Are you a playwright? Enter this competition
Are you an aspiring playwright looking for an opportunity to showcase your original work? Submit your script in this year’s Ensemble Stages Play Reading and
Alison Goodman talks Regency mash-up fiction
We’re here today with Alison Goodman – New York Bestselling author of the fantasy duology EON and EONA. Her latest novel is The Dark Days
Ep 97 Meet thriller writer Adrian McKinty, author of ‘Rain Dogs’
In Episode 97 of So you want to be a writer: Book 2 of Allison Tait’s The Mapmaker Chronicles is shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, punctuation in
“My First Time”: Jackie French
Every successful author had a first novel – the one that started it all and paved the way for what followed. Fortunes may shift up
Our 2016 Reading Challenge
At the beginning of every year, prolific readers wanting to expand their horizons look to “reading challenges” to help them with such a task. Just
COMP CLOSED: Win Frederick Forsyth’s “The Outsider”!
If you haven’t heard of author Frederick Forsyth, we’re going to assume that you’ve been living under a rock. His modern thriller novels have sold
Lisa Schofield’s transition from banking to freelance journalist and corporate writer
When Lisa Schofield worked in the banking industry, she never imagined that she would one day become a freelance journalist and corporate writer. But she’s now been successfully published in countless magazines and newspapers – and is in demand as a writer contracting to the corporate world she was once a part of.
Q&A: “Do’s and don’ts” vs “Dos and don’ts” vs “Do’s and don’t’s” — which is correct?
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
Ep 96 Meet Hazel Edwards, author of ‘Hijabi Girl’
In Episode 96 of So you want to be a writer: What was left out of Seven Little Australians, the life of a Hallmark card writer, fewer
What was left out of Seven Little Australians
This post is written by Matthew Curlewis, a descendant of Ethel Turner, who wrote Seven Little Australians. Matthew originally wrote this shortly before Australia Day
COMP CLOSED: Win “Monty and Me” by Louisa Bennet
This week’s giveaway is a great one for younger readers – introducing us to the world’s newest animal sleuth – dog detective Monty. It’s called
5 tips on how to promote a book
This is a post by Allison Tait, who is a presenter at the Australian Writers’ Centre and author of the successful series The Mapmaker Chronicles.
5 Aussie Authors share their views on the ‘author platform’
This is a post by Allison Tait, who is a presenter at the Australian Writers’ Centre and author of the successful series The Mapmaker Chronicles.
Q&A: Discreet or Discrete? Discretion advised…
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
Explore love with this competition
Ah February. Some people count down the days to February 14th with amorous impatience, some hate it with a fiery passion, while others adjust their hipster
57 inspirational quotes to kick off 2016!
Here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we love inspirational and motivational quotes – if you don’t believe us, check out our Instagram feed! Once the
Ep 95 Meet novelist Tim Baker on his blog tour of his book ‘Fever City’
In Episode 95 of So you want to be a writer: The number one problem with backstory and how to fix it, old English insults, and writing
COMP CLOSED: Win The Waiting Room by Leah Kaminsky
“Compelling, moving and memorable.” That’s what Graeme Simsion (author of The Rosie Project) had to say about this new novel from Leah Kaminsky. The Waiting
Novella competition
Ah, the novella — the oft forgotten relative of the novel. But historically novellas have shaped the literary landscape — think Kafka’s The Metamorphosis or
Q&A: “I could care less” vs “I couldn’t care less” – which one?
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
Ep 94 Meet slayer of weasel words Don Watson, author of ‘Worst Words: A compendium of contemporary cant, gibberish and jargon
In Episode 94 of So you want to be a writer: Go inside the world of things that look like books but aren’t, writing in a foreign
Don Elgin has One Foot on the Podium
If there was ever an author that DIDN’T need a leg up, it would be athlete, motivational speaker and amputee Don Elgin. His story of
Text Prize for 2016
Australian and New Zealand writers, is your manuscript the next incredible book for kids or young adults? Would you love a publishing contract and a
COMP CLOSED: Win signed copy of Withering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell!
This week it’s your chance to get your hands on the much acclaimed young fiction novel Withering-by-Sea, written by Judith Rossell. (Judith is a talented
An A-Z of brand new portmanteau words!
Portmanteau words are a common occurrence in the English language. They’re formed when you take two words and smash them together to make a brand
Are you a playwright? Enter this competition
Are you an aspiring playwright looking for an opportunity to showcase your original work? Submit your script in this year’s Ensemble Stages Play Reading and break a leg! From Ensemble Theatre’s website Would you like to test your new play out in front of an audience? Submit your work to
Alison Goodman talks Regency mash-up fiction
We’re here today with Alison Goodman – New York Bestselling author of the fantasy duology EON and EONA. Her latest novel is The Dark Days Club – book one of a new trilogy, which has been described as “a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy”. So Alison, how
Ep 97 Meet thriller writer Adrian McKinty, author of ‘Rain Dogs’
In Episode 97 of So you want to be a writer: Book 2 of Allison Tait’s The Mapmaker Chronicles is shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, punctuation in famous novels, a poem that shows how tricky English can be, and would you write differently if you were anonymous? Also: common mistakes for the
“My First Time”: Jackie French
Every successful author had a first novel – the one that started it all and paved the way for what followed. Fortunes may shift up and down, but you are a first-time novelist just once. And like many other “first times”, there’s often a story to be told. Jackie French
Our 2016 Reading Challenge
At the beginning of every year, prolific readers wanting to expand their horizons look to “reading challenges” to help them with such a task. Just like the one in the image above (you can find that full list here), the challenges are designed to get you to read a wide
COMP CLOSED: Win Frederick Forsyth’s “The Outsider”!
If you haven’t heard of author Frederick Forsyth, we’re going to assume that you’ve been living under a rock. His modern thriller novels have sold millions of copies around the world – including classics such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File and The Fourth Protocol. He has
Lisa Schofield’s transition from banking to freelance journalist and corporate writer
When Lisa Schofield worked in the banking industry, she never imagined that she would one day become a freelance journalist and corporate writer. But she’s now been successfully published in countless magazines and newspapers – and is in demand as a writer contracting to the corporate world she was once a part of.
Q&A: “Do’s and don’ts” vs “Dos and don’ts” vs “Do’s and don’t’s” — which is correct?
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, why we do things that
Ep 96 Meet Hazel Edwards, author of ‘Hijabi Girl’
In Episode 96 of So you want to be a writer: What was left out of Seven Little Australians, the life of a Hallmark card writer, fewer vs less, and how to write a fab press release. Also check out the the book Wordburger: How to be a champion puzzler in 20
What was left out of Seven Little Australians
This post is written by Matthew Curlewis, a descendant of Ethel Turner, who wrote Seven Little Australians. Matthew originally wrote this shortly before Australia Day 2016 and has given us permission to republish it. An attempt on behalf of my ancestor Ethel Turner, to correct some Koori history censored out
COMP CLOSED: Win “Monty and Me” by Louisa Bennet
This week’s giveaway is a great one for younger readers – introducing us to the world’s newest animal sleuth – dog detective Monty. It’s called Monty and Me by Australian author Louisa Bennet, and here’s what the publicity says about it: “You might think that dogs can’t understand us…but you’d
5 tips on how to promote a book
This is a post by Allison Tait, who is a presenter at the Australian Writers’ Centre and author of the successful series The Mapmaker Chronicles. Today we are again delving into the now-deep archives of the So you want to be a writer podcast for some gems of wisdom on
5 Aussie Authors share their views on the ‘author platform’
This is a post by Allison Tait, who is a presenter at the Australian Writers’ Centre and author of the successful series The Mapmaker Chronicles. One of the things I love most about So you want to be a writer, my podcast with Valerie Khoo, is the opportunity to speak
Q&A: Discreet or Discrete? Discretion advised…
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, it’s we’re making discreet enquiries
Explore love with this competition
Ah February. Some people count down the days to February 14th with amorous impatience, some hate it with a fiery passion, while others adjust their hipster glasses and scoff, “Hallmark day”. Whatever your views on February 14th, if you’ve got a manuscript exploring love in any of its forms (romantic, parental, platonic
57 inspirational quotes to kick off 2016!
Here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we love inspirational and motivational quotes – if you don’t believe us, check out our Instagram feed! Once the domain of framed glass pictures on corporate office walls, such quotes are now more accessible than ever – thanks mainly to the rise of the
Ep 95 Meet novelist Tim Baker on his blog tour of his book ‘Fever City’
In Episode 95 of So you want to be a writer: The number one problem with backstory and how to fix it, old English insults, and writing tips from the indomitable Chuck Palahniuk. Plus: 10 questions to ask yourself before launching your author website, the 100 best websites for writers, and how
COMP CLOSED: Win The Waiting Room by Leah Kaminsky
“Compelling, moving and memorable.” That’s what Graeme Simsion (author of The Rosie Project) had to say about this new novel from Leah Kaminsky. The Waiting Room takes place in Haifa, Israel, in 2001 – following Dina, a family doctor living against the backdrop of high terror alerts, occupational hazards and
Novella competition
Ah, the novella — the oft forgotten relative of the novel. But historically novellas have shaped the literary landscape — think Kafka’s The Metamorphosis or Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. So we were excited to hear about a novella competition run by Busybird Publishing. They are looking for novellas between 20,000 words and
Q&A: “I could care less” vs “I couldn’t care less” – which one?
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 really couldn’t care less…
Ep 94 Meet slayer of weasel words Don Watson, author of ‘Worst Words: A compendium of contemporary cant, gibberish and jargon
In Episode 94 of So you want to be a writer: Go inside the world of things that look like books but aren’t, writing in a foreign language, a re-usable notebook, how to avoid distractions from writing, and meet slayer of weasel words Don Watson. Also: an app that distills non-fiction works
Don Elgin has One Foot on the Podium
If there was ever an author that DIDN’T need a leg up, it would be athlete, motivational speaker and amputee Don Elgin. His story of disabled boy turned elite athlete has been brought to the page through his memoir, One Foot on the Podium. And we recently asked him all
Text Prize for 2016
Australian and New Zealand writers, is your manuscript the next incredible book for kids or young adults? Would you love a publishing contract and a $10,000 advance? Then read on! The $10,000 Text Prize aims to discover incredible new books for young adults and children by Australian and New Zealand writers.
COMP CLOSED: Win signed copy of Withering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell!
This week it’s your chance to get your hands on the much acclaimed young fiction novel Withering-by-Sea, written by Judith Rossell. (Judith is a talented illustrator and writer, who also presents courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre!) Set in Victorian times, the book is billed as a “Stella Montgomerie Intrigue”
An A-Z of brand new portmanteau words!
Portmanteau words are a common occurrence in the English language. They’re formed when you take two words and smash them together to make a brand new one – typically losing a few letters off one or both. There are hundreds of a real life examples across a range of areas.
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