Leonie Jarrett went from running a legal firm to becoming a widely published travel writer – proof that it’s never too late to follow a creative path you’ve been dreaming about.
After selling her legal practice and stepping away from full-time law, Leonie found herself at a turning point. Her four children had finished school and moved on, and the business she’d poured years into was no longer hers. For the first time in a long while, she had the space to ask what she wanted to do next.
“I had a dream of writing a book,” she says. “A friend mentioned she’d done some AWC courses and really enjoyed them, so I joined the email list and started reading.”
That curiosity would soon take Leonie in a completely new direction – one that led from the legal offices to travel magazines, glossy lift-outs and commissioned trips around the world.
Discovering writing – and what was possible
Leonie’s first course was Creative Writing Stage 1, chosen because of that long-held dream of writing a book. “I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot,” she says.
One course led naturally to others – fiction, children’s writing – and Leonie began writing short stories. “I have entered a story in AWC’s Furious Fiction every month since December 2022 and nearly all of these story entries have been published by online magazines.”
Around the same time, travel was becoming a bigger part of her life, and she started turning those experiences into stories of their own. “As my husband and I travelled more, I began writing travel pieces about the places we visited,” Leonie says. “Before long, those stories started being published.”
Seeing her work appear in print and online helped Leonie recognise that travel writing could become an ongoing part of her creative life.
Choosing to sharpen her travel writing skills
As those publications grew, Leonie decided she wanted to understand travel writing more deeply – both creatively and professionally.
“I wanted to learn about the art of travel writing and the business of it,” she says. “How do you get an editor to read your email? How do you pitch a story idea properly?”
That led her to enrol in AWC’s Travel Writing course.
“My passion for travel and writing was already there, but I wanted to learn more about pitching and structure,” she says. “The Travel Writing course was invaluable.”
Learning to write stories editors want
The course helped Leonie refine how she approached travel stories from start to finish. “I learnt what makes a good story,” she says. “I learnt how to take proper notes, to take lots of photos for memory jogs and publication, and how to grab an editor’s attention as well as a reader’s.”
One lesson, in particular, stayed with her. “I learnt to strive to enrich readers, not just entertain them,” Leonie says. “And just like in fiction, I learnt to show, not tell – to create images through my writing.”
Just as important as the craft skills was the confidence Leonie gained. “The Travel Writing course gave me confidence to better structure a pitch,” she says, “and it introduced me to organisations like the Australian Society of Travel Writers and TravMedia.”
Through industry events and conventions, Leonie began meeting fellow writers, editors and PR professionals – experiences that helped her feel part of the travel writing community. “These events gave me greater knowledge and confidence,” she says. “But it all stemmed from doing the Travel Writing course.”
Seeing her byline in print
Leonie’s travel writing has since been published widely across Australia and New Zealand, including Mamamia, Escape, MiNDFOOD magazine, The Road Ahead (RACQ), Stuff, The Post and The Sunday Star-Times.
Her first major publication moment is still unforgettable. “My first travel article was published by Mamamia,” she says. “I remember sitting in a café when an email came through from someone I didn’t know. When I realised it was a publishing offer, I was so excited I could barely explain it to my husband!”
The thrill hasn’t faded. “I still get a buzz every time I see my byline,” Leonie says. “Seeing it in print – especially in a newspaper or glossy magazine – makes it feel even more real. A recent highlight was my first print story in the Sunday Escape lift-out.”
Writing on her own terms
Today, Leonie writes part-time – intentionally. “I want writing to stay fun and not feel like a job,” she says. She writes both about destinations she has already visited and for commissioned assignments, with opportunities increasing as her publication list grows.
“There are places I don’t think I ever would have visited without travel writing,” she says. “The Cocos (Keeling) Islands were one – what a privilege.”
She has also been hosted by Intrepid Travel on a tour of Morocco and on cruises with Viking, Azamara and Uniworld.
“I’m truly living the dream,” Leonie says.
A picture book – and more stories to come
While travel writing is Leonie’s primary focus, it isn’t the only place her writing has taken her.
Her children’s book, When Harry Got Lost, was recently inspired by the real-life disappearance of her family’s Golden Retriever, Harry. She also has contracts for multiple upcoming picture books.
Asked what she would say to someone considering an AWC course, Leonie doesn’t hesitate.
“You only have one life – what have you got to lose?” she says.
“As a mum, I spent years nurturing my children’s talents. Now it’s my time to do something for me. Writing brings me great joy, and the AWC courses have both taught and inspired me. If you’re thinking about it – go for it.”
Courses completed at AWC:
