What’s it like to learn with AWC?

Bernadette was always kind, encouraging and her feedback always helpful. In Zoom meetings and messages, she helped bring the group together to a point where we could continue our work together beyond the course.

I enjoyed workshopping each other's manuscripts and connecting with people who I can talk shop with!

The guidance, feedback, deadlines and connections with other writers helped me complete the first draft of a brand new novel. As I had some disappointments with another manuscript preceding the course, I feel this would have taken much longer to complete otherwise. I have also come away with a brand new group of friends who are at the same stage in their writing pursuits.

If you are serious about completing your novel, don't doubt the investment in yourself and trust that, no matter what you've already learnt, you will come away with much more.

I wish I had done it sooner.

Bernadette was fantastic. Her feedback was always constructive and provided insight into things I hadn't thought about or been aware of. She was very gentle with her criticism; it was actually guidance on how to do something better. The encouragement from the other participants and of course Bernadette was very reassuring.

I found the site easy to navigate and the structure of the course was great. I didn't have any technical issues which was great for me as I can be pretty backwards on the technical side.

I was amazed with myself that I completed the course and had the homework sections in on time. I am listed in the world's greatest procrastinators, but I knew that this was just what I needed at this point in my life. The class members were great; we've actually formed an outside group to continue with our writing journeys. I'm blown away by the encouragement the group gave me on tackling such a tough topic, domestic violence, and the encouraging feedback I received.

Everyone I have dealt with at the Australian Writers' Centre has been courteous and well informed. The courses are run in a very professional way and the content of the courses is top-notch.

Why did I put off doing this course for so long?

Such fun! Zoom meetings, interacting via email, and especially getting confirmation that us writers regularly have the same doubts about our ability. But as Bernadette says, 'Just keep writing and it will all come together.'

Bernadette was so encouraging, and gave great advice, e.g., keep writing, don't go back and fix what anyone in the group has said, you can do that later. And so I steamrolled along and completed my novel in the time allocated. Bernadette's encouraging words kept me working hard - 'could my writing be as good as she says?' I believed in her.

I enjoyed the interaction with like-minded people who gave terrific 'readerly' and 'editorial' advice. Also, meeting the challenge of timelines.

Happy with all that was offered. Especially the admin team at AWC who treated me so respectfully when I asked dumb questions. Nothing was too much trouble. And their speed at responding was terrific.

A huge thanks for getting me back on track. I haven't written fiction since my book was published - 15 years ago! Too busy as a funeral celebrant writing other peoples' stories. I am now entrenched in a regular writing routine.

If you have the passion, commitment, and can dream, the AWC is a wonderful backup to you achieving your dream.

I enjoyed developing a writing community with co-students and the quality, knowledge, professionalism and communication style of the tutor. Learning directly through my tutor how to make my writing a better fit for my audience was an important moment.

It brought me closer to completing a first draft and reinforced my drive to make writing a part of my career.

If you're serious about writing fiction, enrol in an AWC course.

Cathie was clear with her tailored feedback and offered structured advice on how to improve my writing. She posted information on technical aspects of writing along with recommended texts covering all manner of topics. She encouraged me to dig deeper.

I found the workshopping very enjoyable. Reading others' work and providing feedback is an important part of the course.

That I have managed to complete a first draft of my novel is amazing and I know I couldn't have done it without the support I received from Cathie or the other students in the group.

Go for it! If you have ever thought you wanted to write, this is the place to be.

Angela Slatter was fantastic. She provided very thorough individual feedback, which was so helpful.

I enjoyed working with the other writers - you certainly do learn a lot about your own writing when you see things in other's writing that you do and don't enjoy. Having such a large number of people see my work at this early stage certainly gets rid of the fear of what others will think.

If you have something you've written and not sure where to go from there, this is a great way to take it to the next level.

The tutor was superb. Angela gives great advice and leads the writer to their epiphanies. Imposter syndrome now has a name and when she rears her head, I feed her chocolate (thank you Angela Slatter).

I enjoyed the interaction with other writers, their insights and comments. It has inspired me to a better writing practice.

If you want to write well, try a course. If you want to enter a supportive writing community then this is the best way to do it.

Angela provided great feedback and insights. She pointed out some things I never thought of / was totally unaware of. I learnt a lot from reading her feedback on others' work as well. She is personable, approachable, and genuinely seemed interested in bringing new writers up a level or two.

Interaction with fellow writers was beneficial and inspiring. Watching their work and writing abilities develop was great. I learnt a lot from providing feedback - gaining the ability to understand why something worked or didn't work.

AWC courses are exceptional, highly professional, industry-focused, and great value for money. I have undertaken three creative writing courses (plus two others) with AWC and have always been thoroughly satisfied. Aside from the gaining of technical skills and industry knowledge, the interactive courses are brilliant at providing essential feedback for developing writers; and the learning of what works and what doesn't, and why. The courses greatly assist with focus and a commitment to a regular writing schedule - challenges most budding authors struggle to overcome.

Angela was amazing. She was so positive and fun. But she also gave great feedback and had brilliant ideas about how to solve problems. Despite being very busy, she was always responsive and engaged. And she is a fantastic writer and human.

I enjoyed giving and receiving feedback, and the interactions with Angela and the other students. It was very supportive and helpful.

I feel motivated to get into my second draft. With positive feedback and great suggestions, I feel confident about my story and ready to keep moving forward.

It's a great way to stay motivated and stick to deadlines. It's wonderful to get feedback at very raw stages and be able to integrate them into a first draft, even though it's quite scary. But going through it with the other students makes it easier. It's a very supportive environment.

Angela was a dream to work with and learn from. She is generous in her time and feedback, and will go above and beyond to help.

I enjoyed working to deadlines with a group of writers. It gave me motivation to keep going, and the feedback from the group and Angela were fuel for the engine.

Angela Slatter is amazing. Truly.

The wonderful feedback provided by the other participants was more helpful than I anticipated.

I loved Angela's no bullshit attitude, and her amazing knowledge of all the writing tips and tricks. I loved the set out. Loved the podcast delivery and the wealth of knowledge supplied.

My confidence levels have increased significantly. Imposter syndrome now has a name and I am able to kick it to the curb when I need to.

DO IT! It will refine your writing practice and bring you into contact with amazing fellow writers.

Cathie is incredibly knowledgeable and takes the time to give specific, customised feedback to each student. I enjoyed completing my manuscript and forming a great support network of fellow writers.

Completing a novel is such a rewarding experience, despite knowing it still needs a lot of work to be publishable! I actually wrote a middle grade novel during the end of the course and found it to be a far easier and enjoyable process than my original manuscript, as I could incorporate what I'd learned throughout the course in my writing.

The writers group that we've formed from the course has been the best surprise!

AWC courses are relevant, professional and enjoyable and will help you achieve your goals.

The course taught me so much about the basics. Made me realise that writing a novel is possible if one follows a process. Taught me the non-negotiables of novel writing and lots of tips for improvement. Tutor feedback was very good.

I was lucky to be a part of a group that formed an excellent community. The tutor was brilliant, insightful and delivered feedback in a gentle but thought-provoking way that made you improve not only the current piece but any future works.

I'm more confident and sure of my future path for my writing. Chasing perfection isn't possible, but what you do learn is to be confident about your own work and to stop searching for somebody to tell you that you're a good writer, instead I realised it for myself. I'm happy and confident in my work, I know I'm a writer, I'm proud of my work, and I no longer need anybody else to validate me.

Bernadette is the perfect tutor - so knowledgeable, kind, wise, thoughtful, insightful.

The continuing course deadlines meant that by the end of the course, I finished the second draft of my novel, my main aim, and I now have a clear way forward to finish the third draft.

Not only did we have the benefit of the feedback of an expert, but it is hard to quantify the benefit gained from reviewing the work of classmates. That was for me the best way to learn how to identify faults in my own writing, and the skills I learned will remain with me.

All the writers enrolled in the course have now formed an enthusiastic writing group, based on the same AWC guidelines for friendly discourse.

My aha moment was the first time I saw a fault in a class mate's writing that I had failed to see in my own. The act of reviewing others' work allowed me to see my own more clearly and I have retained that ability beyond the course.

The AWC is a professional, well-organised, reliable organisation with tutors who have proven skills in writing and publishing. Their courses are thoughtfully constructed to give participants the best outcome for their own writing.

The course appealed to me because of its content. I loved the idea of producing 5000-word excerpts and getting feedback from participants. Having such an experienced tutor was an extra bonus. Not many courses offer that luxury.

I was nervous about enrolling and unsure what I was getting myself into, whilst working full time. I was happily surprised to find a very supportive network of people I could trust sharing my work with.

I learnt so much from everyone. We had such a diverse group and reading everyone's excerpts and getting feedback from them was such a bonus. It really surprised me and has taken me to another level with my writing, even though I know I have a long way to go.

I loved Bernadette. She is so honest and gently guides you in the right direction with your writing. I felt very lucky and privileged to have her as a tutor.

I enjoyed the group interactions, reading everyone's excerpts, getting feedback. Also having deadlines to meet. I know that we were very lucky to get such a super group of people, and am certain that we will remain in contact with each other now the course has ended.

The course gave me inspiration to keep writing and made me aware of how much I love to write. When Bernadette told us at our first Zoom meeting that, from now on, we should consider ourselves as authors, that really spurred me on.

I am so pleased I enrolled in this course and will definitely think about doing more courses with AWC. It has been a great experience.

Like the Nike slogan says: Just Do It. You will learn from the best.

I was slightly nervous about whether I'd meet the deadlines, as they're very tight and the workload is high. But that's also what attracted me - I wanted to really knuckle down, and the group accountability helped ensure I achieved my goals.

Bernadette was lovely. Obviously very knowledgeable, but also extremely kind, sensitive and encouraging with her feedback.

We formed a really tight writer's group, which will now extend beyond the course. This has been the greatest and most unexpected outcome for me. The opportunity to give and receive feedback on entire manuscripts was also incredible, and not something that is easy to find elsewhere.

Every bit of writing you do gets you closer to finishing a draft. It can be hard to see the finishing line at times when you're working on something so big, but chipping away, bit by bit, really does get the job done.

Aside from having access to an experienced industry professional, you will also have access to 15 beta readers. That alone is worth the price of admission!

Thank you so much to the AWC, and to Bernadette in particular. I thoroughly enjoyed this course. While I'm sad it's over, I'm heartened by the fact that our writing group will continue. I hope to be able to come back someday soon and tell you my book made it to print!

This course took my writing to the next level. I learned a lot from the course content, but I learned even more from the others in my group. I was with an extraordinary group of writers who all gave incredibly generous and valuable critical feedback on my writing. The tutor, Bernadette Foley, was a delight to have as a tutor - wonderfully encouraging and highly perceptive.

I enjoyed the interaction with the others in the group, especially the feedback and encouragement we gave each other.

I realised that my writing has the best chance of developing and improving through exchange with other writers, and that it's better to share work in progress rather than waiting for everything to be perfect. I also learned that the writing community is a very generous one.

I loved this course. Incredible people in my group and a wonderful tutor. AWC courses are an excellent way to take your writing to the next level.

I'd completed three AWC courses prior to this and had written the first chapters of a novel. I felt I needed support and guidance to give me the confidence to persevere with it.

To be so close to finishing my first draft was not something I expected at the start of the course and is very exciting. I didn't think I had it in me to go this far, but now have the confidence to continue, and one day, finish!

Bernadette was awesome. To have feedback from a person with such expertise and experience was a privilege. I liked that she pointed out aspects of our work that didn't quite work as well as pieces that worked really well. Her tuition was always encouraging and motivating.

I've always loved writing but never thought I had it in me to complete a novel. The wonderful thing about this course is being in a class of like-minded people, all aiming for the same goal and giving each other encouragement along the way. I liked giving feedback to others, as it taught me to think about how books are structured as well as introducing me to genres I normally wouldn't read.

I have been writing since I was a child and always dreamed of one day tackling a book. To now be so close to finishing the first draft is wonderful. Even if this story is never published, just knowing I can do it will spur me on to write another.

If you've started on a novel, but procrastinate or feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work required to finish it, join this course. With guidance from the tutor and support from colleagues, you'll not only be empowered to continue writing, but will learn to love the process, however complicated it may be!

This course gave me a chance to focus on my fiction writing. I wouldn't have done any writing without this course.

The tutor was very professional and had a wealth of knowledge and experience in the publishing industry.

I enjoyed the positive feedback from the tutor and others and the sharing of stories from other writers. I have learnt a lot more about writing thanks to my tutor and fellow writers' critiques.

My online tutor pinpointed some areas where my writing could be improved which I suspected I had problems with. Also my tutor's encouragement and comments regarding my writing.

If you want to get your novel published, this is a good start to knowing what is required.