Australian Writers' Centre blog

WIN the purrfect ‘Pussweek Pack’!

Cat lovers assemble! This week, we’re having kittens as we excitedly offer up three Pussweek packs by AWC alumna, Bexy McFly. Bexy created the global feline-zine hit series Pussweek – By Cats, For Cats and has since gone on to collaborate with artist Megan Lynn Kott on 2019’s... read more

5 ways to write your novel while juggling your day job

The vast majority of authors who are starting out juggle their passion for writing with a day job. If you want to write a novel, you might wonder how to get that done when you’ve already got a bunch of other commitments. The authors we spoke to all combined... read more

Q&A: May vs might

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, come what might... read more

COMP CLOSED ‘The Silence’ by Susan Allott

This week we have three copies of The Silence – a powerful and heart-wrenching debut from author Susan Allott. Here’s a synopsis: It is 1997, and in a basement flat in Hackney Isla Green is awakened by a call in the middle of the night: her father, Joe, phoning... read more

10 mobile libraries around the world

Today, searching for a good book is easy to do since the internet is everywhere. Before we had the internet, people had to look for other options. Bookstores and libraries were easy places to get to for those who lived in town, but people who did not live in the... read more

The bookshelves of 20 celebrities

Your bookshelf can give people an insight into your soul. Big statement, we know. But your choice of books can reveal a lot about your passions, interests, hopes, fears – and everything in between.  So we’re taking a peek at what some famous people have on their bookshelf. Global English... read more

8 ways to find your golden ticket for freelance writing

Whether you’re getting into writing for the first time or you’re a seasoned professional, freelance writing can provide great opportunities for growth and development as well as more control over your own workflow—along with an income, of course! Check out our top 8 blog posts for tips... read more

Q&A: BC/AD vs BCE/CE

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 going... read more

Furious Fiction May 2020 winner and shortlist

May was another huge month for our spritely little Furious Fiction competition – with our second highest entries ever (highest was last month!). It just shows what great word of mouth and marketing--cough cough lockdown pandemic cough--- can do! Being the fifth month of the year, or maybe because we... read more

Enter the 2020 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

Calling all unpublished writers: the $10,000 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, which can be awarded to both fiction and creative non-fiction writers, is open for 2020. The winner will also get a year’s mentorship from a Hachette Australia publisher. Entries close on July 10, 2020.  From the... read more

10 must-read articles to level up your fiction writing

So you’re creative, inspired and want to write fiction? Great! For all writers, from first-timers to those with multiple novels under their belt already, the process can present some surprising challenges. Perhaps you’re struggling to get the first sentence onto the page, or maybe you’re part... read more

Clare Bowditch’s top 3 tips for first-time authors

Clare Bowditch’s ABIA award-winning memoir, Your Own Kind of Girl, goes deep into love, loss and grief. For her first book, Clare drew from her experience as a musician to get through the process of endless re-drafting, as well as using the names of her songs as... read more

COMP CLOSED: ‘Australian Code Breakers’ by James Phelps

The extraordinary story of a headmaster turned cryptographer, and our top-secret war with the Kaiser's Reich... This week we have three copies of Australian Code Breakers by James Phelps to be won. James is Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer and recently we enjoyed a video conversation... read more

Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae shortlisted for 2020 Text Prize

The shortlist for the 2020 Text Prize has been announced – and we’re delighted to see two Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae among them!  Miranda Luby, who completed our How to Write for Children and Young Adults course, and Lauren Draper, who has taken a creative writing course, have both been... read more

5 top tips for thriller writing from author L.A. Larkin

British-Australian crime and thriller writer L.A. Larkin – who teaches the Australian Writers’ Centre’s popular Crime and Thriller Writing course is our go-to woman for crafting suspenseful, exciting literature.  Larkin’s latest thriller novel Prey was released in April 2020, published by Clan Destine Press in Australia... read more