Year: 2020

Writer with pencil and notepad having fun
Fiction writing
Guest Writer

Make writing fun again

By award-winning author, Allison Rushby. We’ve all been there. It’s Sunday. Your chores are done. Everyone else in the house has gone out. The dog/cat/ferret has been walked/played with/whatever you do with a ferret. You’ve got a few hours up your sleeve. Uninterrupted time! You were all set to write

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Jump the shark

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, there’s a shark attack… Q:

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Furious Fiction September 2020 winner and shortlist

A picture told 500 words this month as we welcomed back the infamous picture prompt to our Furious Fiction criteria club. The picture above was the image in question and the complete challenge for September went something like this: Each story had to be INSPIRED by the picture above. Each story’s

Read More »
Crime fiction author and Australian Writers' Centre alumna Dinuka McKenzie smiling in floral shirt
Alumni/Student success stories
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Congrats to AWC alumna Dinuka McKenzie – winner of The 2020 Banjo Prize!

HarperCollins Australia has announced their winner of The 2020 Banjo Prize and we are thrilled it’s Dinuka McKenzie, one of our talented alumni! Dinuka took out the major prize for her manuscript Flood Debris (released in 2022 as The Torrent), winning a publishing contract with HarperCollins and a $15,000 advance.

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

COMP CLOSED: double passes to ‘The Translators’

As cinemas reopen across Australia, thanks to Palace Films this week we’re offering up FIVE double passes to new film The Translators. It opens in cinemas from 17 September 2020. A big hit at the recent Alliance Française French Film Festival, THE TRANSLATORS is written and directed by Régis Roinsard

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Spark Prize for narrative non-fiction now open

Do you write narrative non-fiction? Do you have an idea for a publishable book, but just need an extra boost?  Hardie Grant has just launched its inaugural Spark Prize for narrative non-fiction.  According to the Hardie Grant website, the winner will receive: $2000 prize money,  a 6-month mentorship with Hardie

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Grams, ounces, pounds, stones and tons…

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, weight for it… Q: Hi

Read More »
Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Ep 348 Meet Richard Fidler, broadcaster and author of ‘The Golden Maze: A Biography of Prague’.

In Episode 348 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Richard Fidler, broadcaster and author of The Golden Maze: A Biography of Prague. Congratulations to AWC alumnae Felicity McVay and Brooke Grahams for publishing their debut picture books. Plus, shout out to AWC alumna Petronella McGovern for being on the 2020 Ned Kelly Crime Awards shortlist with her thriller Six Minutes. Plus, we have 3 copies of The Golden Maze by Richard Fidler to give away.

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards now open

Calling all Australian illustrators – established, emerging and in between. The SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards are now open. What are the awards? According to the SCBWI website: The SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards recognise the talent of PAL published Australian

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

COMP CLOSED ‘The Golden Maze’ by Richard Fidler

This week’s giveaway book is from beloved ABC broadcaster and bestselling author of Ghost Empire and Saga Land, Richard Fidler. His latest book is The Golden Maze – a personally curated history of the magical city that is Prague. Here’s a blurb about it: In 1989, Richard Fidler was living

Read More »
Alumni/Student success stories
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Congrats to the AWC alumni shortlisted for the 2020 Banjo Prize

HarperCollins Australia has released the shortlist for the 2020 Banjo Prize and we’re so proud that all four are from the Australian Writers’ Centre community. The 2020 Banjo Prize shortlist: The List by Megan Albany The Tuesday Afternoon Murder Club by Karli Florisson Roses of Budapest by Rachael Keene Flood

Read More »
Uncategorized
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Applications now open: Paid internship program with Hachette Australia

Have you wanted to get a break in the publishing industry? Hachette Australia have announced a paid summer internship.  According to the website: “The Hachette Australia Summer Internship Program will run for four months each year, with the first successful candidate commencing in November 2020. The intern role will be

Read More »
Our famous Q&As!
Dean Koorey

Q&A: Misinformation or disinformation

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, there’s a lot of misinformation

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Are you the next big thing in crime writing?

Are you a crime writer in Australia or New Zealand?  Whether you’re a debut author or have previously been published, the Allen & Unwin Crime Fiction Prize is looking for new talent in crime writing. The prize itself is a killer! The winner will receive a publishing contract with Allen

Read More »
Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Ep 347 Meet Fiona Palmer, author of ‘Tiny White Lies’.

Learn how to edit your own manuscript and meet Fiona Palmer, author of Tiny White Lies. In a shocking plot twist, Allison shares her Word of the Week. Discover when to tune into a special Facebook live Creative Conversations with Allison Tait. Plus we have 3 copies of The Fire Star: A Maven & Reeve Mystery by A.L. Tait to give away.

Read More »
Competitions and Opportunities
Australian Writers' Centre Team

COMP CLOSED: ‘The Fire Star’ by A.L. Tait

‘I was up past midnight finishing this book! The mystery kept me turning the pages, and I felt like I’d known Maven and Reeve forever.’ – Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Ice Wolves Great news! Our very own AWC presenter and podcast co-host A.L. Tait is back

Read More »
Alumni/Student success stories
Australian Writers' Centre Team

Sonya Bates: Speech pathologist finds license to thrill with debut novel

AWC courses completed:
Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder
Build Your Author Platform

Sonya Bates was a speech pathologist who dabbled in writing on the side. But when she had the idea for her thriller Inheritance of Secrets, she knew it was time to take her writing seriously. She signed up for the Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder course at the Australian Writers’ Centre to get the skills and confidence she needed.

Sonya is now proud to call herself an author with her debut adult novel, Inheritance of Secrets, out now through HarperCollins.

Read More »
Browse posts by category

Courses starting soon

×

Nice one! You've added this to your cart