Anne Farrell’s journey from marketer and copywriter to published author is proof that it’s never too late to follow a long-held dream. After completing more than a dozen courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Anne has signed a three-book deal for The Rakali Trilogy, with the first junior fiction title scheduled for release in 2026.
Anne has harboured an inner longing to be an author for a long time. “Sometimes you have quiet hopes that feel so precious and fragile that to utter them might extinguish them before they even have a chance,” Anne says. “Writing a book was that for me, probably from the time I left school.”
Life took her through university, a career in health administration, and raising a family – but the idea of writing never quite disappeared. In her late twenties, she had a corner room in her house overlooking trees and a garden. “I recall thinking it would make a great room to write a novel in one day – though that felt a way off.”
A decade later, after further study, she channelled her love of writing into a long career as a copywriter. Then, at a family lunch, her niece and nephew asked, “Why don’t you write a book?” She replied that she didn’t think she had sufficient imagination. “When I got home, I reflected on that and was mad at myself for shutting down the idea so fast and for my knee-jerk lack of self-belief. Turns out that little voice was tired of being a whisper! That became the fuel I needed to give it a crack. And now, five years on from starting my journey with AWC, I’ve ended up with a three-book deal. I’m glad I listened to that voice!”
A new chapter begins
Before her first course, Anne was semi-retired from a career in marketing and copywriting, “battling away trying to write a children’s novel on my own but knew in my heart it wasn’t really going anywhere. Trial and error is one way to learn, but it’s not the most efficient!”
She’d been a long-time reader of the AWC newsletter after meeting CEO Valerie Khoo at a business development workshop years earlier. It was after reading one of these newsletters that Anne was inspired to take action. “Whatever it was, it really spoke to me! I remember feeling empowered and excited by the idea of learning the craft properly – instead of by the seat of my pants.”
With the first COVID lockdowns underway, the timing felt right. “The prospect of throwing myself wholeheartedly into something positive and hopeful (like following a dream to become an author) seemed a welcome distraction from the alarming news cycle.”
Learning the craft – and gaining momentum
Her first course, Writing Middle Grade Fiction, was a turning point. “The prompt for the initial assignment in the very first course I did led me to create my inciting incident – which ultimately became the hinge for the whole story. It was the catalyst I needed!”
From there, Anne went on to complete about a dozen AWC courses, including Write Your Novel and Edit Your Novel with Pamela Freeman. “I completed a 47,000-word first draft of a middle-grade story by the end of Write Your Novel, and made substantial and important changes in the second draft via Edit Your Novel. I’m not sure I would have achieved this without the accountability, momentum and feedback offered by these courses.”
She also found value in learning key fiction concepts, gaining confidence in critiquing and receiving critiques, and connecting with peers. “Another big benefit was that through the Edit Your Novel course, my writers’ group formed in 2022. We continue to help one another with feedback, encouragement and the occasional hard nudge!”
The road to The Rakali Trilogy
Anne’s trilogy is inspired by the rakali, Australia’s native water rat. “They’re also intelligent, wary and inquisitive – attributes I wanted in my main character.”
The adventure series for readers aged 7–9 follows a timid rakali on a dangerous quest, the friends he meets along the way, and his journey of self-discovery.
After significant manuscript development – including a shift from middle grade to junior fiction based on manuscript assessment feedback – Anne entered the Just Write For Kids Pitch It! competition. She won the Junior Fiction category, which meant Riveted Press publisher Rowena Beresford would read her manuscript. “I had a Zoom call with Rowena, who said she wanted to publish it. She asked me about other book ideas and I loosely pitched the other two books I’d started outlining/writing,” Anne says. These were ideas that would eventually become the second and third books in The Rakali Trilogy. “When the contract arrived … it was for three books!
A dream come true
Hearing the words she’d been dreaming of was a moment Anne will never forget. “When Rowena pretty much led with, ‘I’d like to publish it,’ it was surreal. Talk about an out of body experience! Things went into slow-motion, and I felt a bit light-headed. It’s something I’d hoped for but hadn’t allowed myself to expect.”
Anne now balances writing with time spent with her grandchildren, journalling, and refining her craft. “Signing up and completing AWC courses was a declaration (mainly to myself) that I was taking this seriously. By doing the learning and work that went with it, my skills and confidence as a prospective author have grown.”
Her advice for aspiring authors? “Doing a course with the AWC was a gamechanger for me. From the very first writing prompt, my story gathered pace and focus. And that’s just the start – AWC courses give you loads of practical and inspiring tips to help you draft and edit your story so it’s as good as you can make it.”
You can find Anne on Instagram and Facebook.
Courses taken at AWC:
