What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The tutor was very knowledgeable, encouraging and efficient in his replies.

I enjoyed meeting the other students ... we are from everywhere and all so different. Also working at my own pace.

It's made me realise that I can write that novel if I really put in the effort. In my mind, a Uni degree was the only way forward, but I've realised that these short courses are so much more suited to my learning style and still deliver the goods. The courses may be short, but they have a huge amount of precise information that really get the creative juices flowing.

Alex was great. She gave very clear and helpful feedback that I could use to work on my skills.

I enjoyed hearing real-world stories from the industry. It really helped me to see that writing freelance is possible and that it’s something I can do.

The course gets you ready to start out freelancing, it's focused on the industry and provides concrete examples, case studies and best practice.

Loved Pamela, the fast pace and the practical exercises. Got me moving, convinced me I can be a full-time writer.

A great way to develop your writing to the next level.

I have always wanted to do a creative writing course and a few of my friends have done courses previously at the Australian Writers' Centre. I wasn't sure how much I would get from this course because it was all online pre-recorded, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually learnt.

I found the feedback very helpful and easy to understand. I enjoyed using my imagination and becoming more confident in my writing.

It has helped get me started to write a little every day. Now here is hoping it becomes a habit!

The Australian Writers' Centre is great place to learn about writing.

I came in with an open mind, so am delighted with what I have learnt in this short yet informative course.

The tutor was kind. Gentle. Knowledgeable. I really appreciated Stephen's comments.

Even though I was doing a lot of these things inherently in my writing, it was great to have the skills outlined, explained and expanded on. I have enjoyed writing just for the sake of it and like the 200 and 500 word challenges.

I am looking to pitch my fiction to a traditional publisher, so the advice around this has been very helpful. Although I write as part of my living, fiction is a new area, and I now have more confidence to pursue this path. Thanks.

The course is professionally and cleanly presented. It is informative, encouraging and fun. The assignments are challenging and it's great to get professional feedback. The additional exercises are appreciated, and even if there is no time to do them in the 5 weeks, it is terrific that we can revisit and review in the future. Great value for money.

Thank you. I have already purchased several more courses, and have a few more in mind to do after that.

I've done two Writing Workout courses and really enjoy the Zoom format. I've definitely seen improvement in my writing. It's brought back my joy of writing.

It's wonderful working with everyone's stories, and especially wonderful to be able to connect with remote writers during lockdown. Zoom has meant I get to be in Pamela's classes even though I'm in Melbourne.

I love being part of the Zoom classes. It's been great connecting with writers from around the country. We can cheer each other on, and have wonderful discussions that would not happen if we were mainly communicating via text.

I really enjoyed this course. Wish I'd taken the time to do it earlier. Will be happy to enrol in another.

The quizzes were great for testing my knowledge.

I had finished the second draft of my manuscript and wasn't sure of the next step. I knew it wasn't ready to submit but I wasn't sure what I needed to do to improve it.

I love the self-paced online format for the more technical courses, such as this one. There is so much information and I can pause, stop or continue depending on my capacity to learn.

The power editing process has clear steps that were well explained. It gave me the skills and the confidence I need to self-edit my manuscript.

I feel more confident in my ability to self-edit and submit to a publisher or literary agent.

The Australian Writers' Centre gives you the tools you need to improve your writing as well as your confidence in your own abilities.

The lessons were comprehensive and provided great practical advice. Also appreciated the exercises; although optional, they were helpful practice.

Amanda was very encouraging and provided precise feedback. I knew exactly what I required to improve my writing.

AWC courses are well structured, making it easy to complete studies in writing; without becoming overwhelmed. This is my fourth AWC course. It's become an addiction now!

The course has made it easier for me to see my 'big picture' manuscript, at a time when I was feeling bogged down in story details. I feel like I have the skills to move on with a major structural edit of my book.

Early in the course, we were looking at different types of structure. I realised that the life events depicted in my memoir seemed to contain an organic structure, that mirrored elements of the three-act structure, as well as the hero's journey. These structures mirror the human story, because the human story is where these structures originated.

I would say that AWC courses are a really easy way to develop professional writing skills, one step at a time. Courses are structured so that writers can focus on specific areas, as they're needed. They're enjoyable, as well as rewarding. You even get a certificate! Once you do one, you'll want another.

I thought it would be beneficial to learn something about the process of publishing should I ever get that far. It was surprisingly interesting and the voice over was engaging.

It will keep me focussed that I'm writing for a market, so I should have in mind more clearly who my audience is rather than me.

Thank you to Pamela Hart. I have even bought one of your books.

I liked that there would be assignments and that we would be given constant feedback as well as being encouraged to work on stories that we have already started.

I was hesitant because I wasn't sure whether it would help me with the story I have been writing but it ended up working out perfectly.

The tutor was incredibly helpful, she gave constructive feedback and asked questions that made my writing better. She made sure to also give praise for certain things and overall was extremely supportive and gave great advice.

I enjoyed the assignments as it was where I was given feedback on my work and also the Q&A week where I was able to ask questions regarding any topic to do with writing and my tutor was very prompt with her replies.

It has made me consider certain things in regard to my story and has helped me to understand how the world of writing works, as well as the better way of planning a novel.

I'd earlier completed the Copywriting Essentials course and this felt like the natural next step before setting up my business.

Bernadette was great - interesting, informative and professional but approachable in her teaching style. I felt that her advice was practical and realistic based on her first-hand experience as a copywriter.

I enjoyed the pace of it and that assignments were achievable given that I was also working another job at the time of doing the course. Also liked how practical it was with assignments providing the steps to actually get a business up and running.

I feel more confident in starting out as a copywriter when the time is right for me to begin and also knowing how to charge appropriately for services.

Thanks Bernadette for another enjoyable, well presented course! I really looked forward to each module and know that I will continue to refer back to the two courses I've done with you as I move forward with starting my copywriting business.

I want to change career and have always wanted to write. I want to reinvent myself and this course covered it all!

I really appreciate the range of writers that shared their story as I am still discovering the direction/s I want to take.

I enjoyed how positive it was and affirming that I can do this!

At this point, I have yet to take some of the actions, but I think if I really engage with the step-by-step process (baby steps - thank you), I think it could be profound. I am at the beginning.

We have one life, so why spend it doing things we don't enjoy? For me that means changing my life, facing the fear and stepping into the unknown.

It was practical, positive and really reasonably priced! For the small amount, you can be on the way to following your dreams to become a writer.

Pamela was very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. The environment was encouraging.

I'm working hard on completing my novel and thanks to this course I am out of the thinking stage and into the active writing stage.

As I worked on writing my own piece and providing feedback for my fellow course-mates, I realised that the important thing was to get the story down and that it doesn't have to be perfect. As long as the story is written I will have the opportunity to make it better as much as I want.

The Australian Writers' Centre provides a friendly and encouraging environment, especially to someone like me who lacked confidence in her work and was afraid of criticism. The experience is constructive, inspiring and overall fun.

Zanni was great, very honest. I enjoyed learning different literary techniques and getting to try out a different story every week. The course was pretty perfect!

I've rewritten a story and come up with a brand new story that I'm pretty confident about. I have the confidence to keep trying even if I don't succeed with these ideas.

If you want to have a shot at being published, you need to do this course.

I wanted to try a creative writing course and the length and format of this one seemed perfect for me to get some tips/advice before either seeking something longer or more involved. That a published author would be providing feedback was also a plus.

I think the feedback provided was excellent overall and was sure to point out the positives of submitted pieces and constructively appraise areas for improvement. It was also timely and the oral format suited the delivery of the course material. It also allowed self-reflection for the points made for other participants when considering my own writing style/choices.

Really, I just enjoyed the chance to give writing a go and have other people read it and enjoy aspects of what I'd done.

The course lessons provide lots of useful insights and tips to take on board in a very encouraging way. I would recommend this course if somebody were toying with doing some creative writing.

I'm interested in creative non-fiction and life writing and have tried to start my autobiography but gave it up. I wanted to learn more about how to do this sort of writing.

A major learning during the course was the similarities between creative non-fiction and fiction, e.g. story arc, dialogue, etc. Also, the need to make your story interesting for the reader, not just a recitation of facts.

The course has also provided me with a great book list to work through. I've just started reading my first Peter FitzSimons book and am enjoying it, although I had avoided his books in the past.

I would say that the Centre's courses are straightforward, comprehensive and provide useful tools to aid your writing endeavours in either creative writing or non-fiction forms of writing.

Bernadette was brilliant. Very generous and encouraging with her feedback. Really useful information provided on slides. Practically-minded and material well-paced.

The time commitment was perfect for people working and/or with other commitments.

I enjoyed getting verbal feedback from the tutor herself. The excellent slides and handouts. The pace. The assignments. Everything, really.

I can apply everything I learnt to my job right now. There are also so many ways I can improve my knowledge in this area based on the materials Bernadette provided. It really was a launch-pad course to put you on the right track and also help you figure out what you don't know and how to get it.

Do it. It's practical, affordable, fits into a busy schedule and you'll leave more enlightened and enriched than when you started. Guaranteed.

Bernadette - you are a legend.

I completed a creative writing course a few years ago and had started writing a novel. I hadn't looked at it in a year so wanted to get motivated to write again. I have listened to the podcasts for quite a while and enjoy Allison and Valerie's banter, so thought I would give Novel Writing Essentials a go.

Pamela was amazing! Her feedback was so useful and made perfect sense. She gave a lot of tips throughout the course interwoven through her various feedbacks. I learned a lot from listening to her feedback to other students as well as my own.

I enjoyed the learnings from the feedback sessions - both Pamela's and the other students. Also, reading other submissions and seeing the many different writing styles/genres.

I have started writing again and I feel like I know (sort of) what I'm doing now.

Even though I have completed a couple of creative writing courses over the years, I regret that I didn't start with the Australian Writers' Centre creative writing course.