What’s it like to learn with AWC?

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.

Bernadette Foley is a great facilitator, who offers thoughtful feedback and good, practical advice for all course members. It's been a pleasure to share time with her, and the other participants, over the past six weeks.

I enjoyed the considered and useful feedback provided by everyone who took part in this course - and also the opportunity to meet such an interesting range of characters and other worlds.

AWC courses are practical, focused and great value. Highly recommended.

Bernadette was excellent. She was very affirming, very helpful and managed the group with great skill. Her feedback was practical while not being too prescriptive.

I enjoyed the fortnightly exercises. I did not have a story that I was working on, so I just threw myself into the exercises to try out new skills. Very useful.

Great value and very useful. The tutors work to set up a safe environment for workshopping each other's work. It has given me the confidence to be bolder in my writing and keep going. I can now move forward with my ideas for a story.

The tutor was awesome. Very generous in her feedback and sharing her experiences. Created a great community.

I enjoyed the Zoom workshops and learning from the group with Pamela's advice. I now have a draft outline of my book. Will set my writing goal and just go for it.

I just loved the Writing Workout and also the two other courses that I did - Creative Writing Stage 1 and Novel writing Essentials. Just get into it - it truly helps to put you on your writing track.

I wanted to refine my foundational skills so that my creative writing would improve, my writing practice would flow better and I would find the path for making headway on the novel I'm in the process of writing.

I wasn't quite sure if I was ready for Novel Writing Essentials so I enrolled in this course first, and I'm glad I did. The exercises were fantastic in creating a practice environment to build story elements, and I loved the way I could apply my work in progress to the exercises in some instances.

Pamela is phenomenal! She's so generous with sharing her knowledge and skill set, gives constructive yet encouraging feedback with frankness and she's a true example of what many aspiring writers are aiming for, with her prolific and varied publishing history. She's also a lot of fun, and made the course interesting and engaging.

I enjoyed the group environment - I was lucky to have an awesome group. Providing feedback to each other, listening to the questions of others and getting answers I didn't even know I needed.

Before I started this course, I lacked confidence and flow in my writing practice. I've been meandering for a year on the not-even-close-to-being-finished first draft of my WIP. I thought for sure I was not cut out to be a writer, that at some point I would have to stop pretending I have something to say. But this course reminded me that writing is a skill not a talent, and I don't need to give up. And that even though there's always more to learn, that actually there is a lot I'm good at. With the support of Pamela and the writing group, I learned loads, flexed my writing muscles and have restored faith that I'll be able to finish my first draft.

I would say it's the best practical course I've ever done, with high quality content, teaching and peers.

Just a huge thank you to Pamela, Abby and anyone else behind the scenes as I know that a lot of effort goes in to ensuring these programs run so smoothly and effectively.

I really valued this course and the exercises it provided. The fortnightly meetings with likeminded writers were really valuable and enjoyable. At the end of the course I was able to replot and begin rewriting a story that I had been struggling with.

The tutor was outstanding. Angela gave targeted and actionable feedback. After each Zoom, I had clear steps on how to improve my writing. I have a stronger sense of my writing style and more confidence in my writing.

The course really built my confidence in myself. I could see a difference in the quality of my writing by the end of the course.

I was really interested in reigniting my passion for creative writing, which I realised I hadn't lost - it just needed some air time :)

I found Bernadette's feedback accurate and timely. Overall, she guided the group well, and there were a few great moments that I personally found very useful. I also really loved the diversity of the writers - age, gender and style. We had it all.

I needed a course that just refreshed my memory of previous course materials while giving me a much-needed creative boost. The fact that it was online, at night, with fortnightly sessions meant I could easily squeeze it into my busy daily schedule.

I was worried that I wasn't a "good enough" writer, but this course taught me that we all need to "work out" to get better (and improve our confidence in ourselves).

My tutor, Angela Slatter, was amazing. Got us straight into writing within the first few minutes (which was scary), had our writing exposed to the class (which was nerve-racking) and then edited our work (which was mortifying) but then, somehow, made me feel like a better and more capable writer with each session.

I feel really motivated, confident in my abilities and ready to start writing creatively. It also gave me insight into the benefits of writing regularly and I am planning on incorporating creative writing (which often gets pushed down the to do list) into my weekly schedule.

Just do it. You'll thank me later.

Bernadette was great, very approachable, treated people's work respectfully and gave me very useful feedback.

I enjoyed everything about it. Although some of the exercises felt quite challenging at first, once I got into them I learnt a lot and surprised myself that I could make a reasonable go at them.

This is the first AWC course that I have done with Zoom meetings and this made it extra enjoyable for me, as you can interact with others more like in a classroom. Living in a rural area, I only ever can do the online courses, so this was the best from that point of view.

I really did the course just as something interesting to explore over winter, but what I learnt has made me feel that I would definitely like to keep writing a novel or short stories.

Go for it, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for the wonderful courses you offer.

I really was drawn to the premise of this course being actually writing. I had previously taken Creative Writing Stage 1 which was super helpful with theory and information regarding the process but I wanted something to put the theory into practice. It makes perfect sense why the courses are linked! They work extremely well together.

I was very worried about the actual process of workshopping. Actually having to meet with a group of strangers and show them my writing felt very scary but honestly I had nothing to worry about. Everyone was so kind and supportive and we became so comfortable sharing work close to our hearts.

Bernadette was amazing. From day one she has been extremely supportive and informative. She would lead discussions but step back and let the group members then offer their thoughts and when they had constructive criticism, she was always there to better explain the criticism, offer alternatives and make it really useful. I'm currently at university where I've taken many arts courses including a creative writing course but Bernadette made this course so likeable.

I really enjoyed the expertise, the comradery, the structure and the exercises. Everything was informative and useful.

Working with this group has given me the motivation and honestly just the confidence to keep writing. I was always very insecure about my writing but they really made me feel good about it.