When Perth-based writer Emily Paull saw her novel The Distance Between Dreams published by Fremantle Press, it marked the fulfilment of a long-held dream – one she’d been steadily working towards since her early writing days and through her time at the Australian Writers’ Centre.
Before taking her course, Emily was working at an independent bookshop while trying to make headway into a writing career. “I had been working on my novel for about six years on and off, and not having much luck, but I was starting to get some results with short story competitions, so I knew I was on the right track,” she recalls.
Looking for guidance and structure, she enrolled in Novel Writing Essentials (then called Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques) with AWC. “I knew a lot of people who had done AWC courses and raved about them, and I was feeling quite stuck,” she says. “I thrive on the structure that classes and courses give, and as many writers know, when you're feeling a bit disheartened, there's nothing like a good course structure with a kind teacher waiting for your work to keep you going… or maybe that's just me? When I saw that this course was taught by Pamela Freeman/Hart, who specialised in historical fiction just like I wanted to write, I thought, ‘This is the one!’”
A life-changing decision
That choice proved pivotal. “I distinctly remember Pamela's advice about how to craft a satisfying ending,” Emily says. “Ending stories was always something I had struggled with, but she gave us really useful, practical advice which was specific without being prescriptive. I'm not sure if I am giving away trade secrets, but she taught us to find a way to bring the majority of your characters into one place for a final coming together of all the plot arcs, and this led to a scene in my novel which has remained in the book through all the drafts that followed. I'm not intimidated by endings anymore!”
That lesson, and the confidence that came with it, helped Emily persist through multiple drafts, competitions and moments of self-doubt. “I feel proud to be part of the AWC community, which has a track record of helping many great Australian writers along the path to publication,” she says. “I felt more confident knowing I was doing the work that needed to be done, and getting advice from people who knew what they were talking about.”
From dream to reality
Her novel The Distance Between Dreams tells the story of Winston and Sarah, two young people from very different backgrounds who meet and fall in love in Fremantle, Western Australia, right as the world approaches the war. “When family secrets tear the young lovers apart, and then the advent of the Second World War separates them even further, the question becomes whether or not they can find a way back to each other, and if they can't, whether or not they can ever move on,” Emily explains.
Alongside her fiction, Emily continued to hone her craft through short stories, with her collection Well-Behaved Women published by Margaret River Press. She also gained recognition in the Fogarty Literary Award, which ultimately led to her connection with Fremantle Press. “I entered it in the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award and was shortlisted. Off the back of that, Fremantle Press made an offer for publication and I gladly accepted. I had always wanted to work with them – it's such a Fremantle story, and no one understands Fremantle like Fremantle Press!”
The moment she learned her book would be published was unforgettable. “The first time I heard it, I was standing to the side of the stage in a freezing cold Speigeltent after the announcement of the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award… One of the other Fremantle Press authors there to support us gave me a hug because she knew I was probably feeling a bit disappointed and I had just burst into tears. Then Georgia Richter, who is the publisher at Fremantle Press, made her way over to me to offer a hug as well, and let me know that they still wanted to publish the book. It was surreal, I was still crying but I was laughing at the same time, and shivering, and I wasn't 100% sure I was awake. In fact, it wasn't until I had an email asking me to come in and sign the contract that I knew for sure the whole thing hadn't been a dream.”
A new career path
Now, Emily balances her part-time work as a librarian with her growing writing career. “I love books and reading and I am passionate about spreading the positive benefits of reading to as many people as I can … I try to write on the two weekdays I have off and on weekends. Sometimes it's easier said than done! But I have an amazing writers' group here in Perth who all write historical fiction and we keep each other on track.”
As for her advice to aspiring authors, Emily’s message is simple: “Doing a course like this isn't like going to university – it's more practical, and you don't need to be a literary scholar, you just have to love the craft of writing. It's an investment in yourself, and if you thrive on deadlines and structure, or if you need those things at this point in your career, it's definitely worth it.”
Course completed at AWC:
- Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques (now Novel Writing Essentials)
