What’s it like to learn with AWC?

Pamela was very helpful, kind and encouraging. Her suggestions for improvements for group members' pieces of writing were valuable, and she was always positive in her comments, while also demonstrating areas for improvement.

Valerie's recorded modules were very helpful and gave me some 'a-ha!' moments. The advice was practical and do-able, down-to-earth and honest. I particularly found Module 5 helpful with its practical advice on how to finish a novel, format it for submission, and look for a publisher. It is really good to know that many drafts are required before a novel is fully 'cooked'! I also enjoyed connecting with the other group members and learning from their work - a big component of the course.

Completing the course and receiving the feedback from both tutor and classmates has made me believe that I can complete a novel. The course has made me more aware of the amount of work involved and the need to really focus on getting my first draft finished and then up to the standard that does it justice before seeking a publisher. The course has given me a starting point for my novel which I can build on in coming months.

Thanks - I really enjoyed the course and will attend further courses at the AWC while I continue to improve my writing and work on a novel :)

The AWC will help you transform your writing dreams into reality, one practical step at a time, no matter what type of writer you want to be!

I loved it! It was a great experience.

The tutor was very good. I enjoyed the feedback on what I did right and what I got wrong.

I had self-published a book prior to this course. I now know what I did right and what I need to improve on in my current manuscript.

It's a must if you want to write seriously.

I had an idea running around in my head for a story but procrastinated so much that I never started writing. I had completed a course previously with AWC and receive emails because of this. I saw an email for Creative Writing Stage 1 and it was starting the following day. I had a feeling like I wanted to make a change in my life, so I enrolled and I am so glad I did.

I enrolled with no expectation of what I would learn during this course but I have learnt so many tips to get started writing my novel, such as exploring the scene using all the senses and really understanding all your characters inside and out so you know exactly how they would act and react within the scene.

Petronella is lovely. She is so kind and giving in her feedback. Even when she is giving a critique it is done so kindly. She also took the time to answer questions in the course chat.

I enjoyed that each week I was pushed a little further to think more about the character, the scene, how to write in a way that the reader can feel like they are part of the story but incorporating all the senses.

I now have the confidence to keep writing, even when it gets hard.

Definitely have a go. It is worth the money and you will learn a lot of little tricks and tips, and have fun along the way.

Amazing getting feedback from an author who is successful and understands where we are all at.

I enjoyed the interaction with other students, communicating with the tutor any questions, and the content was easy to follow and understand.

Makes me realise I can achieve getting my novel published and to ignore the doubters now.

Thank you for a great course.

I've always been a keen reader and had stories floating around in my head for years but the confidence to write them down? No way. This is the step I've taken to make something happen.

The only concern I had was the cost but after taking the course I can 100% say it was worth twice what I paid.

Petronella McGovern is an amazing tutor. She actively engaged in the class chat and provided really useful feedback from assignments.

I wrote my last assignment on 25 October and it was 500 words. By 9pm on the 26th it was over 3000. It's now the 29th and we are quickly approaching 5000.

If you had ever considered writing but didn't know where to start, this is where you start. AWC is the perfect place to start your journey.

I thought Angela was lovely. Supportive & encouraging. She saw the best in everyone's writing & added other material that was useful. I could see that to be successful took a huge amount of work & dedication.

I really liked the Zoom class a lot. I enjoyed the audio lessons, the classroom chat and the assignment feedback (not just my own). The way it was spaced out was good; I was looking forward each Monday for the next module.

Thank you. We are lucky to have AWC to offer these courses and podcasts to inspire us.

Angela was very gracious in her comments and I do feel encouraged.

The whole course was such an eye opener. I simply had no idea as to the extent of writing being a 'craft'. I believe it is something I do wish to pursue. I am finding it all so interesting and I'm perhaps now a little obsessed. I am very keen to see my own 'craft', style and content develop and improve. Working at one's own pace and timeframe online is ideal; whilst at the same time having the deadline of Sunday night's submission.

I thought I might enjoy writing. Now I have a burning desire to learn to write. No idea what yet ... hopefully that will come.

Creative Writing Stage 1 was precisely what I was looking for. Its online structure is logical and easy to follow. The content is jam packed, yet nurturing in its delivery and loaded with encouragement for the novice. Thank you. An excellent resource and support system.

Writing was something I wanted to do since I was 20. Now I have the time and began to explore the idea. There have been many moments of doubt and being about to pack away the idea, until I did this course. It was a moment of realising that it was something I could do now and make it a part of my life.

The online tutor was excellent and the feedback was another reason for doing this course. I looked forward to Mondays to see what I would be learning next.

The courses are a good investment. There is a lot of in-depth knowledge to be gained in a supportive environment.

Thank you and I'm looking forward to doing another course.

I wanted a course to help me start on the path of creative writing after decades of not writing. I did feel anxious about having to expose my writing to others when I felt very out of practice. My online tutor was very thoughtful and provided useful feedback as well as other information in response to questions.

I enjoyed learning about the practical process of writing a novel. This course has given me the confidence to continue working towards my goal of writing a novel and given me some insights into the type of novels that I might like to write.

This AWC course fulfilled the course outline but more importantly provided an informative and practical guide to creative writing and an opportunity to improve my writing through constructive feedback from an expert tutor.

Angela is the best mentor, extremely humble and professional. Absolutely loved this course :)

I became more creative with my ideas.

I look forward to doing more courses at the Australian Writers' Centre.

Angela was a great tutor and offered very insightful and constructive feedback. Really pleased with her tuition throughout the course.

The audio guidance together with the handout materials worked really well and allowed the flexibility to learn whenever and wherever it suited best during the week(s).

Reinvigorated the spark to press on with my first draft novel. It has provided invaluable insight into aspects of writing that I otherwise did not have at the front of my mind.

The AWC provides succinct and practical courses on writing, with strategies and techniques that you can implement immediately. Highly recommended.

I wanted to start off at the very beginning and get an idea of the basics of writing. I was a little hesitant about putting myself out there but Angela was very encouraging and her feedback was constructive.

It gave me confidence to keep trying and a reiteration that everyone is in this together. The tutor and other participants were all encouraging.

I was unsure how exactly to extend my writing and this course has given me a few ways in which to expand on my thinking.

I really appreciate the one-on-one responses from the course tutor; having an experienced author take a look at your work is both frightening and exciting.

I have been writing for years but never had the confidence to show it to anyone. I thought before I take my writing out into the world, I should get back to basics and see if my writing was good enough to share with others.

I enjoyed getting the chance to talk to other writers. I've been trying to find writing groups and beta readers for a little while now and am feeling a bit isolated here in Brisbane.

Angela was lovely. She knows her stuff and offers constructive criticism. I was so glad to meet and talk with a fellow Brisbane writer.

I've learnt that so many other people are at the same stage of their writing life as me. That whatever path I choose for my writing, there are people who can help me along the way. I am not the only person who doubts their creative abilities.

Take an AWC course, and join the writing community. As a writer, you or your writing won't be the same again.

Angela's feedback was great. I found her to be very supportive and someone I wanted to learn from. She was very approachable and professional. I am really happy that we had someone so accomplished as an author for our tutor. The feedback was very helpful. She opened my eyes up to ideas I had not thought of.

If you want to study creative writing, this is the place to go. It has given me the confidence to have a really good go at writing a novel.

It's obvious that a LOT of effort has been expended in compiling this course. Very professional. The tutor provided good feedback. Very nice person.

I enjoyed listening to the lessons at my own pace.

You cannot fail to learn from this course. Well done to all at AWC!

The main reason I was attracted to this course was to have Victoria as the mentor. I love her books and I feel her approach to stories is similar to how I would like mine to be.

Fabulous course. It made me feel confident going forward and was encouraging and instructive. I have been able to look at story writing from a range of different viewpoints. It has been brilliant.

I have wanted to write a particular story for many years. Now I am ready to start.

Victoria Purman was a fantastic tutor; her feedback was constructive and always very positive and inspiring. Highly recommend her as a tutor.

Completing this course has given me more insight into character creation, point of view and structure.

I would definitely recommend AWC to friends and colleagues. This course was full of helpful information, and the exercises/assignments are challenging but very achievable. Oh, and did I say that Victoria is a great tutor?

I liked Victoria's down to earth attitude, and her feedback was generous and fair, with just the right amount of constructive advice without being too intimidating.

I got real pleasure in being brave enough to let other people read my writing. It's quite confronting knowing a complete stranger will be reading and judging your writing. Also reading other people's stories and comments about each other's writing.

I think, just maybe, I might be thinking of myself as a writer in the making...

If you want to see what it takes to be a writer, or if you want to get motivation to write, do a course like Creative Writing Stage 1 - you won't be disappointed.

A big thanks to Victoria.

I have had a lot of non-fiction writing experience, but I've never managed to write engaging fiction, so I wanted to learn how to!

Victoria was very helpful, thorough and constructive. I found her advice to me and other students very helpful!

I really enjoyed doing the assignments. I like putting theory into practice!

I developed an idea for a novel, and have started researching and writing it!

Learning about points of view has helped enormously in knowing how to put a piece of fiction (long or short) together.

I have done several courses with AWC, relating to both fiction and non-fiction writing. The courses are always excellent and enjoyable!

Fantastic course. So much to learn and absorb, with great lessons and exercises, and the online tuition was invaluable at helping me practice the theory.

The tutor was very encouraging, knowledgeable, and diligent in providing the feedback.

I enjoyed writing the assignments, reading the other participants' submissions and listening to the feedback.

Huge impact on my writing in so many ways. From the encouragement that comes from hearing about the process and the slog (seriously!) of producing a novel through to the practical, nitty gritty tips and tricks. I also look at people in new ways, wondering what makes them like they are, what their facets and layers are...

Go for it! The instructors and lecturers are wonderful and you'll learn a lot.