What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I like writing case studies, and I wanted to gain more insight into how to frame an article and get it published.

I need to be accountable to someone to motivate me to write. Intrinsic motivation isn't enough. It took me nine months to start this course, and once I started, I wondered why it took me so long.

I love learning and gaining knowledge. What was most enjoyable was realising that I like writing case studies. I am interested in exploring the Freelance Writing Stage 1 and Opinion Writing courses.

It's a great place to explore and start writing.

I was looking for a 'back to basics' style course and this ticked all the boxes. I especially liked the inclusion of grammar and punctuation as this is not something that is refreshed in professional environments.

I really enjoyed the bite-sized modules. It made getting through the course easy and fun. I am sure a professional writer could speak to the topic of professional business writing for a long time, and I was impressed with how much useful information was distilled into a short course.

I knew that my knowledge of basic grammar and punctuation wasn't up to standard but hadn't done any structured learning around this. I will now feel confident when reviewing the work of my colleagues and making corrections to their work.

Highly recommend to anyone, even those who don't have aspirations to be a writer. The courses are amazing just for general knowledge.

As I am not sure where I want to take my writing, I thought this would be a great option to explore - and it was! I still don't know LOL but I learned so much!

I really liked the way the participants interacted throughout the course. It helps to get feedback from others.

Pamela was a fantastic tutor, so passionate and inspiring! Her feedback was very welcome and Pamela was very open and honest. She made you think which opens many possibilities when writing.

I enjoyed the zoom sessions. Getting live feedback was great and I appreciated that it was done this way as it opened the door for some good discussion that may not have come up if the feedback was via comments.

If you always felt like you were 'meant' to write but don't know how to go about it, back yourself and have a go! The flexibility of the courses allow you to fit them in with your 'business as usual' and while the deadlines challenge you to extend yourself, they help you learn and grow as a writer.

I really enjoyed this course. Lesley explained very clearly how to approach writing a children's chapter book. She gave very helpful information about what to include and how to structure such books for children.

It was really eye-opening as I had no idea that so much was involved. I found it very helpful and will refer to it often. The short videos were also very easy to watch.

I had little idea about writing for children. I had previously published a self-help memoir, but didn't really know what was involved in writing a children's chapter book. I had lots of ideas but wasn't sure how to put them together for this age group. The course very clearly explained the structure and format of such books and how to go about writing them. I really enjoyed it.

The Australian Writers' Centre is by writers for writers. It really encourages writing as a career and supports all authors and would-be authors in achieving this. This is the first course I have done with them and really enjoyed the format and presentation of the lessons. Will definitely be studying more.

I enjoyed all the great tips and steps that Valerie mentioned. Especially the baby steps - it doesn't seem so daunting.

It has given me the confidence to start the other courses I have purchased. Knowing that everyone has their own timeline and values. Everyone has different expectations and we don't all need to change our careers to become writers.

Do this course if you need a reminder that the work you put into something will take you to the places you want to be with your writing and to be confident in your work. To keep going, this is the place to get all the support you need.

I have dreamed of being a writer most of my life but never had the courage and, as I have gotten older, now don't know really where to start. This course sounded like the answer and I am so pleased that I have finally been able to complete this course - it was fantastic!

Thank you, Kate, thank you so much. Your words seemed to speak directly to me - to my hidden fears, secrets and so much more. I am only sorry that I left this to the last minute to finish (life got in the way) as I would have revisited your videos again and again.

This course has given me a framework to start my creative writing. It has 'dumbed down' a lot of the mystic of writing. I appreciate that there is so much more to learn (and I cannot wait) but this is the most amazing start - I cannot stop thinking about what I have learnt and surely that is the goal of teaching / learning?

I learnt practical techniques in structuring a story, but the prompts have already helped clarify long-standing areas of uncertainty in my work in progress. Module 3 on theme and subplots was a revelation.

There were so many solid and tangible lessons along the way about such things as subplots and story questions (e.g. handouts 2.7, 3.9, 4.2). I really loved this practical advice on how to weave a story.

I wish I'd done this course decades ago. It was brilliantly practical and gave solid tools to BUILD A STORY in an engaging way. There was nothing wishy-washy about your advice, but a beautifully methodical, scientific process that removed the mystery from what to do, so I can just GET ON WITH IT and allow my story to shine through.

I think the course was excellent and, as someone with 4 degrees, including a Masters degree, I have undertaken substantial learning. It was interesting and the accompanying handouts were also succinct but useful, in particular the templates. As a teacher I love structure and templates and do this for students for essay writing and for major projects such as the PIP and I know students love it! I will definitely use these to assist with and develop my writing. The videos were also good, broken into segments as I could come and go as I pleased, and I will rewatch them at different points as required.

It was comprehensive and easy to complete at my own pace and convenience.

I had no idea about this type of writing as I write more academically and have published academic articles and government reports which are a completely different style of writing.

There appears to be many opportunities for travel writers and although there was a lot of information to digest I now know how to get started! I probably felt this way by Module 10 when examining the stages of being a travel writer.

The course was easy to follow and access, you can rewatch and access the course for 12 months which I will definitely be doing and it was useful as it covered not just the writing but the other aspects of managing your career which many newbies like myself did not know how to do.

It was very practical and easy to follow.

Zoom meet ups made me feel like I was not alone doing this course, as well as the chance to ask questions.

I turned 70 last year and I certainly don't want to be an old wizen up vegetable. LOL It keeps me young and excited about life and doing something I have never tried before.

If you love writing of any genre, just enrol and enjoy the journey.

I completed my first short story! I can now say I write short stories!

I liked the practical component of setting out numbers of words per section of the story. Step by step building of the story was a great way to structure the course.

The course was well structured and being able to get independent feedback is a great feature.

I listened to the live presentation Kate gave on AWC a few months ago and wanted MORE!

I loved Kate's comments and exploration of the two books selected to illustrate each of the genres.

I enjoyed the 'permission' to take aspects of particular genres and bring them unapologetically into my own creative endeavours.

There are so many sub-genres, blending existing genres in exciting ways.

Do it! You'll love it. And don't forget to sit back and enjoy the art Kate has chosen to illustrate each genre.

Pamela was insightful and helpful. Her experience within the industry and into the writing process was invaluable.

I enjoyed getting feedback on my work.

I am encouraged to write and keep on writing. I realise how much more there is to know, and how much further I have to go.

In writing a YA novel, I shifted from writing in third person to first person and changed to shorter paragraphs and more white space on the paper. I am thinking more about the audience and the specifics of the genre.

It'll help you finish your novel, learn how to give and take feedback, and change your thinking on the process.

I loved it, really loved it, but it was hard work!

I enjoyed the flexibility, linked to the bite-size lessons which were still packed full of information.

It has been a great step on my learning journey

Every single aspect of the picture book, and also the process, requires deep attention to detail.

Go for it, the courses are flexible, accessible and chock full of information.

While working as an editor of an inflight magazine, I started the course to prepare me to become a travel writer who can actually travel and write rather than be at the desk reading, writing and thinking about travel.

I knew a lot of the content may be familiar since I was already working as an editor but there was so much helpful information that filled in some of the gaps for understanding how things would work as a freelance writer.

I was so happy to have been able to have access to the bonus Facebook group and the Facebook live sessions with Valerie and Katrina.

I love getting insights from Valerie about the industry as a whole and key insights from Katrina from her on-the-field experience. I would say that's probably been one of the most helpful and motivating aspects of the course. Examples of her writing as well as other travel writers have also been really helpful.

Through the various example articles, I realized that I need to really work on writing a good hook, find a way to tie a particular theme throughout the article and find a way to weave that into an impactful ending.

After going through this course and hearing from Katrina about how she is able to take one trip and spin it into multiple stories, it dawned on me that that's the only way to survive as a freelance travel writer! It's probably going to take some time to get to that level but I really want to aim for that as I start this journey as a writer.

This is a really great start for those looking to get into travel writing. The course gives a comprehensive look at the industry and there are plenty of tips and tricks that can help you succeed in this field, whether you plan to do it on the side or as a full-time job.

Kate presents with a joy and passion and it is set up in easy "chunks", plus self-paced appeals.

I now have a great little journal by my bed and it is filled with notes, drawings and haikus and this tool has helped me to start writing reflectively and who knows, maybe even an idea or two for a protagonist, antagonist, a setting, has begun to develop.

All the storytelling essentials tips gave me an aha moment, especially 'begin at the point of change' and 'signal the story's problem or source of conflict straight away.'

If you wish to immerse yourself in writing and 'Dare to Dream' that writing your novel, picture book, memoir etc. is possible, then I'd thoroughly recommend the AWC as your one stop shop! The quality of the instructors is second to none, many of whom are world renowned authors. Their wealth of knowledge in their chosen field is top shelf. Do yourself a favour and listen to AWC's podcasts, as well as enrol in a course that speaks to you and your writing genre.

I have always loved fiction and had so many what ifs from stories I've read and ideas of my own that I felt as if I just needed to learn how to channel it and spread my creativity.

I was worried that I wouldn't have time to do it, because exam season was coming up when I began, but because of the flexibility of the course, I didn't need to worry.

I want to do so much more. I loved learning this course. I loved getting feedback from Jo Riccioni. She was very positive in that she would speak so excitedly about the positives from my assignments and would give feedback in what I could have done better in a way that was more helpful rather than degrading.

I love how this course made me go down a massive rabbit hole of plot and characters and the like.

This course is so much more perfect than I imagined. I learned so much. I had no idea how to go about making a novel but suddenly, I feel like I'm more than ready to tackle it. It had me researching more on how to be a better creative writer and solidified my choice in wanting to become a published author.

I feel as if every module in this course had me going 'aha!'. I'm not trying to sound lazy, but it's true. I found everything helpful and I cannot narrow it down.

You will not regret it, my friend. If you want to better learn how to write creatively, then look no further. I loved this program and I bet you will too.

Is there a course that I can take after this one, because I want to. I'm honestly sad it's coming to an end.

I wanted to get into a more consistent rhythm with my writing, and hoped that the Bootcamp would provide that structure for me. I also thought there would be some useful tips for someone new to writing.

I didn't think I'd be able to write so consistently or develop a story whilst doing the course. I started with no real idea in mind, but wanting to explore how to write and before long I had an idea unfolding right in front of me. I found the planning day useful because it gave me time to think about where my story could go, which I hadn't given a lot of thought to prior to starting because it came to me as I was writing. I was surprised at how much I could write on the 500 in 30 minutes days too; I always exceeded 500 words in 30 minutes. I found it useful advice about not editing and just keep writing. It seemed to allow more creativity to flow and it was nice not editing and moving the story forwards.

I think it's a great bootcamp. The different targets each day were really useful, it always felt like they were achievable.

It's made me realise that I am actually capable of writing and being creative. I now need to work on my style and understanding how to write well-structured stories!

Do it! If you're interested in learning and improving your writing, the courses offered are wide ranging and there's something for everyone.

Bernadette is an expert whose content is always fantastic, who shares her knowledge and experience generously, and who brings other experts into her courses to add even more value.

I enjoyed the assignments. They were fun, thoughtful and built on the lessons in the module. Getting prompt, useful feedback from the tutor also added real-world value and validation.

AWC courses are top quality, great value and focused on building skill, confidence and experience. Don't waste time with uni when you can learn so much, in a fraction of the time, with the Australian Writers' Centre.

Please pass my thanks on to Bernadette. I think she is a world-class tutor, and one of the most generous with sharing in her knowledge and experience I've encountered in years of study.

I had heard Scrivener was a useful tool and wanted an efficient overview of how it worked.

All of the functions were explained clearly and simply. It's given me the confidence and a way forward to get started with some writing projects.

AWC is a place to find all kinds of practical and hands on information on writing.

Bernadette is extremely knowledgeable and passionate in her field. Very helpful assessments and feedback. Approach is kind and considerate of all types of writers at different levels within the course.

It has reignited my passion for writing and motivated me to take action.

Well-structured and jam-packed full of tools and knowledge to kick-start your writing career, with the added flexibility of online, self-paced learning, and extremely insightful and helpful tutors.