What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The handouts are great - keeps you on track. It helped to develop a couple of my manuscripts.

AWC has great courses - they are quite essential if you are starting out with no prior knowledge. The courses are really worthwhile.

It has helped me build my confidence and I feel more ready and prepared to submit my stories to publishers.

It is a fun and honest course in helping people become picture book authors.

I love this course! It is surprising to see how much is involved in writing a picture book! This course was fantastic! I loved how the modules were broken down to simplify all that is needed to write a picture book.

I enjoyed the examples that were given so I could understand how to relate the material to a picture book which can be challenging.

I have all of these little nuggets in the back of my mind when writing and going back to the handouts to ensure that I have covered everything in my writing! This would not have happened without this course!

This is a great place to "Start". A lot of people don't know where to begin and I have told several friends to go to the Australian Writers' Centre. They have courses online and it works for your busy schedule!

I had previously completed the first Writing Picture Books course and was frankly astounded by the breadth and thoroughness of the support that was provided. There was no question that I also wanted to undertake the Writing Picture Books Masterclass.

Being such a novice, I found every module amazing and crammed with new information and insights. I expected to learn a great deal about how to write a children's picture book by undertaking this course but AWC has also taught me how to engage with the publication process.

Your tell-all approach is greatly appreciated. I feel you have provided me with everything I need to know to kick-start my career in writing. This is very reassuring for someone who is just starting out.

Superbly presented and structured. Very professional course.

WOW. Just WOW.

The course has provided confidence and targeted instructions that address necessary details. I enjoyed the abundance of learning material supplied.

You won't be disappointed - AWC is professional, knowledgeable and willing to share SO MUCH information.

After the Writing Picture Books course, I spent a fun few weeks writing stories. Before long I realised I didn't have the skills to edit them!

I loved taking all the learnings from the modules and applying them to my story after the fresh read. I've had some real breakthroughs with my story, in ways that I never would have foreseen without the guidance of this course.

I loved gaining a better understanding for rhythm in my writing. I was able to read my work in a whole new way and make some big changes.

The course offers essential tools for those new to writing picture books. I now feel I can assess and edit my work with greater confidence, and my stories are all the better for it!

I wanted to learn how to sharpen my skills in writing for children from professionals. I had heard great things from acquaintances about this course and the course outline excited me.

The audios were excellent - detailed and engaging. I learnt how important your commitment to the writing process is. Practice really does make perfect!

It was a very practical way to learn tips and tricks from real professionals, plus a great way to connect with other writers.

The handout and exercises were helpful and something to refer back to.

I enjoyed the challenge it presented to me personally to think and redraft my story. It has enabled me to look at my own stories and assess where they need enhancing.

The AWC is a wonderful platform to kick start a career; informative and encouraging.

I wanted to go deeper and further develop my knowledge and skills. I also wanted to learn about how to approach publishers, how to prepare a manuscript in detail, etc.

I found it all very informative, useful and relevant. It was hard work but l enjoyed some of the pressure. I loved learning about how to structure a story.

I think l have found my new 'thing'. It has given my life a different purpose.

Do it!! You will learn so much.

Doing this course was well worth it. Excellent and thorough advice. I liked that the content was easy to understand and follow.

Several points just clicked and I feel I was able to make significant improvements to my manuscript.

I found the lessons inspirational and have enjoyed listening to them many times. It helped me to develop the idea for my picture book, which grew from an exercise I started in the first Writing Picture Books course. So it was hugely practical and fun.

I feel more confident and purposeful in the way I refine my work now

Jump in and get inspired.

The checklists and advice regarding structural editing, line editing, and polishing were superb. In practice, showed me where my story needed work and how to re-draft and re-draft. I'm inclined to tweak and re-tweak bits and bobs in a story almost endlessly. The Masterclass helped me understand when the manuscript was the best it could be for submission - and how to craft all the details supporting that submission.

I enjoyed: (1) Its encouraging and positive approach. (2) The detailed handouts. (3) Valerie's excellent presentation style and pace. (4) Its professionalism. (5) How it offered me hope that perhaps, one day, I might share my writing with a young audience.

I feel more confident about writing picture books. I am reinventing myself as a dedicated writer thanks to the AWC. I have connected with emerging and established authors. Writing is a joy! Sharing my work through publication would be magic.

Want to learn more about writing? Want to connect with other writers - emerging and established? Looking for support and encouragement in what can be a lonely and solitary endeavour? You need the AWC! Their tutors, courses, and members are invaluable. Beyond A-B-C is the AWC!

The course engaged my thinking and creative mind with this wonderful craft of words. I love the pattern aspect of the structure of the storytelling.

Just do it! Start with the basic knowledge courses and build on them with the Master courses to achieve the skills of the craft.

I wanted to learn more and refine my skills after completing the introductory Writing Picture Books course

I found the self-paced nature of this course over the 12-month period very beneficial as I worked on my story draft after each module. I think this helped to cement what I learned and progressively improved my writing.

I found the resources and references very useful and will continue to refer to them in future. I also found the exercises supportive of my learning. Examining existing books referred to in the modules has expanded my understanding of picture book writing and presentation in general.

I find I really enjoy writing. Refining one story has taught me so much that I can contemplate taking it further.

This course gives you plenty of time to work at your own pace, and if you do the exercises and take good notes as you go, you will learn so much.

The presenter was engaging and very easy to understand. The tutor who I received specific feedback from was very useful with constructive and positive feedback.

I enjoyed the depth and specifics of the course. It gave me the structure and details to put me on the right track to what is expected by publishers. It also gave me insight as to the structure of these books which I have read hundreds of but hadn't realized certain things.

With so much content covered in the foundation course, I did not expect the masterclass to be so detailed and with valuable refreshers. It definitely exceeded my expectations and I recommend it to other authors I know.

Although I have read a lot of picture books for pleasure and in my library work, I had no idea about the exemplary way to create picture books. I had some understanding of writing narrative from courses done for adult non-fiction and the publishing industry, but of course this course added so much to my understanding of writing and publishing in a very different genre. I had learnt about things like show-don't-tell etc but with the Writing Picture Books course I can use some of what I learnt for adult non-fiction as well. And I am now wanting to write more picture books!

I completed the writing picture books course. I enjoyed the process and wanted to know as much as possible before I submitted my manuscript. I was nervous and wondered if I would be able to produce a story of good enough quality to feel comfortable submitting it.

The tutor was fantastic! I feel really comfortable submitting my work to Cathy. I know my manuscript is in good hands and that any advice she can offer is invaluable.

Overall I enjoyed the quality of information and how easy it is to follow.

The creative juices are flowing!

A very professional online course. So great to be able to stop and start when your busy life allows you to. Seriously just give it a go you might surprise yourself.

I enjoyed doing the Writing Picture Books class and wanted to continue writing so I thought the Writing Picture Books Masterclass was the next step.

I thought the online tutor had a great deal of knowledge regarding this course

I enjoyed learning the different steps involved in writing a picture book and how to edit and submit your manuscript.

I have discovered I like reading and writing for children. It helped me get through a tough year being in lockdown due to covid.

The course is informative, well-structured and provides the tools for you to write your picture book. I enjoyed learning throughout the course. At the start of my picture book journey, I would never have believed how much work goes into creating a picture book.

Thank you for creating the Masterclass course. The information I have learnt is valuable and provides me with the tools to create my picture book.

I loved the Writing Picture Books class but felt like I needed to learn more.

The tutor was very easy to understand. I enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing what to do next and the confidence that I had the information I needed.

I've just sent my first picture book off to an illustrator.