What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I liked that the course totally taught me how to write with a romance lens vs other themes.

My 'aha' moment was the breakdown of what happens and when. For example, I started my story like I was writing a thriller and the hero hadn't been introduced in the first five chapters. Now I know I have to totally turn it around, but that isn't a bad thing!

If you want to learn the key parts of writing a romance - take this course!!

Being self-paced was so handy to learn at my leisure and not work around a set time.

I enjoyed knowing more about the emotional journey of the main character/s, giving them challenges and the plot structure of a romance novel - all very helpful and encouraging that I'm on the right path and to continue writing!

DO IT! So helpful, taught me so many things I didn't know, and didn't realise I didn't know!

The genre module was particularly helpful for me in understanding what genre my novel is and how I should position it in the market. I really enjoyed the live zoom calls with Pamela. They were incredibly helpful!

It helped me understand the difference between genres such as romance, women's fiction and domestic suspense, as well as genre stories with romantic elements. And let's face it, if you don't know your genre then you can't pitch your book with success!

Do one of their courses if you want to become a serious writer.

Being a complete novice when it came to romance, but wanting to try my hand at it, I felt that the AWC was a great place to get the tools I need for this genre, and to also elevate my writing as a whole. The fact that it came with an exclusive Facebook group and some live Zoom sessions made the deal all that much sweeter.

I was a bit hesitant as a male writer that I might feel a little out of place among the predominantly female writers and readership. But I can gladly say that everyone was more than welcoming and friendly. I needn't have worried at all.

It gave me the confidence both that this is a genre worth pursuing, and that if I put my mind and effort to it, becoming a published author is something that is actually achievable.

The organisers at AWC have a genuine passion for the art and craft of writing and are truly geared towards helping fellow writers achieve success. They provide the extra personal touch, even in courses that are self-paced. Their courses have depth, both in theory and in practical, useable knowledge. They are truly made for writers, by writers.

The handouts were great and listening to the explanations really helped. The extra Zoom meetings were fantastic as so many questions were asked and answered which made my understanding deeper.

It has given me a belief in myself and my writing. I now know I'm on the right track and can go forward with confidence and look at other writing courses to keep me on track.

The AWC is a wealth of information with compassionate and helpful tutors and a safe learning space for anyone.

My dream is to write romance novels so I was looking for a course that would teach me the foundations and expectations of the romance genre. I wanted to know the structure and the rules to put myself in the best position possible to fulfill my dream.

This course was so enjoyable and encouraging. I loved that one of the main messages is that your story is unique and only you can write it. The whole romance writing community feels so warm and inclusive and it was such a wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Zoom question and answer sessions. I got just as much out of them as the modules. I also really loved learning about the world of romance writing and the different categories and sub-categories available. It has made me love and appreciate the craft that goes into these stories even more.

It was so practical and in depth. With the focus on structure and expectations for romance novels, it answered all of my questions!

I feel a lot clearer in my approach to writing my first draft. Having the expectations and structure has eased a lot of my worries and has sparked that excitement to hit the keyboard running.

These courses are the best investment you can make for yourself. The course material is clear and in depth and the community in the groups and on social media are all so inclusive and encouraging. The modules are really well presented, and I found myself laughing along and genuinely having fun while learning.

The whole course is enjoyable, and with sharing Facebook info and Zoom sessions, I'm feeling confident.

I'm enjoying reviewing my old manuscript, while working through the modules supplied within the Romance Writing course and applying proven technical advice. I'm now excited about my future prospects of becoming a writer.

I can only praise AWC for this amazing course. I fully recommend this course to anyone wanting to write a romantic or romantic elements manuscript.

After completing many AWC courses, I felt ready to begin diving into the structural features of a novel. Romances are my favourite (I'm now no longer afraid to admit!) and the course outline looked like a great place to start planning my own romance novel.

The 'work at your own pace' structure appeals to me, as do the practical, industry-based tips and techniques. The additional audio interviews are super helpful.

I enjoyed learning the structural elements of plotting a romance novel, and specific features of the MCs. The work sheets and handout are clear and offer invaluable insight into writing romance, and I plan to use them over and over. I've started going back over the course as a jumping off point for developing my characters.

This course has given me the confidence to start writing my first novel!

It validated my love of romance writing as a legitimate genre, and has given me the confidence to pursue this writing form.

The AWC's practical, accessible and self-paced courses are ideal for those people who are thinking of honing their writing skills, or perhaps (like me) considering a career change.

I love reading romances so wanted to look at how to write them!

I wasn't sure romance was a genre I wanted to really write in, but the great thing about this course is that it has a lot of information that can be applicable to other genres.

I enjoyed all the bonus interviews and inspiration from successful romance writers.

I now know what is needed in a romance story and feel like I could dip my toe in and give it a go.

All of the AWC courses I have done have been interesting, informative and inspiring. It is obvious that they are there to help you be successful and that is a really nice feeling.

I'm writing queer romance and wanted to understand the background of romance better. The video interviews were good, as was the overall background understanding the material left me with. The understanding of the characters' motives was eye-opening.

I enjoy writing and wanted to explore the romance writing genre. Wanted to learn how to write romance.

I enjoyed listening to the other authors and their stories. I learnt a lot throughout the course.

A great place to learn about romance writing, with exercises and helpful handouts. And the presenter explains well. During this course, I came up with a story idea which I started writing.

I have a lot of stories in my head but needed more technical information. I'm an avid romance reader and really wanted to try my hand at adding to the ever-growing romance community.

I enjoyed the fun, relatable and relaxed course audios. They kept me wanting to listen and never tire of the study I'm doing. The links and references were also a great help in expanding on what I am learning.

It really helped me plan and organise the stories I am trying to write. I went over stories I'd already written and adapted them with the structures mentioned in the book and I found I loved my stories more using the techniques I'd learnt.

I was looking for the best course to start my journey and am so pleased I discovered it with AWC!

It gave me an insight into how to better construct a novel. I learnt what genre or sub genre my story belongs to and how to simply just pick up that pen (or keyboard) & write!

I have more confidence in my ability to write what I love to read.

I've always wanted to write. After doing the creative writing course, I was drawn to romance writing and I'm having a blast creating characters and storylines for this genre.

I enjoyed Valerie's beautiful voice, and the content was concise, informative and funny. It taught me how to create the characters in my mind, to be 3D, to make them whole and not cardboard cut-outs.

Loved it all. So much information to ponder.

I now have the courage to put my words into my computer. Not to have a fear of failure. Like everything, practice makes perfect. A story doesn't write itself.

Just go to the website. You won't be able to help enrolling yourself in something. Such great courses.

I have always been interested in romance writing and wanted to learn more about it. My expectations were high, as I had already had experience with another excellent AWC course. This course met those high expectations.

I have learned a great deal about the construction of a story, scene by scene, character by character, as well as plots and pitfalls, and so much more! I also loved the inclusion of excerpts and/or comments from books by published authors.

Go for it! You'll get much more out of it than you imagine.

I started this course months ago and only managed to get back to it when my time was almost up. Pressure-prompted me. So glad I did. Blew my mind!

The course is crammed with insights, recommendations and supporting material. Hard to single one thing out that I most enjoyed but I'll say it was the level of detail about what's required to write in this genre. I honestly had no clue of the complexity - until now.

I want to learn to write romance. I was particularly drawn to this course because I wanted to learn how to write romantic elements in my cosy murder mystery as a sub-plot, and it has really helped me to do that.

I enjoyed all of this course and I'll be coming back to re-learn as I keep writing forward. I think I really enjoyed the exercises that solidify the learnings, and the interviews with successful romance writers too. I also enjoyed the depth of knowledge provided, as well as the questions asked that got me thinking deeply about my characters, their pasts and how that affects them in the present, and I especially appreciated learning the difference between what is romance and what are romantic elements. That definition was enormously helpful.

My understanding of romance is clearer than it has ever been. I've started using the handouts to learn about my cosy murder mystery characters who are also love interests. I've plotted my story and included romantic elements so I don't forget them as I write forward. This has been the first time I've ever felt like I'll actually be able to write a story with romantic elements that work.

I think the best aha moment was the realisation that I can do this. With the knowledge and guidance of AWC in my writer's toolbox, I feel equipped to make my dream of writing commercial/publishable romance fiction come true.

This course was brilliant! It provides clarity on what is and is not romance, and exactly how to write a story that includes romantic elements as well as how to write a romance that meets a romance reader's expectations. If you want to write romance and you're not sure where to start, do this course!

The author interviews were really interesting and encouraging. I'm now much more confident about the process of writing romance.

Do it. You will learn a lot. The course is very practical and encouraging. Plenty to sink your pen into (so to speak!)

I wasn't sure if I was actually a romance writer, but this course cleared up that there are multiple ways to write romance regardless of whether I see myself doing only that.

I liked all the worksheets and handouts; I think that's an integral part of what AWC offers in their courses.

I know what I want to write, how I might go about that and what paths there are if I ever feel like being published is in my future.

It's so easy to dismiss a calling as a writer as something for 'another day' - but with AWC courses, that day can be TODAY! They're easy, simple to understand, offer great connections to other budding authors as well as professionals and the takeaways are enormous.