What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I have had a desire to write and illustrate children's books since I first started working with children in 2001. I've written countless books but all with ZERO structure or technical know-how. This course was exactly what I wanted and needed to push me into a mental and creative place that enabled me to hone whatever skill I may have and concentrate on making my original dreams come true.

Zanni was lovely. Her feedback style is encouraging as well as direct and honest - definitely a style that can and did push the likes of me to try new things and go further than the crippling self-doubt would otherwise allow.

I enjoyed the content and information. And definitely being encouraged, pushed and guided through the feedback and the classmates' group chat.

I had never written in prose before or considered any formal structure in my writing efforts prior to this course. I wrote, and write, simply because I enjoy it. The structure and tools provided gave me a new approach to writing and I immediately saw the benefits. After a while, I even found the fun in doing things the way they're supposed to be done. It also opened my eyes to how other writers have approached their books and why some work and some don't. It amazes me the number of books out there that have completely ignored the tools and techniques found within this course, and yet are still published.

Just a heartfelt 'Thank you'. This course was humbling and super-informative. I loved every second. Thank you.

Do it. If you want to learn how to write children's books - do this course.

I completed the Creative Writing Stage 1 course last year and, much to my surprise, started writing a novel. I was stuck at around 4,000 words and signed up for Novel Writing Essentials to learn how to move forward. I was also interested to get feedback on my writing style to determine if I should keep going.

I was a bit hesitant about having my work read and critiqued, but it turned out to be a very useful, and not too painful, experience. I was also concerned about providing feedback on other people's work, however we were provided with advice on how to do this constructively.

I learnt more than I thought I would, the feedback was useful and I now have 24,000 words written.

I found Angela's feedback practical, helpful, honest and encouraging. She was generous in sharing her knowledge and experience along with useful techniques to improve structure and style. Angela answered all questions our cohort put forward and provided guidance. Overall I enjoyed Angela's class and was pleased we had her as our tutor.

What I found most enjoyable was learning more about the craft of writing a novel. It was comforting to realise that there are guidelines and structure that can help to get the story onto the page in a way that readers will enjoy. I've always read novels and marvelled at how the author creates dialogue, scenes and action that seem to just come naturally, to hook the reader and keep them reading to find out more - to learn there are techniques and guidelines to help me do the same was a wonderful revelation.

Do it, you will be surprised at the writer that's lurking within you and just needs coaxing out.

I had previously completed Copywriting Essentials and knew that Bernadette would give good, practical advice on how to break into SEO copywriting.

I thought it may get quite techy, but it didn't - everything was explained in a very user-friendly way.

I feel that I know my story at a much deeper level now, and have applied some of the lessons learned to a couple of other writing projects I'm working on.

I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere that Pamela created. I felt able to contribute easily, and I appreciated Pamela's skilful handling of group dynamics.

I really like Zoom online learning! So efficient of time, yet still able to offer productive interaction and inspiration. I really like the flexible use of shared screen to see key examples.

I was really nervous at first but the course helped me increase my self-confidence and belief in my writing. The tutor was excellent; also kind, which I needed.

I didn't know I had any ability to write creatively so that's been huge! Also it has encouraged me to be much more diverse and explore more avenues in writing. Thanks and please keep doing what you're doing!

Just try it, you never know what you'll find you're capable of.

I have wanted to write for a long time and have kept putting it off. After completing the Reinvent Yourself and Make Time to Write courses, I felt I needed the discipline of having a goal to work towards and the Bootcamp was the way to do this. I was not disappointed!

This was exactly what I needed to prove to myself that I could actually write and write something that resembles the beginnings of a story.

I found that I was really looking forward both with anticipation and a slight fear about how many words each day would ask for. Despite always having the fear in the back of my head, I found that the encouragement in the bootcamp tasks, especially from published authors, spurred me on. By about a quarter of the way through I realised that I had a story and that felt good!

Just do it - it will be something to look back on as a pivotal marker in your writing journey. You won't regret it.

With so much content covered in the foundation course, I did not expect the masterclass to be so detailed and with valuable refreshers. It definitely exceeded my expectations and I recommend it to other authors I know.

Although I have read a lot of picture books for pleasure and in my library work, I had no idea about the exemplary way to create picture books. I had some understanding of writing narrative from courses done for adult non-fiction and the publishing industry, but of course this course added so much to my understanding of writing and publishing in a very different genre. I had learnt about things like show-don't-tell etc but with the Writing Picture Books course I can use some of what I learnt for adult non-fiction as well. And I am now wanting to write more picture books!

Pamela was so thorough, covering all aspects of each assignment. She is supportive and provided constructive and positive feedback for everyone.

It has given me the confidence to keep going with an idea I have had and prompted me to enrol in the Novel Writing Essentials course.

It's a very well-tailored course. Bernadette is very easy to listen to. Fluid delivery - no hesitations when expressing herself. Explanations don't do backtracks and second guessing - Bernadette is sure of herself and her content. This comes through and makes very easy listening.

I enjoyed the practicality of it all. It tells me what I have to DO. It covers what has to be covered - even the getting over ourselves!

Do it. Clear and efficient course delivery, well worth the money just to hear what is said, without even going into the payoff if it gets you to where you want to go.

Thanks!

Angela was very encouraging and provided targeted advice to each writer. It was helpful to see her feedback to other students as well as our own. She provided insights into my writing that I realised were blockers and I now have strategies to overcome them. I really appreciated the 'extras' she gave us on structure and narrative too.

I'm enjoying writing a lot more now that I have a better idea of the novel writing process and less pressure to write beautifully in a first draft. The words are now flowing and I have a plan to get through my first draft.

There is no substitute for making the time to write, but the AWC can provide motivation and guidance to help you make the most of that time.

This course has been so eye opening, practical, and informative. It's also been inspiring. I had slumped because I was missing the tools to make my shovelled sand into a sandcastle. While I still feel like I have a long way to go in developing my writing skills, I already feel like a better writer just because I now know what I need to do to improve. I also feel like my writing has gotten a little better just in these five weeks because of what I've learned and Pamela's amazing tips. Pamela, you will forever be a gentle yet constructive voice in my head every time I edit. Thank you AWC and Pamela. You have been wonderful. This course is perfect for emerging writers looking to dive into the craft and learn the tools so that they have the foundational elements of good creative writing.

Pamela was kind, caring, very knowledgeable and great at tweaking our work to really sharpen the writing. Her tips and feedback were practical and useful for our entire writing career. All of the above is needed in a tutor because most of us are self-conscious so kindness and care is so important while guiding us on the journey to being better writers.

I already feel like a better writer just from this beginner course's learnings and the feedback. While you've captured the important theory it's so practical that it makes it easy to apply. It's like I was stuck because I couldn't take my draft any further, but now I have the skills to sharpen it and make it better. The skills still need further development but I have the sharpener now.

This is a great course for beginners that want a nurturing and supportive environment to learn the essentials of creative writing. The course material is structured so it's great for learning about the foundational pillars of good writing. It's also practical, so it's easy to apply. Getting feedback on my writing was very helpful; it allowed me to see what I was not able to see (the problems). It allowed me to know how to sharpen and improve on my style (the solutions). I highly recommend this course and think it's a such a good investment in myself and my writing. I loved taking part and would tell my husband every week: 'I just love this course, I'm so happy I found it.'

Angela was exceptional and so generous in her comments, feedback and little extras. I learnt loads from her and was able to get an outline together which I had been really struggling with. She also got to know each one of us and gave incredibly personal feedback.

Great value for money. Try and sign up for at least one workshop with Angela as your tutor... doing these workshops has made me write every week no matter what and given me a network of writers.

I loved the course. It cleared my thoughts and set me in writing motion. The feedback was great and helped refine my thinking a lot. I also learnt about and understood better the publishing business.

The feedback was detailed and very helpful. I needed that to engage in the writing process and understand the discipline that is required to be a writer.

I loved listening to the audios and went over them many times to guide me.

I know my weaknesses now in that I try to overemphasise certain messages. So I now read my work in a more critical way.

Extremely useful if you want to pursue writing. Great experience for me. I will be back for more 😊👌

Highly professional, admirably practical, thoroughly insider-look at the step-by-step process of becoming a freelance writer. From suggesting the precise formulation of pitch emails through to celebrating the novelistic qualities of profile writing, this course takes you from the grand to the mundane and back with grace and clarity.

Thank you!

The tutor was very knowledgeable and encouraging. I never felt embarrassed or too overcome by feedback that I wanted to stop trying or writing.

I enjoyed the interactions and the fact that I made time to write, mostly not to waste the investment, but I really enjoyed this and hope to continue. I also like the different scenarios every week and that the assignments made us write different scenes and not always work with the same writing piece.

It was easy to complete and enjoyable. I will definitely write now and know how to go back and be ruthless with getting to my point.

Bernadette is wonderful. She is constructive and encouraging in her feedback, and delivers content in a way that makes the idea of starting life as a freelance copywriter the most normal thing in the world.

I enjoyed working on assignments that enabled me to deliver for my own business and identity as a copywriter.

The content, and the way Bernadette so willingly shares her knowledge and expertise, puts the students in a position of really believing in themselves, the process, and the 'reach-ability' of the goal of becoming a freelance copywriter. I absolutely feel at home in this world of copywriting and referring to myself as a freelance copywriter - and that's a complete change from a few weeks ago.

Absolutely give it a shot - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving yourself this opportunity to learn and grow.

I have a story in my head and my heart which I have been wanting to write, but I needed direction and training.

The part that I found most fulfilling was being able to work through the story I already want to write. I was able to explore what it could look like on the page using the scaffolding and advice given in this course. I feel like I have a much clearer vision of what I want to achieve and I have the knowledge and understanding now of how to achieve it. Thank you!

The course has impacted my writing in many ways. The importance of planning in the process of creating creative non-fiction has become paramount to me - not in the sense that it is a rigid plan - but a plan that will bend and morph as it develops, where the end process may look very different to the one originally envisaged. All with the intent that my story will be told well - really well. At the forefront of my mind as I write is making the story come to life by adding detail, and interesting word choices and finding my voice in the process. I want to be intentional about creating characters who are real and relatable and a setting that is palpable to the reader. This course has helped me to explore how to achieve these things.

This course gives you the tools you need to turn a good 'true' story into something truly great.

I loved Dean Koorey's voice and his slightly quirky personality that shone through with his sense of humour.

I feel quite motivated to get started! We will see where things go from here.

Fantastic courses, easy to complete!

I wanted to learn about writing picture book stories for very young children. This course looked interesting and comprehensive in the topics it covered. The course duration of five weeks and being able to study in my own time appealed to me.

Suzanne's feedback was insightful, constructive and revealed a deep knowledge of this area of writing and the publishing industry.

There is so much valuable information in each module, and I found being able to download the handouts, audio lessons and exercises very useful. The assignments are well thought out and it was great to be able to listen to the feedback on other classmates' assignments.

I feel that I have learned a lot about writing for very young readers, and the course has given me the confidence to keep on writing.

I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn about writing picture books and what publishers are looking for.

Kate Forsyth! I was so excited to hear what such an experienced author had to say about writing in these genres.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kate's teaching style, her warm and approachable delivery, and her beautiful slide decks.

I felt as though I was part of a community of engaged and knowledgeable learners. I absolutely loved this course.

I now have a deeper understanding of how writers approach writing and storytelling in different genres, and I am already able to look at a text and identify various techniques. I also now have a beautiful set of additional books to read courtesy of Kate's recommendations.

If you are ready to take the next step on your writing journey, this is the course for you. A key thing you'll learn is how different genres approach key aspects of a story. You'll also workshop extracts from published books, and explore how successful authors harness these features. The best part though is that you will be taught by an absolutely amazing industry leader who will delight you with their insight and experience!

I just wanted to thank both the AWC and Kate Forsyth. This course was so enjoyable. In terms of the technology, everything worked the way it should - the course page was accessible, and the Zoom links worked with no glitches or oddities. The student cohort were lovely, and are a tribute to the AWC and your ability to attract such engaged and interesting people to the courses. Most of all though, I wanted to thank Kate, who was just amazing. She was so warm and welcoming, her slide decks were both informative and beautiful, and her delivery was fantastic. Oh, and I have so many new books on my reading lists courtesy of Kate's analyses and recommendations! Everything was just brilliant!