The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Effective Suspense and Thriller Stories
When you’re writing a suspense or thriller novel, you want to make sure you keep your readers hooked and compelled to turn every page. But
Penguin Random House Australia announces shortlist for 2023 Write It Fellowship
Penguin Random House Australia has just revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Write It Fellowship. We are so excited that six out of the 11
Simple steps to blog your way to success as an author
I’m going to be upfront with you – I’ve stolen the title of this post. Fortunately, I’ve, er, borrowed it from Bernadette Schwerdt, head copywriting
Enter the 2023 Stiletto Awards
Attention Australian crime and mystery writers! The 30th Scarlet Stiletto Awards are now open. Here are the details from the Sisters in Crime website: Sisters
Q&A: Why does ‘chicken’ mean coward?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
From physiotherapist to published novelist
Megan White loved to write during high school and university, but always in a wishful way. It was only after taking the course Creative Writing Stage 1 that she realised she could take her love of fiction further.
“Creative Writing Stage 1 taught me how to write a scene which instantly changed the way I looked at writing,” Megan told us. “Having a little knowledge in craft meant I could begin to take writing a little more seriously. It meant that becoming a writer felt more attainable as something you could learn and practice and less about being a natural prodigy.”
10 Australian authors on Substack
“What are you reading on Substack?” If I had $1 for every time someone has asked me this question over the past few weeks, I’d
Writing Podcast Episode 547: Tim Ayliffe, author ‘Killer Traitor Spy’
Meet Tim Ayliffe, author Killer Traitor Spy. Tim is also Managing Editor of Television and Video for ABC News and the former Executive Producer of
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Guest Room’ by Tasha Sylva
Have you ever wondered whether your BnB hosts snoop through your belongings? This week’s giveaway gives us an insight into the mind of an obsessive
Claire Thompson fulfils her dream to be a published picture book author
Deciding to write picture books was literally a lightbulb moment for media and communications manager Claire Thompson. Each time she put her newborn baby in the carseat, the interior lights flashed on, so Claire and her four-year-old invented a story about a magic baby. She immediately realised she wanted to write a children’s book and enrolled in the course Writing Picture Books a few days later.
Q&A: The origin of “wear your heart on your sleeve”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
AWC graduate Fiona Lloyd’s debut novel ‘Being Jimmy Baxter’
Fiona Lloyd had assumed her creative writing aspirations were nothing but a childhood dream. But after deciding to reconnect to that former love, she threw herself into the writing community, attending writing events and completing the course Plotting and Planning at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Fiona’s debut middle grade novel Being Jimmy Baxter has now been published by Puffin (Penguin Random House Australia).
Writing Podcast Episode 546: Meet four-time Academy Award nominated Anthony McCarten, author of Going Zero.
Meet Anthony McCarten, author of Going Zero. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards. What word count is normal for a writer? And win
COMP CLOSED: ‘Unfortunately Yours’ by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author and she’s back with another hilarious premise – a sham marriage for money brings Natalie
Furious Fiction: June 2023 Story Showcase
Welcome to June’s Furious Fiction story showcase – our monthly fiesta of 500-words-or-fewer fiction fabulousness! Most importantly, it’s a chance to shout out our community’s
How to create a book series bible
You may have heard authors, particularly authors of book series, talk about their ‘bible’ when discussing their writing process. And no doubt you realised they
Q&A: The origin of “Nike”, “Adidas”, “Asics”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Racquel Collard publishes her book Marketing Launchpad
Racquel Collard was at the peak of her career in marketing but felt that she needed a new challenge. The next natural step was a CEO role, but that didn’t feel like the right fit for her, so instead Racquel decided to write a book. She completed Write a Book That Showcases Your Expertise with the Australian Writers’ Centre and, with the publication of her debut, Marketing Launchpad, has now left the corporate rat race behind and embarked on a new career.
Writing Podcast Episode 545: Meet Carolyn Swindell, author of We Only Want What’s Best
Meet Carolyn Swindell, author of We Only Want What’s Best. What are eggcorns and what have they got to do with words? Win Feast by
COMP CLOSED: ‘Feast’ by Emily O’Grady
Set in an atmospheric Scottish manor, this week’s giveaway is a recipe for tension and drama – a dysfunctional family and dark secrets being brought
Copywriting Podcast Episode 056: How to overcome procrastination, unlock creativity and get more done
Attention, Copywriters! We need to address the elephant in the room: procrastination. It hinders productivity, stifles creativity and creates stress. And of course, the longer
Q&A: The origin of “bury the hatchet”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Writing Podcast Episode 544: Meet Stephanie Bishop, author of The Anniversary
Meet Stephanie Bishop, author of The Anniversary. Understanding essential tropes in romance writing. Do you write drabble? And more. Also win Broken Bay by Margaret
4 writing books you need
Do you love a new writing book as much as I do? Even after co-writing my own book about writing (‘So You Want To Be
COMP CLOSED: ‘Broken Bay’ by Margaret Hickey
Sometimes the most beautiful places can be home to the darkest secrets. A dead cave diver, family rivalry, small town secrets and beautiful Australian landscapes
The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Effective Suspense and Thriller Stories
When you’re writing a suspense or thriller novel, you want to make sure you keep your readers hooked and compelled to turn every page. But sustaining that level of devotion from a reader means that every word needs to count. And you need to ensure that your plot, characters and
Penguin Random House Australia announces shortlist for 2023 Write It Fellowship
Penguin Random House Australia has just revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Write It Fellowship. We are so excited that six out of the 11 shortlisted writers are AWC graduates! Here are the details from Penguin Random House’s website: We are thrilled to announce the shortlist for Write It, a
Simple steps to blog your way to success as an author
I’m going to be upfront with you – I’ve stolen the title of this post. Fortunately, I’ve, er, borrowed it from Bernadette Schwerdt, head copywriting tutor at the Australian Writers’ Centre, and, in particular, episode 30 of her So You Want To Be A Copywriter podcast. I’m pretty sure she
Enter the 2023 Stiletto Awards
Attention Australian crime and mystery writers! The 30th Scarlet Stiletto Awards are now open. Here are the details from the Sisters in Crime website: Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards for best short crime and mystery stories turn 30 this year and are offering a record $12,720 in prizes. The
Q&A: Why does ‘chicken’ mean coward?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, chicken feed… Q: Hi AWC,
From physiotherapist to published novelist
Megan White loved to write during high school and university, but always in a wishful way. It was only after taking the course Creative Writing Stage 1 that she realised she could take her love of fiction further.
“Creative Writing Stage 1 taught me how to write a scene which instantly changed the way I looked at writing,” Megan told us. “Having a little knowledge in craft meant I could begin to take writing a little more seriously. It meant that becoming a writer felt more attainable as something you could learn and practice and less about being a natural prodigy.”
10 Australian authors on Substack
“What are you reading on Substack?” If I had $1 for every time someone has asked me this question over the past few weeks, I’d be able to buy myself a nice long lunch somewhere fancy. Even Valerie Khoo and I were trading recommendations just a day or two ago.
Writing Podcast Episode 547: Tim Ayliffe, author ‘Killer Traitor Spy’
Meet Tim Ayliffe, author Killer Traitor Spy. Tim is also Managing Editor of Television and Video for ABC News and the former Executive Producer of News Breakfast. Tim also spoke exclusively to our Write Your Novel and Edit Your Novel students as part of our Industry Author Event series. Also:
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Guest Room’ by Tasha Sylva
Have you ever wondered whether your BnB hosts snoop through your belongings? This week’s giveaway gives us an insight into the mind of an obsessive BnB host who likes to get to know her guests a little too well. We have three copies of The Guest Room by Tasha Sylva
Claire Thompson fulfils her dream to be a published picture book author
Deciding to write picture books was literally a lightbulb moment for media and communications manager Claire Thompson. Each time she put her newborn baby in the carseat, the interior lights flashed on, so Claire and her four-year-old invented a story about a magic baby. She immediately realised she wanted to write a children’s book and enrolled in the course Writing Picture Books a few days later.
Q&A: The origin of “wear your heart on your sleeve”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, love it or sleeve it…
AWC graduate Fiona Lloyd’s debut novel ‘Being Jimmy Baxter’
Fiona Lloyd had assumed her creative writing aspirations were nothing but a childhood dream. But after deciding to reconnect to that former love, she threw herself into the writing community, attending writing events and completing the course Plotting and Planning at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Fiona’s debut middle grade novel Being Jimmy Baxter has now been published by Puffin (Penguin Random House Australia).
Writing Podcast Episode 546: Meet four-time Academy Award nominated Anthony McCarten, author of Going Zero.
Meet Anthony McCarten, author of Going Zero. He has been nominated for four Academy Awards. What word count is normal for a writer? And win Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite
COMP CLOSED: ‘Unfortunately Yours’ by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author and she’s back with another hilarious premise – a sham marriage for money brings Natalie and August together, but could their union be about more than that? You have the chance to find out because we’re giving away three copies
Furious Fiction: June 2023 Story Showcase
Welcome to June’s Furious Fiction story showcase – our monthly fiesta of 500-words-or-fewer fiction fabulousness! Most importantly, it’s a chance to shout out our community’s creativity and the opportunity to have YOUR OWN story featured or acknowledged. So, without further ado, let’s remind ourselves of what June’s criteria were: To
How to create a book series bible
You may have heard authors, particularly authors of book series, talk about their ‘bible’ when discussing their writing process. And no doubt you realised they were talking about the notebook or document that helped them to keep track of characters, relationships, settings and other important information in their book or
Q&A: The origin of “Nike”, “Adidas”, “Asics”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, just shoe it… Q: Hi
Racquel Collard publishes her book Marketing Launchpad
Racquel Collard was at the peak of her career in marketing but felt that she needed a new challenge. The next natural step was a CEO role, but that didn’t feel like the right fit for her, so instead Racquel decided to write a book. She completed Write a Book That Showcases Your Expertise with the Australian Writers’ Centre and, with the publication of her debut, Marketing Launchpad, has now left the corporate rat race behind and embarked on a new career.
Writing Podcast Episode 545: Meet Carolyn Swindell, author of We Only Want What’s Best
Meet Carolyn Swindell, author of We Only Want What’s Best. What are eggcorns and what have they got to do with words? Win Feast by Emily O’Grady. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app.
COMP CLOSED: ‘Feast’ by Emily O’Grady
Set in an atmospheric Scottish manor, this week’s giveaway is a recipe for tension and drama – a dysfunctional family and dark secrets being brought to light. Things just aren’t always as they seem… We’re giving away three copies of Feast by Emily O’Grady. Here’s the blurb: Alison is an
Copywriting Podcast Episode 056: How to overcome procrastination, unlock creativity and get more done
Attention, Copywriters! We need to address the elephant in the room: procrastination. It hinders productivity, stifles creativity and creates stress. And of course, the longer we leave it, the harder is gets to start and that creates even more stress. Meanwhile time is ticking, the deadline is looming and you
Q&A: The origin of “bury the hatchet”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, where does “bury the hatchet”
Writing Podcast Episode 544: Meet Stephanie Bishop, author of The Anniversary
Meet Stephanie Bishop, author of The Anniversary. Understanding essential tropes in romance writing. Do you write drabble? And more. Also win Broken Bay by Margaret Hickey. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. Links
4 writing books you need
Do you love a new writing book as much as I do? Even after co-writing my own book about writing (‘So You Want To Be A Writer: How To Get Started While You Still Have A Day Job’), I find myself adding new writing books to my shopping cart way
COMP CLOSED: ‘Broken Bay’ by Margaret Hickey
Sometimes the most beautiful places can be home to the darkest secrets. A dead cave diver, family rivalry, small town secrets and beautiful Australian landscapes – this week’s giveaway has it all. We have three copies of Broken Bay by Margaret Hickey to give away. Here’s the blurb: Old loyalties
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