What’s it like to learn with AWC?

All aspects of the course have been helpful and enjoyable. Being able to read and comment on other students work has been great - there has been an interesting and engaging range of story ideas in development. I also really enjoyed the additional module about diversity - Valerie has a great presentation style that worked well for this sometimes tricky topic.

Nat's feedback has been invaluable. The idea of show don't tell really crystalized for me during the feedback on my work and on other students work through examples and through Nat's advice about imagining yourself in the space, seeing what the character sees, feeling what she feels, thinking what she thinks and so on.

AWC courses provide a truly supportive community and practical, expert courses that have helped me improve my writing.

The bonus 'words at dawn' sessions are fantastic and have really helped me build a regular writing habit.

I'd like to say thank you to Bernadette Schwerdt and Mark Farrelly for delivering the course. They're wonderful people and they seem to really care about the people who take part in AWC courses. I'd also like to thank AWC itself. What a fantastic organisation. I'll definitely consider doing more AWC courses in the near-future.

I was highly impressed with Mark Farrelly. He seems to be a very normal, down-to-earth and honest person who's genuinely interested in teaching people about copywriting. Definitely knows what he's talking about. His feedback style was also excellent and direct. It was also positive as well as constructive. This allowed all the students in the course to really heed his words, I think. He also treated us all equally and respectfully and didn't talk down to anyone. I'd gladly work with Farrelly again.

I loved exploring the course material online, mostly because it was clear, stylish and easy to understand. I also loved seeing and hearing from Schwerdt and Farrelly, two very intelligent, helpful and lovely people. I also enjoyed seeing the work of others and the feedback Farrelly gave to all the students, including me.

The course gave me a new knowledge and understanding of both copywriting and writing at large. Not only that, it handed me certain tools and resources I can use to possibly become a full-time professional copywriter in the workforce.

I admire the passion, experience and enthusiasm of people like Bernadette Schwerdt and Mark Farrelly. I don't think tutors, teachers and educators in general get enough credit nor appreciation in our society. Schwerdt and Farrelly are a part of this group, I think. They should be deeply proud of the work they do to make writers' careers come alive. AWC isn't just a business but an educational organisation. It truly cares about the ambitions of people who seek to improve their writing skills and become first class writing experts. I don't mean to be cliched here. Just giving my honest assessment.

I'd say go for it. If you want to learn about the basics of copywriting and what it takes to become a copywriter take the Copywriting Essentials course. There's nothing to lose. And your tutors will be there with you every step of the way.

I was attracted to the practical nature and industry 'know-how' aspects of getting started as a freelance writer - although I have an Arts degree majoring in writing, and have worked in corporate copy / content writing roles, I had no idea how to pursue writing for a more personal and creative purpose.

Vivienne is extremely knowledgeable in regards to freelancing and how the industry works so was able to provide us with plenty of great advice around some of the 'do's and don't's', and the individual feedback she provided was quite thorough and encouraging.

The 'hands-on' nature of the course was really helpful, and I also enjoyed how scaffolded the content was, which made it feel very achievable.

I feel more equipped with the tools I need to produce the type of writing that I'm interested in, and as a result feel much more motivated.

Freelancing is definitely about persistence, but also about knowing the publication and audience - you could be an amazing writer but if you don't get the pitch right then it doesn't matter!

Practical, easy to understand courses supported by an experienced tutor with great industry knowledge.

Thank you - it's been great!

I have learnt so much from this course and, as I am doing a PhD in Creative Writing Non-fiction at the moment, it has been so helpful to me.

I enjoyed Kate Forsyth's ability to bring the text to life by showing and explaining so many different ways of seeing, hearing and even feeling a text.

The Australian Writers' Centre course I attended, History, Mystery and Magic by Kate Forsyth, was an extremely well-researched and presented course. It was also affordable as I was able to use Afterpay. I am looking forward to attending more courses in the future.

The idea of plotting and planning a novel was a big attraction. I've always written whenever inspiration strikes, which often leads to long stretches without creativity. Now, I want to establish a more consistent writing routine.

I love how Kate's deep knowledge of art seamlessly complements her content. Her insights into artists and their paintings often create meaningful connections to the text excerpts we study, whether they relate to the writers themselves or the characters in their stories.

I've learned so much about different narrative structures, plot points, and how to create dramatic tension. Breaking down the novel-writing process into achievable goals, like setting word counts and chapter targets, has made everything feel more manageable. I'm excited to start planning my writing with all this new knowledge!

The Plotting and Planning course offers practical techniques to help you plot your novel from start to finish, all at your own pace. Perfect for any writer looking to master the art of storytelling and ensure their narrative stays compelling. Highly recommended!

I found the course really practical and encouraging. Vivienne was a professional, supportive and conscientious tutor, with very direct feedback and plenty of useful practical experience to draw on.

It has given me the confidence to pitch my story ideas to editors and seek to make a part time income - ie, that it is possible!

A useful, practical course for anyone who wants to earn an income from freelance writing.

Thanks to Vivienne for her really useful, experience-based advice.

All modules were helpful, and the handouts listing short stories to read were excellent.

I enjoyed the module on Point of View. I think that can be tricky to master.

I have referred a lot of fellow writers to AWC's courses. They are well constructed with tutors who have a wealth of experience in their fields.

The feedback I received was helpful, and I felt like Margaret was very supportive.

I enjoyed the way the program was delivered (audio with handouts) and the added deadline for weekly assignments kept me accountable.

It gave me structure and insight into the writing community. There is a lot of helpful information that would be difficult to find elsewhere, and that alone is worth the investment.

I have recently started to travel more frequently again and have always enjoyed writing and it occurred to me when writing my own travel journals that my recounts are something that I would like to share. I considered starting a blog (which I may still do) but getting the basics of how to embark as a travel writer going forward is something I wanted to pursue. I have enrolled and completed other courses at AWC so was confident in the course material and teacher.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of useful and informative additional resources that have been made available for this course (relating to all the handouts especially) in addition to the examples provided and explained.

I found it easy to follow and pick up the information being explained. In fact, I was honestly able to draw on the information throughout the day and would be distracted from my day job when inspired by different story ideas. So much so I always kept a small book next to me to jot these down so that I could expand on them when I was able to.

I loved the selection of books across the different genres, and how the course offered both breadth and depth deconstructing these books in each area. It taught me so much and deepened my understanding of how literary devices are used in writing. I'm excited to start rewriting my own work, now equipped with the insights I've gained.

This course is truly a game-changer! I was so captivated by the content that I completed it in just one week. The material is both fascinating and incredibly informative. Now, I'm excited to dive into the challenge workbook and start applying what I've learned. I genuinely believe this course will transform my writing for the better—it's a must-do for anyone serious about improving their skills.

I love Kate's passion and expertise, and will definitely sign up for more of her courses.

I have worked in the travel sector for some years but never as a writer and I know there is a budding travel writer within me! I felt that a course offered by the Australian Writers' Centre would be very professional and I have found it to be so!

There were lots of fabulous handouts, Valerie and Katrina were easy to understand and spoke and presented at a good pace which was easy to keep up with!

I am going to finalise my website, and start pitching some stories from my recent trips. It has motivated me.

I found myself bogged down in notes and files, wondering how I could streamline my writing process. Scrivener is a program I'd heard lots about but figured it would be too complex to learn. But after watching the trailer for this course, I decided to have a look to see if it might be something I could manage.

What a surprise! Natasha's course is easy to follow and I'm now successfully utilising Scrivener. I still have quite a bit to learn, but the course has given me confidence to make a start.

I'm now feeling much more in control of my writing process.

I wish I'd learnt about Scrivener years ago. I can now access all my work (including my formerly-ratty post-it note jottings, images, research...) easily. They're all in the one place! The cork board feature also helps me keep track of plot and character arcs.

I love the way Kate structures her courses and draws on other creative elements like sketches and paintings to underscore the key points in the lesson. She is also very generous with sharing her knowledge on writing and literature and is an inspiration.

The last segments of the course where Kate talks about her writing process was very useful. It's so easy to follow as she breaks everything down into bite size pieces. I will definitely try this approach with a book I am trying to write.

The tutor was fantastic. Margaret's feedback was thoughtful and constructive. I enjoyed listening to her weekly videos.

I will be trying to write 500 to 1000 words a day now! Just sit and write, bum in seat and words on paper. Get the ideas out and worry about details later.

Give it a go! It's easily accessible, fun and encouraging.

I loved it. I enjoyed learning new information and applying it to my work.

Margaret is a fantastic tutor. Her feedback is gold.

I have a clearer understanding of areas I needed to work on. I'm excited to keep improving on my current manuscript and making it better.

Thank you so much. This is one of the best courses I've ever done. I feel more confident to keep moving forward with my writing career.

Margaret provided well considered, helpful and constructive feedback to myself and the other students in the course.

I enjoyed the variety in the assignments, the opportunity to be creative, and then being able to read other students' wonderful writing too.

I learnt some new techniques that gave me a bit of a jump start to get motivated to write regularly again. It is nice to have a push, in that I have thought it is all a bit too hard, but this course showed me it is not that hard, and I just need to write. I appreciated that a lot.

I have recommended it already to friends!

I needed something to motivate me to actually complete my manuscript and this seemed like the right way to go about it.

The entire course was so helpful. The tutor was fantastic. I enjoyed giving and receiving feedback.

I've learnt so much and found a community of people to help and be helped by.

I was blown away by just how much I learned. I have worked as a writer in a variety of contexts over decades and, as a linguist, understand something of child language development. I had some awareness that writing a picture book was likely not as effortless as it might seem but what I discovered was a craft deeper and more fascinating than I imagined.

Margaret's experience, skill, and commitment to quality writing for children shone in her feedback to all of us. I plan to go on to do the Masterclass so I can benefit further from her wisdom.

On top of those skills, Margaret also seems like someone who would be great to sit next to at a dinner party! A terrific person. We were lucky to have her as our tutor.

I enjoyed the learning, Margaret's experienced feedback, and (to a huge extent), the privilege of seeing EVERYONE who participated develop their skills significantly over the 5 weeks. It was a lovely, encouraging cohort of students.

I have deeper belief in myself as a creative writer and know what I need to do to pursue my dream of having a picture book published.

The AWC will give you what you need to free your writing spirit. Whether it's the quality of the content, the systematic approach, or the brilliant tutors, somewhere in there may lie the key to unlocking what's holding you back.

There was a lot more technical information than I was expecting! It was fantastic.

I enjoyed submitting my own work and being given excellent suggestions to improve.

Excellent course. Highly recommend.

I enjoyed the writing - the lectures were also so well done, very interesting and educational. I loved that it forced me to start writing :)

I really appreciated the feedback given; it was very helpful!

It got me started and feeling more confident.

Definitely a great course if you're unsure how or where to start.