What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I was attracted to this course by the opportunity to explore and develop various writing techniques, including character creation, voice, and structure. I was a bit worried about the cost at first, and juggling the sessions with my schedule seemed tricky. But honestly, it was so worth it! I'd totally do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Every session was illuminating, filled with insightful discussions and valuable takeaways on writing, and Pamela's just such an insightful, warm teacher.

Pamela was brilliant! Her insights and guidance were invaluable, and I only wish we could have had more time with her. She was also so generous with her knowledge.

The fortnightly sessions were particularly enjoyable, filled with engaging discussions and a great sense of community. Especially enjoyed the critique/feedback from Pamela, and I loved my groupmates.

The diversity of writing styles and the depth of discussion in each session provided numerous 'aha!' moments that broadened my understanding of writing. The course has deepened my passion for writing and opened up new perspectives and techniques that have enriched my skills. Ready for the next step in my writing journey!

I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to enrich their writing skills in a supportive and engaging community with amazing tutors!

The writing exercises were fun, and the feedback sessions very useful.

I used what I learned to write a short story that was published in WQ #285 (Qld Writers Centre Magazine) June 2024. It was the winner of the 1000-word short story competition for "Writing Friday" participants. I was delighted! :)

AWC offers great courses with the benefit of obtaining real feedback from a very experienced author. It's that aspect that sets the courses apart from the many "video" courses available.

Pamela is brilliant! She is well versed in all areas of writing and her expertise was really helpful. I enjoyed the online zoom sessions. I now have the basis for a novel.

Jump in and do it!

Bernadette is an absolutely amazing tutor. It was a privilege to be taught by someone who has such a wealth of knowledge and experience from working in the publishing industry, and who gives students such helpful feedback and wonderful encouragement. My motivation (and 'feeling inspired-ness'!) to press on with my writing, and to make a start on a kids' chapter book, has greatly increased since doing the course. Thank you, Bernadette!

I've developed a basic plot for a kids' chapter book that I want to write, so am feeling pretty over the moon about that! And am just feeling very encouraged and motivated in general (about starting on the book and about my writing ability, thanks to Bernadette's amazing feedback, and her believing in us and encouraging us).

I really appreciated Bernadette's genuine enthusiasm and interest in our writing exercises; it was just very authentic and encouraging.

I would say AWC have a whole lot of fantastic courses (and awesome one-off workshops too). The courses are very affordable, the tutors are amazing and even if your life is busy, there are courses that aren't too demanding and are very do-able, time-wise.

Thanks again, AWC and Bernadette!

I learnt a great deal, and found the submitted exercises really useful to do.

Bernadette was excellent, and very generous in her responses to our writing, as well as giving helpful corrections.

I enjoyed being free to write and create new characters and stories. I have some story ideas, and feel empowered to write things I had not even thought of, with at least some basic understanding of creative writing.

Don't hesitate or feel inadequate. The course does what it promises to do.

I wanted to become more mentally involved in thinking about how the structures of a novel are built from a writer's perspective and the Writing Workout course was perfect for that. It got me thinking and pondering about my own book.

Bernadette was lovely. She had these positive vibes when we met up over the Zoom calls and her advice was extremely helpful and encouraging.

It's given me more confidence with working with others and sharing my story and characters through workshopping.

The Australian Writers' Centre is a great place to start learning about the basics of story writing, character development and structure with great tutors and other students for advice.

It ticked all the boxes for me: regular Zoom sessions, direction and deadlines!

Bernadette was lovely, encouraging, fair, professional, patient and supportive.

I'm now set to put pen to paper on my chapter book for 6-9 year olds.

Bernadette was very positive and uplifting however was also able to give constructive feedback confidently. I think she made the entire class feel at ease.

I enjoyed the fortnightly meetings the most. Listening to the feedback from fellow students, which was very helpful and hearing Bernadette's comments

It's definitely improved my writing and increased the likelihood that I try to write something substantial.

I very much enjoyed the structure of the course including the fortnightly zoom calls with detailed feedback and workshopping. I also appreciated the range of different exercises, many that were organised hierarchically or conceptually so I could develop my skills.

I enjoyed the opportunity to adapt the exercises each module to my work in progress, which meant I was making progress towards the entry requirements for Novel Writing Essentials. I also enjoyed the feedback sessions, including the feedback and questions about my work and others' work; I learned a lot from this. Finally, I found the plotting/planning exercise in module 6 very, very helpful as I start the Novel Writing Essentials course tomorrow, which I was always planning to do. This course made me more confident to jump straight into the next step, and I bring with me an almost completed synopsis plus draft scenes.

The course has definitely helped me to get out of my head (and my researching) and produce drafts more quickly and effectively. Bernadette's feedback also has highlighted important higher level elements to aim for, rather than my obsessing down in the details. For instance, thinking about point of view or structure rather than just micro word choices.

I realised that I could write more quickly and fluently as I completed these exercises each week. Prior to starting the course, I'd been a bit scared to commit to the page in case I wasn't doing it correctly. But this course has helped me to just write something and see how it goes.

As a lifelong reader, I assumed that I knew how to write a book since I write all the time in my job. But I have valued the opportunity to learn the science and art of creative writing. The AWC courses have helped me to understand the mechanics of writing as well as the heart and soul. I feel better equipped to work towards my goal of writing my novel.

Bernadette is a great facilitator! She asks the participants to give their feedback first before providing her own. She also provides handy tips and answers any of our questions with kindness and honesty.

The fortnightly feedback sessions gave me the motivation to write frequently and confidence with the feedback I received from my fellow participants. I hope I also encouraged others with my constructive critiques.

If you're just starting out as a writer, the AWC provides informative courses with facilitators who have industry experience. You get to meet other participants who are in the same boat as you are. Overall, it's a nurturing environment where you can plant your story seed and everyone helps it to grow.

See you in the next course!

Bernadette is lovely to learn from. She has a lot of industry experience and has great insight into how a piece works and what makes it better.

I enjoyed the group discussions and feedback. I feel better able to give and accept feedback. Write my work and take criticism fairly.

I definitely would recommend AWC as a place to learn. You can find a course for whatever stage of writing you are at.

I had a few ideas for writing but wasn't sure and wanted my hand held for a bit longer : )

I wasn't sure if I was procrastinating but the course content and exercises were valuable and stretched my writing skills in different directions. I was also a bit nervous about the face-to-face feedback sessions but all my classmates were so lovely and supportive and gave wonderful constructive input on everyone's submissions.

Bernadette is a wonderful tutor - organised, knowledgeable, a clear communicator and builds a supportive culture within the group.

I loved seeing everyone each fortnight and the exercises were great at expanding my writing and imagination in different directions to open up new creative avenues for me.

I thought I was more of a comedy writer and had a great hesitancy to make anything bad happen to characters but realised I have the capability to write serious content with an ominous undercurrent, which surprised me.

Forget the preconceptions you have about yourself, or the expectations you assume others have for you; let your imagination run wild with your writing. You might land in an unexpected genre but one that perfectly suits you.

I have already recommended AWC to two friends, one of which has signed up to your UX Writing course : ). Apart from the tailored course recommendations, I told them the Australian Writers' Centre courses were the most professional, clear and comprehensive I had found, you are taught in a really supportive environment and they're lots of fun.

Writing Workout is perfect for reinforcing your writing skills and expanding your capabilities. It's fantastic for building your confidence and cementing the technical aspects of narrative. Seeing everyone's friendly faces each fortnight and sharing our writing feedback was a great way to remove the fear of feedback. You will feel so good when you complete this course!

I got so much out of this course. I am so glad that I chose to do it!

Bernadette was wonderful. She is so personable, informative and has a great way of acknowledging value in all contributions.

The feedback aspect of it - it's invaluable! Feedback was always so thoughtful and constructive.

It's given me confidence in my ideas and the encouragement to keep going.

Plot and structure have always been real stumbling blocks for me but receiving constructive and positive feedback on ideas that I had developed in a short time showed me that I can move past my perceived plot and structure hurdles.

I would say that the content offered was engaging and exactly what you don't even know you need if you are wanting to develop your writing skills. Also, that the tutor and course participants will made such a supportive group.

Jo was great! Engaging with a wealth of knowledge to share.

I enjoyed the workshop environment. Meeting like-minded people. Anticipation of sharing and learning - it met up to expectations.

I can highly recommend AWC after twelve months of great courses ... But beware: it's addictive in a great way.

Jo was really engaging, helpful and encouraging. Her feedback was cast at the right balance of empathy and constructive criticism. She had a warmness that encouraged all levels of writers in the class.

I enjoyed the Zoom calls with feedback and discussion.

By providing opportunity to workshop with the tutor and other students, I got to see a range of ways to improve my writing.

The AWC offers well thought-out structured courses with knowledgeable tutors.

The course certainly pushed me to write in unexpected ways, also to think carefully about feedback of other's work.

Bernadette was informative and encouraging, skilled in her feedback delivery and pushed us towards developing our writing.

The exercises were interesting and could be applied to my own projects with thought.

Each course I've taken with AWC has delivered a nugget of information (or more) that changed my writing process for the better in unexpected ways.

The course was amazing. I've found my love for writing again and have been able to start writing the story that I've been mulling over for some time.

Angela was an incredible tutor. She brought a wealth of information to each class, and her feedback was invaluable. The feedback she provided allowed me to work through the issues I was having with my writing, and encouraged me to rethink things I was unknowingly over-attached to. She was open to any and all questions about the writing process and approaching certain elements of storytelling. I also found that seeing the planning she had done for her own stories greatly helped me to conceptualise and plan my own. Thank you so much Angela!!!!!!

We had a small class, and it was so lovely seeing the same faces each session. I've made friends with one of the other attendees and formed our own little writing partnership.

I've been able to break out of my slump and have since written 30k for my first novel-length story. It was the advice regarding first drafts that really helped me push though; as a perfectionist, I had been labouring over getting everything down perfectly the first time, when really I should have been just getting something down and cleaning up on further drafts.

It is a wonderful way to get you through any challenges you may be having. Finding a community of people in the same position as you is a great way to form connections and become inspired.

Thank you for providing these courses. Writing can be very intimidating and stressful, but the course made me feel a lot more confident and calm, and being able to receive even minor feedback on my writing was invaluable and reassuring. This doesn't feel like something out of reach anymore!

I got more from the course than I expected as it allowed me to more fully develop the idea I have for a novel.

Pamela was very good at providing constructive feedback - I learnt from the feedback she provided to other students as well as myself. She also provided extra tips on novel writing through the modules, which I found very valuable. She was also very approachable in answering questions.

About halfway through I stopped being concerned about being judged and just looked forward to the feedback and discussion. Our exercises didn't have to be perfectly crafted, as it was about learning.

I'm committing to setting up a writing routine - I really don't want to lose the momentum and feeling of creativity the course gave me. I'm also trying to approach it as being about having fun without the pressure of looking ahead to whether I can get published. I also feel there is more support available to help me on my way with other courses.

The AWC offers a very supportive environment with practical advice. You're not 'cut loose' at the end, as there's an ongoing group of people who you can interact with if you're willing to put yourself out there, and lots of options to keep learning and finishing your novel through courses.

I really enjoyed the course and am glad I did it. After years of procrastination, it feels like my dream of writing could be more real if I can just commit to keep writing. Just do it.

I was extremely nervous before starting this course. I was diagnosed with ADHD about one year ago, and have finally gained a lot of clarity around many of the differences with my brain being neurologically wired differently. For me, sometimes it's hard to retain information or stay still for two hours for a lecture. Being able to watch the recording and pause it is life changing!

What I was first challenged with but then grew to love about Pamela was her honesty. She gives you all the exercises and tools, that if followed really do allow you to grow and develop your skills as a writer. She will push you to be better from all angles, both online and offline! If you don't know who you are as a writer at the start of the course, you can bet your bottom dollar you will have a pretty good understanding of where you will be heading by the end of it. Thank you, Pamela.

A big thank you for all the hard work that I'm sure goes on behind the scenes. You totally make people feel welcomed and supported.

Bernadette is a wonderful tutor and created a comfortable learning environment with ease. She gave feedback in a constructive, practical and respectable way with plenty of food for thought and encouragement. Thank you, Bernadette, it's been a delight to work with you!

I enjoyed meeting wonderful writers and reading a diverse range of interesting and clever writing. I also found the critiques from the group on mine and everyone else's work to be incredibly helpful and thought provoking.

I really enjoy the online learning environment - I think the AWC does this incredibly well. The quality of the courses and the enjoyment you have connecting with other writers and industry professionals makes learning the craft of writing feel natural and attainable.