What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I have decided to write a creative non-fiction book about my path to becoming an author.

The content was useful but also engaging and entertaining. My major learning was the importance of making sure everything is factual whilst ensuring that it is not just a list of facts and dates.

I have done several courses with the Australian Writers' Centre which have proven invaluable to achieving my goal to become a published author. These courses helped me to keep going through the often difficult stages of writing my first full manuscript when I thought I might give up. Now I am almost ready to self-publish my first historical fiction novel. I would never have made it this far without the Australian Writers' Centre.

I enjoyed the activities in the workbook which helped the modules make more sense. I learned a lot about writing, planning and story structure.

Great course to give you the basics of writing creative non-fiction.

It was a great overview and gave me lots of food for thought. Doing the course helped me crystallise my idea for a creative non-fiction book, which in turn made the course seem more relevant.

I thought this course was pitched at just the right level for someone contemplating CNF and it was very comprehensive. It seemed to anticipate and answer all my questions.

The course was able to address most hesitations I have had about attempting to write a CNF book. I appreciated the excerpts from published CNF used as examples. (I will probably go and read a number of those books now).

It has encouraged me to pursue my idea for a CNF story and I have subsequently signed up for Novel Writing Essentials.

AWC courses are good value for money and the range of courses available is comprehensive. The online self-paced courses are good for self-motivated people with busy lifestyles.

Very thorough with good examples to emphasise points

I enjoyed the structure, the narrator, the content and having a year to go back over parts again and again when they were relevant to the next part of my project.

It reminds me it can be a long project but to keep working and I'll get there. I realise what I need to do and what else still lies ahead.

Excellent content and does what it says it will. I love the light humour throughout which says to me, this is hard work but it's a creative venture and should be enjoyable. You can accomplish your project if you are willing to work at it and learn. It is a journey.

I have a story in my head and my heart which I have been wanting to write, but I needed direction and training.

The part that I found most fulfilling was being able to work through the story I already want to write. I was able to explore what it could look like on the page using the scaffolding and advice given in this course. I feel like I have a much clearer vision of what I want to achieve and I have the knowledge and understanding now of how to achieve it. Thank you!

The course has impacted my writing in many ways. The importance of planning in the process of creating creative non-fiction has become paramount to me - not in the sense that it is a rigid plan - but a plan that will bend and morph as it develops, where the end process may look very different to the one originally envisaged. All with the intent that my story will be told well - really well. At the forefront of my mind as I write is making the story come to life by adding detail, and interesting word choices and finding my voice in the process. I want to be intentional about creating characters who are real and relatable and a setting that is palpable to the reader. This course has helped me to explore how to achieve these things.

This course gives you the tools you need to turn a good 'true' story into something truly great.

I want to write a collection of short true stories on a niche topic. I also had some time during COVID with few work commitments.

I enjoyed Valerie's clear explanations and examples from published books.

Given me lots of things to keep in mind when, and if, I start the process. The narrative arc - such a crucial element. Interesting to see how I can apply it to short true stories about people's experiences.

Do it. Lots of good tips and knowledge crucial to a writer starting out.

I'm writing biographies for a charity organisation and have always been interested in creative non-fiction.

I enjoyed the use of the examples from well-known authors. Also the clear layout of the course. I think I have a clearer idea of structure and I picked up some very useful tips.

The AWC offers an extensive range of courses taught by passionate teachers. The courses are insightful, inspiring and practical and will guide you in the world of writing.

I'm interested in creative non-fiction and life writing and have tried to start my autobiography but gave it up. I wanted to learn more about how to do this sort of writing.

A major learning during the course was the similarities between creative non-fiction and fiction, e.g. story arc, dialogue, etc. Also, the need to make your story interesting for the reader, not just a recitation of facts.

The course has also provided me with a great book list to work through. I've just started reading my first Peter FitzSimons book and am enjoying it, although I had avoided his books in the past.

I would say that the Centre's courses are straightforward, comprehensive and provide useful tools to aid your writing endeavours in either creative writing or non-fiction forms of writing.

I enjoyed all the resources! Plus studying at my own pace and being able to download everything for future use.

This particular course has really helped me to figure out the journey of my story.

Every course I have completed has really impacted where I go as a writer. I am a fledgling storyteller and I often lack the confidence to get my work out there or in fact to sit down and write anything! Slowly but surely, your courses are teasing out my writing interests.

I have a creative non-fiction story idea but needed confidence to tackle a book-length project.

I enjoyed looking at my favourite books in a new way. I have a much deeper appreciation for the ways in which non-fiction is put together. Techniques usually associated with fiction are just as essential in non-fiction.

The narrator was easy to listen to and it was easy to understand. The course was very thorough and you can do it at your own pace.

I enjoyed the details about structure, characters and publishing.

I did most of the course while on a solitary holiday and wrote a substantial amount of a work that had been on the boil for years as practice. Now I just have to get on and finish it in the crevices of time around a full time job.

I particularly liked the module on narrative structure and look forward to experimenting with various structures in my work.

This course covered the process of writing creative non-fiction in a methodical and thorough way. The workbook consolidated what I'd heard in the lectures and helped me work methodically through the process of planning and beginning my work.