Amanda Willimott was working in marketing, a job she enjoyed but saw as just that – a job, not a career. Her true passion lay in writing, but she wasn’t sure where to start. After discovering the Australian Writers' Centre, Amanda went on to complete ten courses over eight years, and ultimately became a published author.
Amanda's debut novel Winter of the Wolf has now been published by Penguin Random House.
“I'd always hoped I would become a published author one day, but I never dreamed it would actually happen! It felt so far out of my reach and about as likely as me wanting to grow up and become a unicorn,” Amanda told us.
Bridging the knowledge gap
Amanda had long harboured a dream to write, but felt she lacked the necessary skills and knowledge. “Although I did go to university, I studied anthropology and history, not creative writing or literature. I'd been a voracious reader my entire life, but I didn't know how to write,” Amanda says.
That's when she decided to invest in herself and her writing dream. She started by completing History, Mystery and Magic followed by nine more courses. “AWC has a wide variety of courses, so I was able to pick and choose which courses best suited my needs at the time,” Amanda explains. She found the self-paced courses particularly useful, allowing her to listen to lessons and complete exercises at her own pace.
“The information was practical and easy to follow. It explained both what you needed to do and why you needed to do it, which really helped it stick,” Amanda says. “Because I had tried and failed to write an entire book so many times in the past, I knew this time I needed to do something different. I decided to play to my strengths. In my day job, I’m known for my organisation and structure – and my passionate love of spreadsheets. The first thing I did was create a plan. I already knew that I wanted to write a historical fiction novel, and I set a target word count of 100,000 words. I set aside a chunk of time to research my book, relying on books, journal articles, maps, artwork, anything I could get my hands on.”
After completing the research and plotting her novel, Amanda created a writing routine – 500 words on a weekday and 2,000 words on Saturday and Sunday – and followed it until she reached her goal. “When I reached the end and hit those 100,000 words, I printed out a copy of my manuscript to celebrate! And then I completed the AWC Cut, Shape, Polish course and self-edited my book. I spent six months doing my own structural and copy edits and proofreading. After that, I sent the manuscript to two friends for their feedback.”
A new way of life
Amanda's debut novel, Winter of the Wolf, is inspired by a real werewolf trial in 16th century France. “It blends history with paranormal and feminist themes and has a moving queer romance at its core,” Amanda explains. “Set in a time when women’s lives were not their own, and to be different was to be suspect, Winter of the Wolf is a sweeping tale of family secrets, betrayal and the abuse of power, the redeeming power of friendship, and finding your true home.”
The journey to publication was not without its challenges. Amanda faced numerous rejections but persevered, even completing a mentorship to improve her manuscript's structure.
Her hard work paid off when Penguin Random House Australia accepted her novel for publication.
Now, writing forms an integral part of Amanda's life. “I work full-time as a communications specialist for an international disability charity. I'm lucky that I can work from home, which means that the time I would normally spend commuting I can instead spend writing,” she says. “I needed to make writing a part of my everyday routine, so that it would become absorbed into the regular rhythm of my life.”
Amanda credits the Australian Writers' Centre for her success. “The AWC courses literally taught me how to write! With every course I took I gained not only knowledge but also confidence in my own ability. I was learning and growing as a writer. There's no doubt in my mind that if it wasn't for the courses I took through the AWC I would not be a published author today.”
Amanda Willimott was working in marketing, a job she enjoyed but saw as just that – a job, not a career. Her true passion lay in writing, but she wasn’t sure where to start. After discovering the Australian Writers' Centre, Amanda went on to complete ten courses over eight years, and ultimately became a published author.
Amanda's debut novel, Winter of the Wolf, is inspired by a real werewolf trial in 16th century France. “It blends history with paranormal and feminist themes and has a moving queer romance at its core,” Amanda explains. “Set in a time when women’s lives were not their own, and to be different was to be suspect, Winter of the Wolf is a sweeping tale of family secrets, betrayal and the abuse of power, the redeeming power of friendship, and finding your true home.”
