What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I felt I needed some guidance on how to continue writing the novel I currently have underway. I was getting caught up in worrying about structure instead of getting on with it. The course gave me the confidence to continue writing in a linear progression with the intent to go back and look at how to tweak the narrative tension once I have a full draft.

I found it a very practical guide, which was encouraging. It was great to hear that the main focus should be on keeping the reader's attention and that I don't need to be a literary genius to have a go at writing.

The Australian Writers' Centre has well-structured resources and experienced teachers who understand the world of writing and publishing. Anyone who wants to be a writer will benefit from completing some of the courses.

The course is clear and concise with well-structured notes that are easy to follow. Valerie inspires confidence and uses strategic examples and case studies that leave the participant feeling like they can succeed.

The course provided me with a clear framework with which to approach content writing. The templates were invaluable for providing "structure." Understanding the various "angles" that can be applied to any given story gave me a way to "think" and tools that I could immediately apply. The course is outstanding. It meets the stated objectives.

It's awesome! I wouldn't think twice about the decision to do it. It's foundational for any serious content writer.

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 have been wanting to get back into creative writing since I was in high school, and liked that this was a professional, structured course!

The tutor was great - the weekly feedback was my favourite part of the course. So rewarding to have constructive feedback from a published author.

I had heard how good Scrivener was and thought it would be useful for it to be demonstrated by someone who used it. I enjoyed the way Natasha explained each feature in such a simple way and demonstrated how easy the programme was to use.

I'm even more excited to commit to more writing projects.

The assignments were the most enjoyable part as I am very much a 'learning by doing' person. It was really great and I got really in-depth feedback!

Just give it a go! There's inspiration and practical information and it's down to earth too.

Nicole's feedback was excellent. Her queries and concerns about my pieces were spot on. She was encouraging too and made me feel I wanted to continue writing my novel. The right encouragement is so important for an emerging writer like me. She also was extremely knowledgeable about the genre I was writing in (YA), which was very lucky for me.

I liked workshopping other writers' work, providing feedback from a reader's perspective and offering suggestions. The writers in my group were kind and supportive and helped me by providing feedback about my own writing too. Getting feedback from Nicole, our teacher, about my own work was also a highlight, and I learnt a lot from listening to what she had to say about the work of the other writers in the group too.

It has given me confidence and has motivated me. I know that I will continue to write this novel now.

Do an Australian Writers' Centre course! The teachers are wonderful -- knowledgeable, experienced and supportive -- and you'll meet fellow emerging writers that will keep you interested in your own writing and the craft in general.

Mark was great. I enjoyed listening to all the feedback. It was delivered in a helpful way and I was able to understand what needed improvement or where I had gone off on a different track.

The course was a great way to kickstart my desire to learn more about copywriting into doable actions. I feel as though I now have the tools to get myself out there and start advertising myself as a copywriter.

I found that the course sparked lots of ideas for new stories. I was amazed to discover all of the resources that are available for research and inspiration.

Encouragement to read works published in your time period, using Trove for creative inspiration, and learning about Google Advanced Search have all been eye-openers, and make researching fun and absorbing.

The AWC courses are fun, very detailed and full of practical advice, encouragement and inspiration.

Valerie has an engaging speaking style and the course was well-designed. I liked learning in 12-15 minute chunks so I could go away and think about what I'd learned, practice, and apply to something I was writing.

My current novel (a sequel) should be a lot stronger than its predecessor. There are multiple characters and I have a much clearer idea how to handle scenes. Although I didn't do too badly with the first one, it was luck more than technique!

AWC provides practical yet inspiring courses for every type of writer and for all levels of experience.

I certainly learnt a lot about how to write a picture book and now have 3 basic stories to work on. I know I still have a lot to learn but this has been a great introduction to writing for me.

Suzanne was always very positive with her feedback and I really appreciated the constructive comments. I think she helped us to develop our writing a little more each week.

Give it a go! If you are keen to write a picture book, this is a great starting point.

I've realised that I can do this. I've always wanted to write, and I've never seen fiction as attainable. This course gave me the fundamentals I was looking for and now I feel confident to move forward with writing. I also really appreciated the last modules where there was a lot of talk about not giving up once inspiration is lost. I loved that.

I enjoyed the audio clips. I was surprised at the amount of information and guidance provided. This reassured me that a lot can be learned outside of a university degree. I also really enjoyed the weekly practice.

Thank you for delivering on all the promises your website made.

I think your course is brilliant and it has opened up an opportunity I would like to pursue.

The tutor was probably very gentle with her feedback but she was also very constructive. I felt like I could achieve and I wasn't wasting my time. Margaret liked something I wrote so for me that was extremely positive.

I have never really written anything in my life and I have always wanted to do this. It has only taken me about 20 years to work up the courage to have a go. So thanks.

Thanks heaps, had fun. I will now try and work out what to do next.

Just enough information for a beginner like me without feeling overwhelmed! I love the templates and can see how they will guide me to create great content from the beginning.

The course was easy to follow and full of practical and usable information and tips.

I have wanted to look into being a real writer for some time. Have dabbled a bit over the years but lack the confidence. With this crazy world with covid, I decided that the time is now.

The course helped me think about where I want to go in writing. It has awakened the desire to work on my writing journey. Even at my age (57) I am looking forward to the next chapter in life.

The feedback was great. The tutor really went into detail of our writing and gave very personal feedback which was at the level we were at. She was non-judgmental and very encouraging as well.

I was able to learn the structure of my thoughts as well as my writing. Feedback on what I'm doing without realising which helped me get unstuck! Also the sense of community to help me feel less alone in my experience.

I have already recommended the AWC to my friends who are avid readers and to kids who like writing. I am looking to enrol my kids.

It is rare to be able to have tuition and feedback from people who are currently in the industry and have many years of experience. You can't get this from a book. That, in my opinion, is the core strength of this excellent course.

Each module is clearly organized and well-presented. This is supported by feedback that addresses the assignment within the contexts of what the module contains.

The course is enjoyable, user-friendly, stacked with information you need, and presented by knowledgeable and helpful people who, at the end of the course, you can count as friends.

This course does what all courses at AWC do - opens another portal into the world of writing. It's a fascinating place to visit and hopefully, one day, a great place to live.

It has illuminated so much about how to structure my novel and given me the confidence to go forward. I think the course was pretty perfect for what I was after.

You can clearly see how all the modules follow on from each other and work together to give a clear understanding of the structure of a novel as a whole.

The tutor was an excellent clear communicator with very practical feedback to participants.

Really well laid out balance of course notes, audio and assignment feedback as well as analysis of published articles which made it very real-world and practical. It was also great to see fellow students' ideas and hear feedback on them.

It gave me a quick and digestible insight into what's possible and how to approach freelance writing, how and where to pitch etc, that I feel I could use right away.