Ian Linton 4 months ago

As part of my Uni degree, I completed a unit in writing fiction. I really enjoyed that. But this course was much more practical.

The tutor was great. Very encouraging, but offered very useful feedback. Practical tips, about aspects of writing that I had previously not even been aware of.

I thought it was great. Just right for me at this time. I have started writing my book.

There were quite a few aha moments! But probably the most important, is the concept of pushing on and writing the story, even though it's nothing like it should be, because you then come back again and again, until you get it right.

Do it, it's fun and it's well worth it.

Susan Bouwman 4 months ago

One of the things I really wanted to understand is show don't tell, and I feel that I have a good understanding of that now, along with a few things that I didn't realise were a problem.

Nat was great. She always answered questions quickly and her feedback was beyond what I'd expected. It must take a lot of experience to notice the things she picked up.

I enjoyed the assignments. Loved doing those.

I believe that the 3 books I've been trying to write can be written. It's going to be a very long journey, but belief is a massive steppingstone in the right direction.

My 'aha' moment was when the penny dropped about showing not telling. I literally rewrote my whole assignment (assignment 5) and boom, it was way better. A big thank you to Nat.

I've already recommended it to my son, who has the most amazing natural talent with words and quirky story telling. I'd say that knowing the rules of any trade are fundamental to being able to complete a project.

Emma Conroy 4 months ago

I'm wanting to write a novel but largely hadn't done much fiction writing since school so wanted to get back on my basics.

Loved the course and loved hearing from Nat each week. She was really helpful. She always had thoughtful notes and explained feedback really clearly.

The lessons with Valarie were great, super handy to be able to listen to them at any time. I loved listening to Nat's feedback and tips across everyone's works. Little things that I wouldn't have thought about in my own characters or scenes were really great to hear from the submissions of the other students.

Just that I can write! I enjoy writing but actually doing a novel seemed like a pipe dream but the encouragement from Nat and Valarie makes me feel like it's something I could achieve.

Laurie Dean 4 months ago

Great course with friendly feedback and just the right level of challenge steps, each week expanding confidence. I surprised myself with how I have grown skills and am taking away some great foundational character, scene and plot ideas to go further.

The Newman factor has been so fun! The most entertaining feedback. That woman keeps me in my scene. Additional support offered through the extracurricular Words At Dawn write-in group an absolute winner for showing that frequent progress shared in an accountable way is where the gold is. Thankyou Newman for the motivating support and great technical feedback. You rock. My leaves will not crunch underfoot if it's been raining.

I enjoyed the feedback that had me belly laughing in the car drive home. Discovering how much I love this habit. Finding I can write.

I'm doing it! I'm really doing it!

Kim Weller 4 months ago

Nat was absolutely awesome. Her feedback was balanced between praise and constructive criticism. She has so much knowledge and I loved her voice and expertise.

I enjoyed the assignment feedback and reading others work and the amount of content and very practical guidance.

I feel inspired to keep writing even if I don't become a bestseller author. To have fun with writing and to keep my language much more simple. I found the style and genre I want to be.

The course was really insightful with lots of useful tips and great guidance.

Emily Graham 4 months ago

The tutor was kind, honest and focused on building confidence in writers (which was very much appreciated). The feedback was also specific and actionable which was really great. I learned a lot through Nat's comments about small details that might have been overlooked.

The course was approachable and achievable - just what a trepid writer needs to build confidence.

I used to think that when a piece didn't automatically work for me, it was because my ideas were 'bad' or that I wasn't 'talented' or 'knowledgeable' enough as a writer to make it work. This course flipped that thinking around and showed me it's rare for a writer to nail it in draft one (or even in draft five or six!) Now I have tools to help me reframe, rethink and re-envision my writing. I can better identify issues and resolve them without scrapping the whole idea.

I'm also able to engage more in conversations online and with 'formally' educated writers around me thanks to the theories and terminology in this course.

The changing POV exercise blew my mind - it solves a bunch of smaller issues in one go, like developing voice, tension between characters and place, and how going from first to third-person can overcome structural issues. I think a lot more about how and why authors choose characters in novels now.

If you're feeling discouraged or wondering if you're meant to be a writer, this will help reinvigorate your love for words. The tutors offer kind, actionable advice to help you improve your work and the learning materials are designed to take those abstract ideas and make them work on the page, perfect for novice writers.

Shelley Peng 4 months ago

Pamela provided a very supportive, safe environment. She always found ways to provide active, constructive feedback and also compliments.

I feel better equipped to break down the elements required. Plot, character development, scene construction etc.

Jim Buckell 4 months ago

The handouts were extensive and covered the full range of what I needed to know. The audio lessons were well put together and Valerie's voice was a pleasure to listen to.

Pamela knows her stuff! She was clear and consistent in her appraisals and made helpful suggestions.

I sometimes baulk at the lack of interaction in lecture-based online courses, but in this case it worked really well. Mainly because of the high standard of the material and the audio lessons, but also because the feedback on assignments was constructive.

It gave me the confidence to leap into my fiction writing after years of umming and aahing.

I learned about the structure of creative writing in a way that made sense. Now that I understand how the building blocks come together in a coherent and readable way, I'm more confident I can pull it off.

Jam-packed with the skills and knowledge you need to begin crafting high-quality fiction. Good value!

Jessica Ashe 4 months ago

The course was very in depth and gave me so many new skills and is going to help my writing go even further.

I really enjoyed the tutor's feedback and how she gave constructive criticism.

The audio lessons were my favourite because of how interesting they were.

Even with everything about how hard the publishing process can be I still know I want to be a writer and write novels. This course helped me realise I have an opportunity in this field.

It's an easy but very in depth course. I feel like I wasn't pressured at all and everything was at my own pace but still taught me so many new things.

I absolutely loved this course and I'll definitely be doing more in the future.

Megan Jackson 4 months ago

I wanted a good foundation course to get me started, and I heard from my friend this was a good course to take!

I was hesitant because it had been a long time since I had written anything, and I was self-conscious about having to show people my work to begin with, but being able to get feedback from Pamela and feedback from others in the course has been invaluable. I also really enjoy the worksheets and going through each subject.

I really like Pamela and I like having her give her impressions of my work and seeing her feedback of others.

It has made me more determined to keep up with my writing and to take some of the other courses (I have already started).

I found the discussion about POV really interesting, and it's something I know I am going to be a lot more cognisant about going forward.

I would say that it is an excellent way to get your feet wet not only learning about writing but also undertaking a writing course, and it will definitely either stoke the fire or provide you with a sense of whether or not you're ready, either for writing or more courses.

Thank you so much, I'm really enjoying the courses I am doing and I look forward to more courses in the future!

Lily Rose 5 months ago

I really liked the idea of focusing on something new each week in a different 'module' and then being able to bring it all together for the final assignment.

Margaret gave very helpful feedback. I really appreciated her advice and feel I learnt so much.

I really enjoyed thinking outside of the box with the topics suggested for each assignment and writing about something I maybe may have not thought about on my own.

It has really inspired me to keep learning and put more time into focusing and enjoying writing.

Amanda Wood 5 months ago

I enjoyed the openness and supportive environment.

Nat was obviously experienced and full of great feedback :)

It covers everything the description said it would and is pretty detailed for an entry level writing course.

A confidence-building writing course with a wealth of knowledge packed into a short period.

Barbara Braun 5 months ago

I wanted to begin creative writing to be given tasks to work on and inspire me for future writing.

I loved Nat's feedback where I could hear about all of the other writers' attempts too. This was so interesting and formative for me too.

I enjoyed making my first steps to crafting stories. I'm now planning to write each week and most days. I have started a novel.

A really good course to start with.

Bronwen Channon 5 months ago

I enjoyed the writing exercises and receiving feedback on my own piece of writing. Being able to listen to the audio lessons numerous times - while walking the dog, at the computer taking notes, again and again.

The tutor was very enthusiastic, very knowledgeable about the English language and sentence structure. I really enjoyed Nat's reading of everyone's piece of work.

I have set myself a period of time to write and I have booked another writing course.

Amy Bailey 5 months ago

Nat Newman was a really great tutor. Very generous and with great, constructive feedback.

I enjoyed the assignments, getting feedback and reading other students' work. It kickstarted my brain thinking seriously as a writer.

It's a supportive environment and you're guaranteed to learn something new.

Anthony Mcfadyen 5 months ago

The tutor was fantastic. Margaret's feedback was thoughtful and constructive. I enjoyed listening to her weekly videos.

I will be trying to write 500 to 1000 words a day now! Just sit and write, bum in seat and words on paper. Get the ideas out and worry about details later.

Give it a go! It's easily accessible, fun and encouraging.

Juliet Sampson 5 months ago

I loved it. I enjoyed learning new information and applying it to my work.

Margaret is a fantastic tutor. Her feedback is gold.

I have a clearer understanding of areas I needed to work on. I'm excited to keep improving on my current manuscript and making it better.

Thank you so much. This is one of the best courses I've ever done. I feel more confident to keep moving forward with my writing career.

Angela Whitworth 5 months ago

Margaret provided well considered, helpful and constructive feedback to myself and the other students in the course.

I enjoyed the variety in the assignments, the opportunity to be creative, and then being able to read other students' wonderful writing too.

I learnt some new techniques that gave me a bit of a jump start to get motivated to write regularly again. It is nice to have a push, in that I have thought it is all a bit too hard, but this course showed me it is not that hard, and I just need to write. I appreciated that a lot.

I have recommended it already to friends!

Jenny Ross 5 months ago

I enjoyed the writing - the lectures were also so well done, very interesting and educational. I loved that it forced me to start writing :)

I really appreciated the feedback given; it was very helpful!

It got me started and feeling more confident.

Definitely a great course if you're unsure how or where to start.

Heidi 6 months ago

I enjoyed getting an insight into a writer's world and understanding language around writing - 'pantser' being my favourite!

The tutor was very thorough in their feedback and very encouraging but also not willing to pander to any potential diva - I really liked their honesty.

You don't have to be perfect straight up. Bum on seat. There are more times than not multiple drafts - say what?! Hehe

AWC is a great place to start. They appear to be a well-oiled machine with enough runs on the board from successful students to give confidence it's not just about selling something.

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