What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The tutor was very friendly. Her feedback was very helpful, pointing out what parts might confuse readers.

I enjoyed learning about the different stages of stories, and how they all weave together.

It has given me more confidence for writing, and finding the parts I need to work on.

Very insightful. Lots of helpful advice for writing stronger texts.

The tutor was very professional, and exceeded what I thought. Feedback was inspirational as well as honest.

I'm more confident now.

Very good course for aspiring writers.

I'm about to turn 50 and I'm actively working towards a pivot back to my childhood dream (and tertiary accomplishment) working in the industry of publishing - thrilling and disconcerting all at once!

I love writing. Always have and will. But I have a deep-seated dread that my licence to create a writing life has expired before it's begun.

This is not a tutorial of regurgitated fluff. Valerie's practical advice and strong encouragement was impossible not to be heartened by. I felt like she was talking directly to every thought, doubt and question I had! Thank you, Valerie.

This course, and others I have completed, always feel well put-together, warm and professionally delivered.

I wanted to refine my openings, but instead I learned a whole new way to start.

Pamela made it easy to understand and presented in a down-to-earth manner. I appreciated the assignment and the opportunity to have it critiqued.

Just do it - you won't be sorry.

The course gave me many options to explore and how to explore them. It had real life people talking real life decisions and how they succeeded. Taught the importance of discipline.

Very practical truthful advice. No embellishments, no wool over the eyes.

Go for it. They offer value for money. They are true to their cause. What they teach sticks.

I found it to be such a well structured and comprehensive course. I had limited exposure on how best to edit my work, and the last few modules of the course provided me with all the information I needed.

I feel more confident in completing my work - that is, moving beyond a first draft.

The AWC courses are very useful in building skills in the craft of fiction writing.

The self-paced modules allow the flexibility to work at your own pace which really suited me. Each module was just the right length, providing opportunities to practice skills and refer to published picture books. The information provided throughout the course is excellent and has given me the confidence to keep trying!

Incredibly helpful and detailed information about writing, structure, illustration, editing and how to approach a publisher. This knowledge provides the confidence to keep going! The opportunity to submit a manuscript at the end of the course for feedback was a wonderful added bonus!

I would say AWC courses provide information to help with all elements of writing and give confidence as you refine your story. Also, insights into how to approach a publisher. You just wouldn't know what to do without completing an AWC course.

I really have always wanted to be a writer, but I felt that I didn't really know all the ins and outs. Doing this course was a way to propel me into action. I procrastinated for one year after buying the course and many personal issues, but I'm so glad I did it.

Valerie and the guest writers complemented the course with the handouts. It was done in a friendly but take action kind of way.

The length of the course was a great taster, like a box of chocolates - a bit of everything.

The seminar was very well structured and full of very useful insights. I really enjoyed the guidance on how to make sure the subplots intersect effectively with the main storyline.

I feel more confident about incorporating subplots into my stories.

Go ahead! They are very practical and insightful courses.

I felt a need to sharpen up the structure of my stories and I'm now re-writing!

Don't stuff around thinking about - just go and do it!

I studied English and literature when the NSW school curriculum decided to teach grammar as a 'feeling' (hello 1980s). We learnt nouns, pronouns, verbs and adjectives and that was about it. Commas were sprayed around like confetti and thrown in whenever you felt like taking a breath. I felt that I had some large holes in my grammar knowledge and hoped this course might fill them.

I feel reassured that, generally, I have the tense correct in most sentences. Commas are still a little confetti-ish, but I now have a resource to help.

LOVED the explanation of "its and it's" which has bugged me for years - thanks!

Just do it! You will always learn something new and it keeps you thinking and writing.
I have amassed a lovely little collection of courses and have really enjoyed them.

The course was easy to understand, very clear. I enjoyed the conversation and banter between Valerie and Julia.

It has pushed me to get this done!

Just do it. It will help you push forward and learn things you did not know or even think of.

Bernadette was brilliant.

The course opened my eyes to how much marketing is in the everyday things and how well hooks can capture an audience.

Great for expanding skillset.

The tutor was lovely, very helpful and encouraging. :)

I enjoyed the exercises and video reviews.

When I was at school, my teacher used some of the techniques I'd learnt the day before form the course.

Do it! It's a good course to learn some basics.

Kate shared her own love of the written word in a way that spoke to me. It made me want to read and re-read and see in my own favourite works what she sees in her favourites.

I enjoyed using different genres to pick out the important parts of storytelling, showing how that genre wouldn't be what it is without that facet that was not unique to the genre but had a special impact on the genre.

Understanding how writers use poetic techniques within their prose helped me understand what I was already trying to do in my own work and helped me realise where I had used those techniques poorly.

Kate explains rhythm so well. It is something I hadn't fully understood before, but the way she explains it and the examples she gives shone a light that made it so clear.

Even if you think you know what you are doing, there are things the AWC can teach you. I really think you should check their courses out.

I enjoyed being in a group of like-minded people who are all sharing their personal experiences. It felt like we were all in the same boat, here to express our unique life journey and learn how to do that effectively.

Nat is a very experienced writer and gave direct, straight to the point direction and feedback. She also has a good sense of humour.

The course is definitely worth doing. It helps with self-confidence, gives you the essential basics of personal story telling and is great to be a part of a group of people who are all learning and sharing openly about their life experiences.

Thank you so much. I didn't want the course to end!

Fabulous course! I learnt so much even with decades of professional writing under my belt. The deadlines each week, the community of writers and the great feedback and tips were exactly what I needed.

McGovern was great, so knowledgeable and her feedback and summaries were insightful and helpful and balanced. Really enjoyed learning for her.

I loved the assignments each week and that I could take what I had already written and play around with it for different perspectives, enrich descriptions and challenge ways of presenting the story. The course helped me improve my manuscript without a doubt.

I was getting ready for a hard edit in late October and this course has given me the tools to make meaningful edits. Reworking dialogue, perspectives and scenes through the assignments was incredibly valuable to understanding what is possible.

If you are serious about a life of writing or pursuing publishing, the Australian Writers' Centre courses give you the craft tips and community you will need for your journey as a writer.

When I'm published, I can't wait to share what this course meant to me.

I have done a few different AWC courses so I know how good they are but I thought I didn't need any more. I am finally ready to write my debut novel but struggled to corral my ideas and decided I did actually need more help and guidance!

Petronella was great! I love the feedback that AWC online courses give. It is so beneficial. And I need the deadlines too, to get things done.

I found Valerie's presentations so concise and chock full of excellent information and I absolutely need examples - I understand better when something is explained and then an example is given. Thank you!

Everyone told me just to write, I didn't need another course, I knew how to write. But I had so many bits of ideas in my head that when I sat down to write I couldn't get started - I was going to write a funny book, but I love twists so maybe I needed to write a thriller but could my character get through a whole novel ... I couldn't settle. So I knew in my heart I needed more help. I did another course and there's so much more I learned and if I had sat down and just wrote, it would have wasted my time and not been good.

If you are serious about writing, these courses are the best. Years ago I completed the Freelance Writing Stage 1 course and ended up having over 80 feature articles published. Now I am doing the creative writing courses and hope to have a novel published. The feedback is excellent.

Looking forward to the next one.

I wanted to learn about the publishing landscape in Australia and how to pitch and appeal to publishers and agents.

I enjoyed the technical aspects such as pitching and synopsis format. It helped me approach and think of my story in more marketable terms.

AWC courses are worth so much more and are a fraction of the price compared to any creative writing degree. Their content is very current.

I needed to find structure for my imagination and a routine to work with.

I liked the mix of video, graph, illustration and bullet pointing/summaries. It was lovely to have some art/illustration and folk lore history added in.

It has given my very mercurial mind a structure to work to and a routine to follow.

The AWC offers courses across all parts of the writing process - presented in an easy to follow engaging format with lots of resources.