What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I have been submitting entries to furious fiction, and although I have not yet made the long list, I have been quite pleased with my stories. I have also enjoyed writing them. I do not think my grammar is too bad, but I do not actually know the rules. I do not know the rules of punctuation either, but just wing it. With spelling, at least I know what I spell wrong, and how to use spell check. So I reckon I have probably benefited exponentially from doing this course and getting feedback. I expect I will do another course, but not until I have digested this one, and incorporated it into my writing. I do not expect that to take too long. I have enjoyed the last five weeks.

... it is fun, and will probably help you.

I've had ideas for books in my mind for about 20yrs, but never known what to do with them. I googled and researched writing courses and this one drew me in.

Angela's responses/feedback were positive with insightful criticisms that provided opportunity for growth.

Every time I wrote, regardless of topic and difficulty of subject matter, I would find myself excited and stimulated; eager to write more.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the process and am now eager to push forward with my first book.

I love to write and have a few stories in the works but I really had no idea how to finish them with a view to being published traditionally. The first thing I wanted was tips on how to complete my manuscript, which in turn would help me move on to the next stage.

Writing is a true love of mine and studying it or being able to get a job in the field would be a dream.

I enjoyed reading other students work. It really helped me decide what I should and shouldn't be doing. My classmates were very helpful.

Angela was very positive and informative. I got a lot out of the course because of her attitude towards writing.

The comments about being committed to your writing really inspired me. The second and third drafts and how to get them done was very valuable information for me at this stage.

I'd like to thank everyone for putting these courses together and for creating a place us writers feel comfortable.

I wanted to kickstart my creativity as I was having a major slump during the lockdowns.

I thoroughly enjoyed Angela's comments and feedback and felt so inspired and encouraged. Angela has such a nurturing and profound way of guiding us through the process and providing encouraging feedback.

Reading other people's different styles and issues helped me see mine and take on their feedback.

I felt my writing improve with the guidance and feedback over the course of the 5 weeks. Writing a scene now feels clearer to me. After the final, glowing feedback from Angela, I feel inspired and encouraged to send my stories to publications.

I absolutely love the podcast and never miss an episode. I love the newsletter. And this course has given me the inspiration and encouragement to keep writing.

The environment in the classroom was safe and friendly. The lecture audio recordings are helpful and they step by step teach people how to write creatively. The tutor is really knowledgeable.

I enjoyed writing homework. Doing assignments was challenging but if it was not, I would not have that much fun. I tried my best and had a sense of accomplishment after completing the course.

I now have some tools if I want to write stories. When stuck, I can go back to the check list and get to know my characters more. Practicing POV was fun.

I enjoyed the course immensely and had fun.

I am one of those people that has said I have always wanted to write a novel but I had no idea where to start. I read some reviews and saw so many successful writers and authors. I knew I had to do it.

The exercises to work through to get to the writing point I found really helpful. The audio lessons were great. Excellent feedback. I have gained a lot from everything I have learnt. Thank you, Angela, for all your great work.

I enjoyed actually writing. Breaking things down into small sections so I could make sense of what I was going to do.

I'm more confident in my ability to write. The course says just write so this is what I will do. I won't put it off anymore. Just write. Don't worry if you haven't got the story sorted in your head... just write.

If you have ever thought about writing at all definitely do a course that is relevant to your area of interest. It can only be beneficial to you.

Thank you for opening my eyes to creative writing. I am already looking at what my next course will be. I have found the online connection with other students great as well.

I loved it all. It's been such a wonderful experience. I was diagnosed with clinical depression four years ago which pummelled my creativity into the ground. This course has helped me to tap into that again which has been incredible. I don't have the words (ironic I know) to adequately explain just how significant this course has been for me.

Stephen was fantastic. I loved listening to his feedback about all of our assignments. He gave really constructive suggestions and had a lovely way of dealing with assignments that needed quite a bit of feedback. I particularly like his style of 'less is more' as it made me really think about whether I needed to include a word or sentence. He was also great at engaging with everyone in the comments section.

I enjoyed igniting my love of writing once again. Sharing a part of myself with a bunch of strangers can be daunting but I loved every minute of it. I loved listening to the lessons. I loved the interactions with the other students and giving and receiving feedback. I felt quite nervous giving feedback at the start and would only really say what I liked but for module 5, I pushed myself to provide some constructive feedback and found I really enjoyed the process. And didn't feel at all mean as I thought I might!

I've learnt so much about writing... a ridiculous amount! It's hard to process it all but I think the information provided and the assignments given are fabulous and having access for a year means you can go back and listen and read all over again. I am so excited to keep going with my writing and in fact, after Module 3, I gave myself the challenge of writing a 200 word story about a place every day for a month and I'm absolutely loving it.

Creative Writing Stage 1 is the first course I've done with the Australian Writers' Centre and it far exceeded my expectations. The amount of knowledge that is shared over five weeks is quite extraordinary and the assignments are designed to make the most of all the knowledge you're acquiring as you progress through the modules. You don't need to have any prior writing experience for this course as you're given all the information you need along the way. I'm really impressed by AWC and have already registered to do another writing course starting next month.

Just a huge thank you to Stephen... he was such a fantastic tutor!

I wanted to explore the idea of moving from business and blog writing to creative writing - to see what creativity I might have hidden inside my brain.

I enjoyed learning that there is a structure or process to follow which for me made the idea of creating something out of nothing much less daunting and more achievable. I surprised myself with what I was able to write.

I am now writing a book - it may never be finished or published, but I am writing!

Give it a go, you may surprise yourself.

I liked the structure and pace of the course. Although initially I didn't think I could do it but I did. I love the feedback process, and now understand the benefits of sharing your work with the group.

Bernadette is an excellent tutor who provides constructive feedback.

It was easy to follow; the resources and materials were very helpful.

I gained a lot of confidence to continue developing my writing skills. I am not novel ready yet but with practice I can get there.

I realised how important it is to enjoy the process, especially editing. Also, I have a greater appreciation for writers and how hard they work to produce a novel.

It's a great learning experience and so much fun.

The AWC website was INCREDIBLY welcoming for writers, particularly those who were either new or very rusty. The humour and constant words of encouragement sprinkled throughout the site, ads, newsletters and course outlines made it very approachable.

It was a little out of my price range at first, especially during COVID. Plus, obviously, the fear that I wouldn't take criticism well, even if it was completely well-intentioned! But I quickly deduced that it was a worthwhile investment, particularly from the AWC, so I saved up for a little while and put the money aside for when it opened up again.

I thought Bernadette was very fair in her feedback. She gave honest, actionable criticism for each of us.

I enjoyed the self-paced structure. The way the whole process was broken down into small, achievable bits. There's also a great sense of humour and "informality" with the AWC, which makes the whole process waaaay less daunting.

Receiving real, meaty feedback on my work helped me see the minor (mostly) technical flaws in my writing and allowed me to improve my skills. I can already see a difference to what I'm writing now to what I wrote even just a month ago.

The AWC seemed like a very welcoming, collaborative place, even online.

I was nervous about taking this step, whether I'd be up to it. It did wonders for my confidence. Bernadette was a great tutor, very encouraging, really helped me develop confidence about my ability as a writer.

I appreciated the care and attention Bernadette gave to all of us, the opportunity to read fellow classmates' writing and the feedback given to them. The support of an encouraging yet discerning tutor stayed with me all week.

I enjoyed the weekly deadline as a motivator, as well as the opportunity to work alongside my classmates.

The course material is so interesting, I will relisten and reread it as I feel it really enriched my writing. I have extended some of the exercises, e.g. imagining fully the location & setting before writing, character building and using POV, and have found them incredibly useful to improve my writing.

The effect of the course has been both practically and emotionally supportive. The structural guidance has been delicious! I wish I learned these techniques earlier. Surprisingly, I felt encouraged by the creative 'risk' taken by my classmates. The way we were gently upheld and firmly guided has been a revelation.

The course material is informative, helpful and never patronising. The course is structured well. Each week you have the opportunity to apply new techniques and receive supportive feedback. If you are keen to learn the fundamentals of creative writing then this is the course for you.

A heartfelt thanks to this organisation. I have already signed up for one of the Fiction Essentials and plan to do more.

I was inspired by the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast and continue to be inspired. The price made me pause, but it was worth it. My writing has improved in leaps and bounds.

The course really stretched my writing muscles. Bernadette's feedback was helpful and constructive, without pandering to our egos. I really appreciated having her 'by my side'. The writing exercises made me try new things with my writing and that was invaluable.

Learning how to imagine a scene and character before starting to write has made an incredible difference to my writing. Also, taking into account the Yellow, Black, Red and Blue colours of scene writing is something I will refer to for every scene.

It's a worthwhile investment with an outcome that is tangible and effective.

THANK YOU! I have tried a few other courses elsewhere, but the AWC Creative Writing Stage 1 course has actually delivered what it promised - and then some. Thank you so much for being the shove I needed to get going.

I wanted to create a solid foundation in my creative writing and decided to start with the basics.

Stephen Hart is a great tutor who gives constructive and objective feedback, giving everyone a fair chance in this course. I really enjoyed seeing other fellow writers and their works, helping each other to improve and grow in creative writing.

This course really helped to build a solid foundation in my creative writing, especially with creating characters, which has always been a challenge for me. A major learning moment for me was when I realised how much actually went into creating a character, even minor ones.

This course is beneficial, easy to access and reasonably priced. Definitely worth checking out and giving a go if you want to get started with creative writing.

The overview gave a great outline of the course, and I felt that I would be able to re-establish a regular writing routine with having the discipline of needing to submit an assignment each week. And because it was only five weeks, I felt confident that I would complete the whole course. I’ve done other courses with AWC and always loved the content but at times I’ve let life get in the way and not completed the whole course.

Bernadette was amazing and her comments were always insightful and helpful, as well as instilling confidence. It was also great to be able to read my classmates' work and gain more knowledge from Bernadette’s comments.

I enjoyed the easy way in which the lessons were delivered helped build enthusiasm about allowing a storyline and characters to build in my mind.

It was great to learn that there’s not just ONE way to approach a story. Whether you are a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’, either is ok. And it gave me the confidence to let my imagination run wild, knowing that I can come back and trim things later.

I’ve loved getting to know my characters as though they are real people and adding dimension to them.

If you’re not sure where to start, look through AWC’s courses and find something that you think will get you started.

I was hesitant about the cost and online nature of the course. Afterwards, I didn't think over the cost as I found it so valuable in many ways. The online format worked much better than I expected.

Nicole always provided constructive feedback, was encouraging, and seemed to emit a warm, welcoming vibe even though it was all online. I really found her very helpful. Being affirmed of what I had done well was also very reassuring, and her suggestions were always spot on! I'm very grateful for her input.

I came away each week with a much greater appreciation of the art of writing. I realised the weight of each word on the page and the meaning it could construe. The feedback was invaluable as I have found it difficult to find someone who can give me specific feedback. It was reassuring to know I was on the right track in some parts and what I could do to improve.

To be honest, I have been mass consuming books with my addiction to reading for so long that it was only during this course that I developed an even greater respect for writers and authors. I never fully appreciated them and the journey they went on to complete and publish their work. It is an enormous commitment, a soul baring art form - it takes a ton of self-motivation and evaluation and picking yourself up again and again after feedback that can be deflating even if it is true and helpful and well-meaning!

That's not to mention that my eyes were opened to the weight of each word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, scene, plot. Mind blown. Makes me overwhelmed but strangely also driven.

If you enjoy writing - do it!

Thank you for running such worthwhile classes!

I have always loved creative writing and wanted to explore it further and further my skills and knowledge in this area.

I really enjoyed everything about this course.

Stephen was very knowledgeable. His feedback was always constructive and he always gave you something to try next time.

I am now more confident in pursuing my dream of being an author. It's an amazing and informative course with plenty of support available.

I was impressed with the thoroughness and professionalism of the feedback process, as well as the focus on the positive. I enjoyed the ability to give and get feedback.

I had begun to wane in my drive and inspiration, but my love of writing has been rekindled.

I would say that it is a great way to connect with like-minded people who wish to develop their writing skills in a supportive environment. Thank you.

The tutor was encouraging but he was also able to critique in a positive way.

I enjoyed writing the pieces and listening to the feedback. Having never read "To Kill a Mockingbird" (which was on my must-read list) was a bonus.

I am more confident now and I am keen to re-read what I had previously written before the course as I know now what makes an ok story into a good story.

Have a go. It is not as scary as you think; it's easy to follow. The more you put in the more you will get out of the course.

I wanted to learn more about creative writing. This course stood out due to the online method and the experience of the teachers. It was very good, better than I thought it would be. I hadn’t studied writing before so everything I learnt was new.

Annabel is fantastic. Her feedback was exceptional and from her feedback I was able to increase my knowledge even further.

I liked everything about this course. I now know that I wish to continue learning about creative writing and have started writing at home in my spare time.

Give it a go. It’s a great course to do online and everyone is welcoming.