Q&A: BC/AD vs BCE/CE
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
Furious Fiction May 2020 winner and shortlist
May was another huge month for our spritely little Furious Fiction competition – with our second highest entries ever (highest was last month!). It just
Watch ‘Creative Conversations’ with world-class crime and thriller author L.A. Larkin
World-class crime and thriller author and Australian Writers’ Centre presenter, L.A. Larkin, joined Valerie Khoo for the ‘Creative Conversations’ Facebook Live event to discuss the
Enter the 2020 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
Calling all unpublished writers: the $10,000 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, which can be awarded to both fiction and creative non-fiction writers, is open for
ABIA award-winning author Heather Rose’s 3 ways to keep momentum going in your fiction writing
Heather Rose’s novel Bruny, which won the 2020 ABIA for General Fiction Book of the Year, is not easily classified: it combines political satire with
10 must-read articles to level up your fiction writing
So you’re creative, inspired and want to write fiction? Great! For all writers, from first-timers to those with multiple novels under their belt already, the
Writing Podcast Episode 331 Meet Felicity Harley, author of ‘Balance & Other B.S.: How to hold it together when you’re doing it all’.
In Episode 331 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Felicity Harley, author of Balance & Other B.S.: How to hold it together
Clare Bowditch’s top 3 tips for first-time authors
Clare Bowditch’s ABIA award-winning memoir, Your Own Kind of Girl, goes deep into love, loss and grief. For her first book, Clare drew from her
COMP CLOSED: ‘Australian Code Breakers’ by James Phelps
The extraordinary story of a headmaster turned cryptographer, and our top-secret war with the Kaiser’s Reich… This week we have three copies of Australian Code
Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae shortlisted for 2020 Text Prize
The shortlist for the 2020 Text Prize has been announced – and we’re delighted to see two Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae among them! Miranda Luby,
5 top tips for thriller writing from author L.A. Larkin
British-Australian crime and thriller writer L.A. Larkin – who teaches the Australian Writers’ Centre’s popular Crime and Thriller Writing course is our go-to woman for
Award-winning author and football fanatic Nicole Hayes on why she’s excited to write for a younger audience
Award-winning author, speaker and Australian Writers’ Centre presenter Nicole Hayes has made no secret of her passion for AFL. Much of her back catalogue is
ARA Historical Novel Prize now open
Have you written a historical novel? The ARA Historical Novel Prize is now open and the winner is set to receive $30,000 AUD! Who’s eligible?
Multi-award-winning children’s author Andy Griffiths’ top 3 tips for making kids laugh
Multiple generations of children have grown up with the books of Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. From their first book Just Tricking!, released in 1997,
Q&A: Practice vs practise
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
The 2020 ABIA winners are…
The announcement of the 2020 Australian Book Industry Awards saw both familiar faces and rising stars rewarded for their hard work. Streamed live on YouTube,
Writing Podcast Episode 330 Meet Rick Held, author of ‘Night Lessons in Little Jerusalem’.
In Episode 330 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Rick Held, author of Night Lessons in Little Jerusalem. Put our party in
COMP CLOSED ‘Pedantic’ by Ross & Kathryn Petras
This week’s giveaway book is one for the word nerds out there (you know who you are). The book is Pedantic by language boffins Ross
How to start a book in 4 steps – bestselling author Natasha Lester shares her process
Natasha Lester is the bestselling author of five historical novels, including The Paris Secret, The French Photographer, The Paris Seamstress, Her Mother’s Secret and A
Q&A: ‘Buttered up’, ‘having butterflies’, ‘butter wouldn’t melt’
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
Victoria Mackinlay achieves her childhood dream to become a published author
When she was a child, Victoria Mackinlay assumed she would grow up to be an author. And now, with the release of her picture book Ribbit Rabbit Robot and more on the way, Victoria’s dream has come true. To top it off, Victoria has won the State Library of NSW Award for Emerging Children’s Author.
Watch Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer James Phelps in ‘Creative Conversations’
Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer and sports journalist James Phelps joined Australian Writers’ Centre’s CEO Valerie Khoo for a creative conversation. You can watch
Writing Podcast Episode 329 Meet Anna Whateley, author of ‘Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal’
In Episode 329 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Anna Whateley, author of Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal. Discover how to spark your
COMP CLOSED: ‘Husband Replacement Therapy’ by Kathy Lette
What do you do when you’re told you’ve got terminal cancer at 50? Take up crochet, find religion and bow out gracefully? OR upend your
Your COVID-19 words
It’s no secret that the global pandemic of 2020 is a time that history will remember. For many, it has been a confusing time, one
Q&A: BC/AD vs BCE/CE
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, we’re going on a date…
Furious Fiction May 2020 winner and shortlist
May was another huge month for our spritely little Furious Fiction competition – with our second highest entries ever (highest was last month!). It just shows what great word of mouth and marketing–cough cough lockdown pandemic cough— can do! Being the fifth month of the year, or maybe because we
Watch ‘Creative Conversations’ with world-class crime and thriller author L.A. Larkin
World-class crime and thriller author and Australian Writers’ Centre presenter, L.A. Larkin, joined Valerie Khoo for the ‘Creative Conversations’ Facebook Live event to discuss the adrenaline-fuelled world of crime and thriller writing. And you get to watch the replay here. L.A. Larkin, also known as Louisa Bennet, talks about her
Enter the 2020 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers
Calling all unpublished writers: the $10,000 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, which can be awarded to both fiction and creative non-fiction writers, is open for 2020. The winner will also get a year’s mentorship from a Hachette Australia publisher. Entries close on July 10, 2020. From the Emerging Writers’ Festival
ABIA award-winning author Heather Rose’s 3 ways to keep momentum going in your fiction writing
Heather Rose’s novel Bruny, which won the 2020 ABIA for General Fiction Book of the Year, is not easily classified: it combines political satire with thriller, and adds elements of romance as well as complex family dynamics into the mix. For Heather’s part, she says she never set out to
10 must-read articles to level up your fiction writing
So you’re creative, inspired and want to write fiction? Great! For all writers, from first-timers to those with multiple novels under their belt already, the process can present some surprising challenges. Perhaps you’re struggling to get the first sentence onto the page, or maybe you’re part-way through and worried you’re
Writing Podcast Episode 331 Meet Felicity Harley, author of ‘Balance & Other B.S.: How to hold it together when you’re doing it all’.
In Episode 331 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Felicity Harley, author of Balance & Other B.S.: How to hold it together when you’re doing it all. Discover how to enter the ARA Historical Novel Prize; and Andy Griffith’s top 3 tips for making kids laugh. We’re
Clare Bowditch’s top 3 tips for first-time authors
Clare Bowditch’s ABIA award-winning memoir, Your Own Kind of Girl, goes deep into love, loss and grief. For her first book, Clare drew from her experience as a musician to get through the process of endless re-drafting, as well as using the names of her songs as chapter titles. Clare
COMP CLOSED: ‘Australian Code Breakers’ by James Phelps
The extraordinary story of a headmaster turned cryptographer, and our top-secret war with the Kaiser’s Reich… This week we have three copies of Australian Code Breakers by James Phelps to be won. James is Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer and recently we enjoyed a video conversation with James –
Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae shortlisted for 2020 Text Prize
The shortlist for the 2020 Text Prize has been announced – and we’re delighted to see two Australian Writers’ Centre alumnae among them! Miranda Luby, who completed our How to Write for Children and Young Adults course, and Lauren Draper, who has taken a creative writing course, have both been
5 top tips for thriller writing from author L.A. Larkin
British-Australian crime and thriller writer L.A. Larkin – who teaches the Australian Writers’ Centre’s popular Crime and Thriller Writing course is our go-to woman for crafting suspenseful, exciting literature. Larkin’s latest thriller novel Prey was released in April 2020, published by Clan Destine Press in Australia and Bloodhound Books in
Award-winning author and football fanatic Nicole Hayes on why she’s excited to write for a younger audience
Award-winning author, speaker and Australian Writers’ Centre presenter Nicole Hayes has made no secret of her passion for AFL. Much of her back catalogue is football-adjacent, and she’s a founding member of weekly ABC podcast The Outer Sanctum. Nicole’s latest project speaks to a different audience from her previous young
ARA Historical Novel Prize now open
Have you written a historical novel? The ARA Historical Novel Prize is now open and the winner is set to receive $30,000 AUD! Who’s eligible? From the Historical Novel Society Australasia website: “The ARA Historical Novel Prize is open to authors who are citizens or residents of Australia or New
Multi-award-winning children’s author Andy Griffiths’ top 3 tips for making kids laugh
Multiple generations of children have grown up with the books of Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. From their first book Just Tricking!, released in 1997, to their latest The 117-Storey Treehouse – which was awarded the ABIA award for the Book of the Year for Younger Children in 2020 –
Q&A: Practice vs practise
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, we’re being told to continue
The 2020 ABIA winners are…
The announcement of the 2020 Australian Book Industry Awards saw both familiar faces and rising stars rewarded for their hard work. Streamed live on YouTube, the top gong for the ABIA Book of the Year was given to a picture book for the first time: Bluey: The Beach, based on
Writing Podcast Episode 330 Meet Rick Held, author of ‘Night Lessons in Little Jerusalem’.
In Episode 330 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Rick Held, author of Night Lessons in Little Jerusalem. Put our party in your diaries! Catch the replay of Valerie’s conversation with James Phelps and go in the draw to win a copy of Pedantic by Ross Petras
COMP CLOSED ‘Pedantic’ by Ross & Kathryn Petras
This week’s giveaway book is one for the word nerds out there (you know who you are). The book is Pedantic by language boffins Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras – a hilarious and useful guide to the 100 terms smart people should know… So, what is Pedantic? Well, it’s a
How to start a book in 4 steps – bestselling author Natasha Lester shares her process
Natasha Lester is the bestselling author of five historical novels, including The Paris Secret, The French Photographer, The Paris Seamstress, Her Mother’s Secret and A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald. She’s also one of our wonderful presenters here at the Australian Writers’ Centre with her online courses 2 Hours to Scrivener
Q&A: ‘Buttered up’, ‘having butterflies’, ‘butter wouldn’t melt’
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, it’s giving us butterflies just
Victoria Mackinlay achieves her childhood dream to become a published author
When she was a child, Victoria Mackinlay assumed she would grow up to be an author. And now, with the release of her picture book Ribbit Rabbit Robot and more on the way, Victoria’s dream has come true. To top it off, Victoria has won the State Library of NSW Award for Emerging Children’s Author.
Watch Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer James Phelps in ‘Creative Conversations’
Australia’s #1 bestselling true crime writer and sports journalist James Phelps joined Australian Writers’ Centre’s CEO Valerie Khoo for a creative conversation. You can watch the replay here. James Phelps discusses his latest book Australian Code Breakers, the story about one of Australia’s greatest unknown military triumphs when a former
Writing Podcast Episode 329 Meet Anna Whateley, author of ‘Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal’
In Episode 329 of So You Want To Be A Writer: Meet Anna Whateley, author of Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal. Discover how to spark your kid’s writing fire. New AWC online courses are in the works. Plus, we have 3 copies of Husband Replacement Therapy by Kathy Lette to give
COMP CLOSED: ‘Husband Replacement Therapy’ by Kathy Lette
What do you do when you’re told you’ve got terminal cancer at 50? Take up crochet, find religion and bow out gracefully? OR upend your life and spend every remaining minute exploring new pleasures? These are just some of the questions posed in this week’s book giveaway – Puberty Blues
Your COVID-19 words
It’s no secret that the global pandemic of 2020 is a time that history will remember. For many, it has been a confusing time, one of personal loss or substantial upheaval. For others, a different kind of experience, a detox of sorts; a return to simple habits or new beginnings.
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