Australian Writers' Centre blog

WIN ‘Finding Chika’ by Mitch Albom

This week’s giveaway is number one bestselling author Mitch Albom’s new book, Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family. Mitch is most known for the international sensation Tuesdays with Morrie. This is his first work of nonfiction in 10 years and his... read more

21 ways to reinvent yourself in the New Year

Do you wake up in the mornings feeling like you’re stuck in a rut? Are your creative projects languishing? Is life starting to feel a bit stale?  Or perhaps you’ve just been through a big life change? A new career, the end of a relationship, a move to... read more

Voices of Women Program now open for 2020

The Voices of Women Writing Competition for 2020 is now open!  Are you writing short narrative stories in the first-person voice? Join the adventure in 2020 as Voices of Women presents CLEARWAY: CREATE THE SPACE: The annual writers’ competition. Hear your own short stories performed live by amazingly powerful... read more

Q&A: Over the moon?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we're mooning... read more

Furious Fiction January 2020 winner and shortlist

A new year of Furious Fiction and a new crop of hopeful storytellers (and some veterans!) lining up to showcase their skills. With the devastating bushfires at their peak earlier this month, a lot of writers used the challenge as a chance to express their emotions through their words – some... read more

5 ways to improve your writing MOJO

We’re only a few weeks in but this year has already been a rough ride, with so many other things to distract and deter you from your wordsmithery. So as the entrance gates to Twenty Twenty start to fade in the rear-view mirror, it’s a great time... read more

COMP CLOSED ‘Inner Worlds Outer Spaces’ by Ceridwen Dovey

Intimate portraits of people who love what they do... What does it feel like to be passionate about your daily work? How do people find their way into fascinating, unusually fulfilling careers, even against the odds? This week’s giveaway book is Inner Worlds Outer Spaces: Working Lives of Others... read more

Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature 2020 shortlist announced

Thirty seven writers have been shortlisted in the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature. This is a highly prestigious award with $167,000 of prize money up for grabs. The prize began in 1986 with previous winners including Tim Winton, Helen Garner, Richard Flanagan and Gail Jones. We’re cheering extra... read more

$10,000 prize for young adult and children’s writing now open

Australian and New Zealand writers of young adult and children’s fiction - the annual Text Prize is now open. This prize is in its thirteenth year and its goal is to find great books for young adults and children by Australian and New Zealand writers. The winner receives a publishing... read more

Q&A: Alterior vs ulterior motives

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we're altering... read more

Your 20 words to live by in 2020

At the beginning of this year, we asked you to let us know your ONE WORD THEME for the year ahead. No wrong answers – simply one word that captured what you wanted to achieve or tapped into something meaningful to you. Thanks to all those who sent their words and... read more

Write Your Novel. And again. And again…

There are few things more satisfying than completing a manuscript. And there are few things more challenging and isolating than the process of writing that manuscript! The act of writing a book is usually a lonely experience, immersing yourself deep in your story and your own mind. But you don... read more

Ep 314 Meet Nick Gadd, author of ‘Death of a Typographer’.

In Episode 314 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Nick Gadd, author of Death of a Typographer. #authorsforfireys brings the community together and what happened to the Apostrophe Protection Society? Plus, we have three copies of That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing... read more

Q&A: Sceptic vs skeptic

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we're taking... read more

COMP CLOSED ‘488 Rules for Life’ by Kitty Flannagan

This week’s giveaway book is 488 Rules for Life – Kitty Flanagan's way of making the world a more pleasant place to live. Providing you with the antidote to every annoying little thing, these rules are not made to be broken. 488 Rules for Life is not a self... read more

Q&A: The world is your oyster?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we're doing... read more

Share your word for 2020

To kick off the year and a new decade, we’d love you to join in what has become an annual tradition. Share with us the ONE WORD THEME that you’re choosing for 2020. Also let us know why you’re choosing it – and we’ll share some of... read more