Category: AWC alumni

Penelope Janu’s trifecta – published three times in one year

A huge congratulations to AWC’s creative writing graduate Penelope Janu on the publication of three books this year, including On the Same Page, which also won the prestigious 2017 XO Romance Prize. On the Same Page tells the story of Miles Franklin (named after the famous author), who is... read more

Congratulations to Frances Chapman winner of the 2018 Ampersand Prize

We are delighted to announce that AWC graduate Frances Chapman has won the prestigious Hardie Grant Egmont 2018 Ampersand Prize for her ‘vibrant’ debut YA novel, What it Takes. From the Hardie Grant website: Selected from nearly two hundred submissions, What It Takes is a beautifully written own-voices LGBTQ... read more

Joanna Nell: From GP to published author with her feel-good debut novel

Courses taken at AWC: Creative Writing Stage 1 Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques Novel Writing Essentials Build Your Author Platform Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers An unexpected incident led Joanna Nell to the Australian Writers' Centre and the subsequent publishing of her feel-good debut novel The... read more

Ashleigh Mills launches her travel directory – ‘Hotels with Cats’

Courses taken at AWC: Blogging for Beginners Freelance Writing Stage 1 Travel Writing Profile Writing Ashleigh Mills wanted to combine her passion for cats, travel and freelance writing. So she took AWC’s courses in Blogging for Beginners, Travel Writing and Freelance Writing Stage 1. Then everything fell into place... read more

Jaci Byrne’s dreams of being a published author come true

Courses taken at AWC: Freelance Writing Stage 1 Inside Publishing (previously called How to Get your Book Published) After self-publishing four novels and a series of eight illustrated children’s educational books on Amazon, Jaci Byrne decided that she wanted to get her books ‘traditionally published’. She took Freelance... read more

Sarah Bailey wins Ned Kelly Award for Best First Novel

A HUGE congratulations to AWC Creative Writing Stage 1 graduate, Sarah Bailey  who has won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Novel, The Dark Lake (2017 Allen & Unwin). The Dark Lake was a bestseller around the world and her suspenseful storytelling about a police procedural set in country... read more

Mandy Foot lands children’s book deal as writer and illustrator

Courses taken at AWC: Writing Picture Books Congratulations to Australian Writers’ Centre Writing Picture Books graduate Mandy Foot on her publishing deal with Hachette Australia.   Her charming book Joey and Riley (about a young boy and his beloved dog in rural Australia) will be published next year and in the... read more

Maggie Hutchings – from counsellor to children’s author

Course taken at AWC: Writing Picture Books Maggie Hutchings’ determination to improve and keep writing until she was published has paid off, thanks to taking AWC’s Writing Picture Books course and the subsequent publication of her children’s book Unicorn! by Affirm Press. “I was absolutely committed to the... read more

Shelly Unwin blasts off with another winning children’s book!

AWC courses completed: Writing Picture Books How to Write for Children and Young Adults Prolific children’s author Shelly Unwin is blasting onto bookshelves with her new picture book Blast Off!, which rockets through the solar system in a funny, fact-filled space trip around the planets. Inspired by her... read more