Congratulations to all the wonderful authors, illustrators and publishers who have made it onto the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s (CBCA) shortlisted books for 2022. We’re particularly chuffed for the talented graduates from our Writing Picture Books course – children’s authors Vikki Conley, Sandhya Parappukkaran and author/illustrator Freda Chiu –
“Enrolling on the course meant I had actually invested in myself and my dream,” Jeanette says. “While I was taking the course, I felt a strong sense of ‘this is what I should be doing’.”
Jeanette’s decision to invest in herself paid off and she can now call herself a published author. Her debut picture book Shadow and the Girl has been released by Red Paper Kite with illustrations by Demelsa Haughton.
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has released its list of Notable books for 2022 and we’re giving a standing ovation to our talented presenters and graduates who have been recognised – as well as the wonderful authors we’ve had on our So you want to be a writer
It’s no exaggeration to say that author Nicola Marsh is a doyenne of romance writing. In fact, she’s published more than 75 books, including rural romance for Harper Collins Australia, domestic suspense for Hachette UK’s Bookouture and Grand Central Publishing USA, and contemporary romance for Penguin Random House’s Berkley imprint
Recently in our newsletter, we were celebrating the wonderful ways in which we surround ourselves with books in our own homes. From vast walls of bookshelves to small piles next to the bed, it’s always a good sign of a thriving, thinking home! And hey, we were CURIOUS – so
If you’ve been swept up in the spectacle of Netflix’s Bridgerton, you’re not alone. More than 63 million households have tuned in to the pomp and romance, and many people who’d never heard of a ‘Regency romance’ before are now addicted. So what exactly is a Regency romance? And how
This article was written by Sharon Givoni. We’ve all been there. At a party, at a dinner table, out for coffee with the gang—you are telling a story. You’ve told this story so many times and it’s a winner. You embellish here, cut out a few boring bits there, and
Here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we’re in the privileged position to chat regularly with successful authors, talented freelancers, world-class presenters and our amazing students. And although everyone approaches writing differently, it’s clear that there are common truths that can be helpful for all. Most importantly, if you want to
Zanni Louise, author of Too Busy Sleeping and Archie and the Bear, has launched a picture book series designed to help preschool and early primary readers engage with values. Feeling a personal draw to themes of friendship, family and kindness, Zanni says she wanted to create books which were useful
Most people are aware of the idea of royalties, where writers get paid a percentage of the sale of their books. But there are other ways to earn money, and it’s important for authors to know about them! In this post, bestselling author Pamela Freeman explains how authors can make
By author, Nat Newman Following the traditional route to publication can be hard work. Not only do you need to write a fantastic book, but you also need to resonate with an agent or publisher at just the right moment. For some people, self-publishing is a Plan B – the
We’re so thrilled that our Director of Creative Writing Pamela Freeman and acclaimed illustrator Liz Anelli have won the Eve Pownall Award for their book Dry to Dry at the CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Congratulations to this dynamic duo! We chatted to Pamela about the win… 1. What
Turning ten is a big deal – once you hit double digits, there’s no going back. And this is exactly the milestone author and AWC presenter Lesley Gibbes is celebrating with the publication of her 10th picture book. Dinosaur Dads illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, is out now with Scholastic Australia.
Picture book author – and AWC alumna – Victoria Mackinlay has had an extraordinary month. She has published not one but TWO new picture books, The Lion Who Came To Stay and The Bark Book. As if that wasn’t achievement enough, her first picture book Ribbit Rabbit Robot has been
Mandy Foot has illustrated dozens of picture books with Hachette Australia. But when she decided to write her own story, she knew she had to gain new skills. After completing the Writing Picture Books course at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Mandy published her debut picture book as an author, Joey
Pamela Freeman (also known as Pamela Hart) never ceases to amaze me. I’ve known her for the past 16 years, first as a brilliant author, then she became a presenter of our creative writing courses at the Australian Writers Centre. And then she took on the role of Director of
Running an online workshopping group is a great way to stay accountable while watching your writing improve in leaps and bounds. And finding your tribe will keep you motivated and encouraged. Students in our Write Your Novel program enjoy such benefits as they workshop each other’s writing across six or
We love indie authors at the Australian Writers’ Centre (well, we love ALL writers)! These days, many authors prefer to go indie rather than signing up to a traditional publisher. Some indie authors like having control over their writing, while others want to publish without pressure. Some make a modest
Most writers like to snoop and eavesdrop – that’s how you pick up juicy snippets and tidbits to use in your stories. And when writing dialogue, there’s nothing like listening to real conversations to tune your ear and discover interesting phrases. Whenever you’re on a bus or train journey, always
There’s no better way to improve your writing than to share and workshop it with other writers. This idea can terrify some people, but once you conquer your fear, you’ll find it invaluable. However, you need to find the right group for you, and your writing group should have clear
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