Spending time reading aloud to a dog sounds like heaven to us here at AWC headquarters. But for kids in the Story Dogs program, it’s more than just puppy cuddles and books – it’s the key to improving literacy. Founded by Janine Sigley and Leah Sheldon in 2009, Story Dogs
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 finding out which one
What do you do if you love travelling, have a passion for books, and find yourself at a significant turning point in your life? For Kerry Ridley the answer was obvious: start a travelling bookshop! “The concept of starting a bookshop on wheels began a few years ago when I
Unpublished and emerging illustrators, this competition is for you. Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing has announced their inaugural Little Hare Prize for Illustration. This will be an annual prize from Hardie Grant with the winner receiving a publishing contract as well as full editorial support to illustrate a new story for
By Anna Morgan. The latest book by YA writer and bookseller Anna Morgan is Before the Beginning. Here she reveals her top five ways to engage readers in your young adult book. Do strengthen your plot. One of the most common pieces of feedback I’ve heard from readers is: ‘Once
A school holiday treat this week, with a giveaway of the upcoming Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Emily Gravett. An essential 160-page companion to the Harry Potter series, this spectacular new full-colour edition brings together one of the world’s best loved storytellers with the
Image above: By Judith Rossell Multi-award-winning author and illustrator Judith Rossell teaches Writing Picture Books and How to Write for Children and Young Adults at the Australian Writers’ Centre, and has been writing and illustrating children’s books for nearly 20 years. She was an illustrator first before adding writing to
In Episode 353 of So You Want To Be A Writer: This ‘inbetweenisode’ is part of our Story Sessions series featuring ‘The Mother Fault’ by Kate Mildenhall. Narrated by veteran Australian actor Claudia Karvan, we bring bookshop browsing to you in this episode with the first chapter of this book.
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 exploring tragic circumstances… Q:
In Episode 352 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Craig Silvey, author of Honeybee. Learn about a cool opportunity to become a bookseller in the Maldives. Enter The Horne Prize for your chance to win $15,000. Alison Rushby shares her tips on how to make writing fun again. Plus, we have 3 copies of Just Like You by Nick Hornby to give away.
Nick Hornby fans rejoice, because this week’s giveaway is his latest book – Just Like You. We have three copies to give away from this million-copy bestselling author – a brutally funny novel about finding love when you least expect it. The person you are with is just like you:
In Episode 351 of So You Want To Be A Writer: This ‘inbetweenisode’ is part of our Story Sessions series featuring ‘The Killings at Kingfisher Hill’ by Sophie Hannah. Sophie continues the adventures of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot in this mystery and we bring bookshop browsing to you in this episode with the first chapter of this book.
UX and UI writing – which stands for ‘user experience’ and ‘user interface’, respectively – will be something you experience every day, though probably without even knowing it. At its best, it’s seamless. UX/UI writer Carli Ratcliff, who presents the Australian Writers’ Centre’s UX Writing course, says no two days
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 in a think tank…
British-Australian crime and thriller writer L.A. Larkin – who teaches the Australian Writers’ Centre’s popular Crime and Thriller Writing course – is an expert in the art of building suspense and high stakes in a thriller novel. Read on for her top 5 ways to turn your thriller into a
The Horne Prize, a collaboration between The Saturday Paper and Aesop is now open. Do you have a burning idea for an essay on contemporary Australian life? The winner of the 2020 Horne Prize will receive a whopping $15,000. The prize is named after the late Donald Horne AO, a
In Episode 350 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Penguin Random House publisher Laura Harris. Do bookshops make your bowels move? Discover how to enter the Spark prize for narrative non-fiction. And congrats to Dinuka McKenzie for winning The Banjo Prize! Plus, we have 3 copies of Nala’s World by Dean Nicholson to give away.
The Sisters in Crime 20th Davitt Awards have been presented and we’re thrilled that AWC alumna Astrid Scholte has won the Best Young Adult Crime Novel for her debut novel Four Dead Queens. It’s been an incredible year for Astrid, who also made the shortlist for the CBCA Book of
When 30-year-old Dean Nicholson set off from Scotland to cycle around the world, his aim was to learn as much as he could about our troubled planet. But he hadn’t bargained on the lessons he’d learn from his unlikely companion. The result is this week’s giveaway – Nala’s World –
By R.A. Spratt. The latest book from R.A. Spratt is The Peski Kids 5: The Final Mission, a mystery story for kids. We get her to spill five tips on how to write a great mystery story for children. 1. Plot backwards I usually come up with the big reveal
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