fiction. Her latest book is The Mademoiselle Alliance, an epic, sweeping novel of one young woman who risks everything to lead the largest spy network in occupied France during World War Two. Her other recent novels include The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, a gripping homage to woman and fashion, The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre, a fascinating World War II tale that braids fashion and espionage, The Riviera House, The Paris Secret, The Paris Orphan (also published as The French Photographer), The Paris Seamstress, and Her Mother's Secret.

Natasha's novel, Her Mother's Secret, is a story of love and ambition set in England and Manhattan between 1918 and 1939 and was released by Hachette Australia. A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, set in the Jazz Age in New York, was released by Hachette Australia after a bidding war between publishers. Her previous novels are If I Should Lose You and What is Left Over, After.
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Courses Natasha Lester presents:

2 Hours to Scrivener Power

L.A. Larkin’s crime-thrillers have won her fans all over the world. Described as a superb ‘chiller thriller’ writer by Marie Claire magazine, and praised by the king of crime, Lee Child, Louisa writes stories with lots of plot twists and characters that surprise. She also writes humorous dog-detective mysteries as Louisa Bennet.
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Courses L.A. Larkin presents:

Crime and Thriller Writing

Creative Writing Stage 1

Novel Writing Essentials

Bernadette Foley is one of the most connected people in the publishing industry, working as an editor and publisher for over 30 years. She was publisher of fiction and non-fiction for international publishing house Hachette Australia for 10 years, working with such authors as Di Morrissey, William McInnes, Gabrielle Lord, Graeme Blundell, Kate Ceberano, Bronwyn Parry, Lian Hearn, Pamela Freeman, Troy Cassar-Daley and many more. In 2015, Bernadette received the George Robertson Award for Service to the Australian Publishing Industry.

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Courses Bernadette Foley presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Creative Writing Stage 2

Novel Writing Essentials

Write Your Novel

Edit Your Novel

Jo Riccioni is a novelist and short story writer. Her latest novel, The Rising, is the explosive conclusion to her duology that started with The Branded. The series is a young adult epic fantasy adventure which has caused a buzz among readers and the publishing industry. Jo's first novel, The Italians at Cleat's Corner Store won the International Rubery Award for fiction and was shortlisted for the New Angle Prize in the UK, while her short stories have won competitions around the world and been optioned for short film.
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Courses Jo Riccioni presents:

Teenage Creative Writers’ Course

Alexandra Spring is a journalist, producer and editor, who has worked at the ABC, Guardian Australia and Vogue Australia. She’s written news and features stories on arts, culture, fashion, environment, sustainability, lifestyle, and many more topics. Her popular column 'How We Stay Together' ran for almost two years in Guardian Australia, and she presented the podcast 'The History of Wastefulness' for the BBC’s World Service.
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Courses Alexandra Spring presents:

Freelance Writing Stage 1

David Leser is an award-winning feature writer who has worked for The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, HQ, The Bulletin, Good Weekend, The Australian Women's Weekly, Vanity Fair, Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is the author of Women, Men and the Whole Damn Thing  (Allen & Unwin) and has also worked as a Washington and Jerusalem-based correspondent.
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Courses David Leser presents:

Profile Writing

Bernadette Schwerdt has trained over 9,000 people in the art of writing words that sell. She was a senior account director and copywriter for global advertising agency Young & Rubicam Advertising and worked on campaigns for clients such as Apple, Amex, Optus and Colgate. In 2001, she founded the Australian School of Copywriting, launching the careers of thousands of successful copywriters.
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Courses Bernadette Schwerdt presents:

Copywriting Essentials

How to Build a Successful Freelance Copywriting Business

Email Marketing and Copywriting

Carli Ratcliff is an award-winning editor, journalist, digital content specialist and UX writer. She is an experienced trainer in UX writing and Plain English business writing. With experience in writing corporate communications, webpages, apps, mobile, voice and chatbots, Carli also consults to a number of organisations on writing in the workplace and UX writing strategy. She established and has led the UX writing team at Qantas for many years. She now also advises on UX digital content and best practice professional business writing for clients including SBS OnDemand, and advises Adobe on the design of their ‘Writing for Voice' platform.
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Courses Carli Ratcliff presents:

UX Writing

Food Writing

Vivienne Pearson is a Byron Bay-based freelance writer whose byline has appeared in Good Weekend, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Saturday Paper, ABC, SBS, MindFOOD, delicious and more.

A writer without a niche, she writes features and opinion pieces on parenting, lifestyle, opinion, food and news-related features. She was a recipient of an inaugural Walkley Grant for Freelance Journalists, producing seven stories on the topic of school fundraising.
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Courses Vivienne Pearson presents:

Freelance Writing Stage 1

Opinion Writing

Mark Farrelly's extensive copywriting career began at Ogilvy’s, working on BMW, Shell, Kit Kat, Smarties, Minties, Violet Crumble, Fantales & Black Magic as well as Barbie & Hot Wheels. He then joined the Leap Agency, writing for Australia Post, HP, BMW, RVIB, Foster Parents Plan, Lanes Biscuits and Link Telecommunications.

A position of Senior Writer/Creative Group Head lured him to Samuelson & Talbot (now M&C Saatchi) working on Morning Fresh, Radiant XL, Cussons Imperial Leather & Duo. He won Retail Launch of the Year Award for his Whitman’s Chocolates campaign.
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Courses Mark Farrelly presents:

Copywriting Essentials

Valerie Khoo is an award-winning feature writer and the long-standing CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre, which she has led for 20 years. Under her leadership, the Centre has become one of the country’s most influential hubs for aspiring writers – offering more than 80 courses and supporting over 100,000 students across Australia and beyond.

Valerie has played a pivotal role in shaping the modern writing landscape in Australia. She has created an environment where authors are not only nurtured but also connected to real opportunities, including pathways to publication. She has mentored many of the course developers and educators behind the Centre’s flagship programs—ensuring a consistently high standard of excellence. Her belief that mindset is just as important as craft has influenced countless writers to back themselves and pursue their creative dreams.
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Some of the courses Valerie Khoo presents:

Freelance Writing Stage 1

Travel Writing

Freelance Writing Masterclass Program

Content Writing

Plain English Business Writing

Katrina Lobley is a writer who specialises in travel, tourism, culture and the arts. She started working as a journalist more than 30 years ago, and was on staff at The Sydney Morning Herald for five years.
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Courses Katrina Lobley presents:

Travel Writing

Ky Chow has over a decade of journalism experience as a reporter for Australia's top news brands such as SBS, Sky News, the Australian Financial Review and the ABC. As a specialist in business and finance journalism, Ky can share how to write persuasively on business topics both simple and complex.
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Courses Ky Chow presents:

Plain English Business Writing

Workplace Communication Essentials

Michelle Barraclough is a writer and strategic marketing professional with more than years' experience in a diverse range of industries including tourism, hospitality, professional services and retail. She has a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and a Bachelor of Arts (Literature) from Monash University.
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Courses Michelle Barraclough presents:

Plain English Business Writing

Workplace Communication Essentials

Nat Newman is an experienced creative writing tutor and a sought-after manuscript editor. Her mastery of structure and story editing has helped countless students transform the way they write. Nat is also an award-winning writer and playwright who won the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the Pacific Region with her story “The Death of Margaret Roe”. Her play The Understudies (cowritten with Liz Vassilacos) won the Sydney Guest award at the Newcastle Fringe Festival and also features at the Sydney Fringe Festival, and her play A Very New Chrissy has been selected as part of Newcastle City Council’s UpStage program, where it will debut at the Civic Theatre. Her debut play The Library was also an award-winner at the Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival. She has written the novella The Office of Dead Letters and her short stories have appeared in Granta, Structo, Brittle Star, Overland and Shoreline of Infinity. Born and raised in Australia, Nat has walked across two countries, lived and worked in six, and now calls the universe her home.
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Courses Nat Newman presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Creative Writing Stage 2

Novel Writing Essentials

Write Your Novel

Personal Storytelling and Memoir Writing

Grant Doyle is an experienced copywriter, content manager, and web editor. After several years as a print journalist and author, Grant transitioned to writing and managing web content for many corporations, government departments, SMEs, and not-for-profit organisations in various online content roles over the last two decades.
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Courses Grant Doyle presents:

Plain English Business Writing

Editing Essentials

Intelligent Business Writing with AI

Margaret Whiskin is an editor with more than 30 years’ experience. She has worked with many authors at all stages of manuscript development including Julie Janson, Gladys Milroy, Bruce Pascoe, Marie Munkara, and Sue McPherson. 

Margaret is a tutor for the Australian Writers’ Centre and has held many positions in the Australian publishing industry. She has been an editor, publishing manager and publisher for Magabala Books, Fremantle Press, Weldon Owen and HarperCollins as well as mentoring and training in-house editors. Margaret has also worked as a freelance editor throughout her career. 
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Some of the courses Margaret Whiskin presents:

Creative Writing Stage 1

Creative Writing Stage 2

Novel Writing Essentials

Write Your Novel

Writing Middle Grade Fiction

Charlotte Barkla is a Brisbane-based author, who worked as a civil engineer and physics teacher before rediscovering her love for children’s literature. Her books include 11 Ruby Road (March 2024), All Bodies are Good Bodies, the Edie’s Experiments series and From My Head to My Toes, I Say What Goes.

Charlotte’s books have been translated in multiple languages and short-listed for awards. She regularly visits schools, libraries and festivals for creative writing workshops, sharing her passion for creativity and stories with children of all ages.
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Courses Charlotte Barkla presents:

Writing Middle Grade Fiction

Writing Picture Books

Carla Fitzgerald is an author of children's books specialising in middle-grade novels and picture books.

Carla's middle-grade novel How to be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five is published by UQP and her picture book Keeping Up with the Dachshunds is published by Larrikin House. She is working on her second middle grade novel.
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Courses Carla Fitzgerald presents:

Writing Middle Grade Fiction

Julia Kuris works with self-published authors to create beautiful covers that sell! She is the founder of Sydney based design and branding studio designerbility.com.au. Julia has designed covers for some of Australia’s leading authors and entrepreneurs as well as designing covers for Finch Publishing, an independent publishing house based in Sydney. She regularly speaks and teaches about cover design and is passionate about helping authors connect with their readers.

Julia teaches Book Covers That Sell.
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Courses Julia Kuris presents:
Kath Walters is a business writing trainer, journalist, feature writer, editor and book coach. Over her career at Fairfax Business Media and beyond, her stories appeared in the Australian Financial Review, Smart Company, Business Review Weekly, Business Spectator, Women's Agenda, ANZ Bluenotes and Company Director.
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Courses Kath Walters presents:

Plain English Business Writing

Workplace Communication Essentials