What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The tutor gave considered responses and focussed feedback. Really appreciated her time and input.

I enjoyed the feedback because, in order to understand whether I'm connecting or have potential to connect with an audience, I need feedback on what's working/not working. It's through and with that feedback that I grow as a writer.

I have always had an interest in becoming a freelance writer and this course ticked all the boxes. The step-by-step tuition was fantastic and it deals with the now. Sue has an amazing wealth of knowledge and I like the fact that she does not beat around the bush.

Confidence was my biggest fear. I had that weighing heavily on my shoulders: can I do this? But once I knocked that away, I was fine. It was a fantastic course as there was so much to learn and take in.

Sue, poor woman, must have the patience of a saint. Her feedback is constructive and I appreciated that if she didn't like something, she was diplomatic about how she told you. Her knowledge is like finding a gold seam.

I enjoyed everything about the course, from start to finish. Plus the bonus of making new friends. No matter what level they were or niche they followed, we all contributed together.

I know I may not be the glossy mag feature writer; however now I know how to look for what I want and how to go about it with style instead of being a bull in a china shop. I am very thankful for what I have learnt and the teachings and feedback from Sue.

I liked how easily explained this course is. Something that a beginner, like myself, needed for a start into writing.

I really liked my tutor. Nicole's comments on my writing were honest and constructive. And she made me want to improve my writing every time.

I liked that the assignments weren't too intense or difficult. Although anyone, at any stage can do this course, I liked that it slowly eases you in to each assignment.

I've always had my idea for a novel, but never believed I could do it because I didn't really know where to start. But now that I have been practicing with the lessons and handouts, I feel more confident about finally starting.

If you want an easily accessible course, with realistic deadlines and a supportive tutor, this is the company for you.

Thank you so much for helping me to build a little more confidence in my writing, Nicole!

I enjoyed doing this course and felt that it prompted me to restructure and finish a story that I'd previously tried to write. The main aspect that made this work for me was learning about how to plan and plot. As a pantser, this was particularly valuable! Thank you.

The tutor was great! I could tell they actually read my work. They also gave me great feedback and pointed out some things I hadn't noticed about my writing and gave good advice for how to better shape my scene.

I enjoyed going through the content. I enjoyed writing excerpts for a specific purpose. The exercises were fun and could be adapted to my story or the one specified for the exercise.

I'm actually really excited to write again. That was the reason I took the course and it got me interested in my story again.

I would say it's a great course with supportive, friendly people and it's fun.

The tutor was great! Sue was really helpful and was obviously very knowledgeable. It was fantastic being tutored by her.

I loved listening to the module lessons with Valerie Khoo talking. I learnt a lot and it was really helpful to be able to listen when and where I wanted.

It has made me feel like this is something I really can do and really pursue. I'm excited to start!

I just attended a 5- week Copywriting Essentials course.

Here's what happened.

• • Eyes opened - tick
  • New skills learnt - tick
  • Provided with tips and tricks of the trade to get you started - tick

(sorry, I couldn't resist trying it with a headline formula!)

I've been a teacher trainer for a long time and have been looking for a new direction for freelance work. I saw a few adverts and Facebook posts for copywriting and it piqued my interest. I was attracted to this course in particular as it was through the AWC.

The course was comprehensive and I loved how you could download all the audio files, handouts and the slides easily.

Bernadette is very knowledgeable and willing to share her experience with us. I loved how she is so enthusiastic about her industry. It was very encouraging to hear from her all the time that this is a growth industry and that anyone can do it (with some training and skill!).

Her feedback was very useful and detailed. I loved how we got to hear all the feedback of all the course members. I listened to all of them and wrote notes for each one.

I've really enjoyed being creative with words and realising that maybe this is a job that I could do. The course has given me a taste of the industry and I feel excited about maybe becoming a part of it.

The tutor provided helpful feedback, and was really encouraging without sugar-coating anything - for me personally I am here to learn and honest feedback is greatly appreciated so I can grow. Pamela was obviously knowledgeable and yet I never felt like I was less-than for just starting out and making some mistakes.

I enjoyed learning new skills and brushing up on things I already knew but with greater understanding; being led step-by-step through the creative writing process (and beyond!); reading everyone's work and giving and getting feedback.

It has given me skills, and discipline, and I feel enabled to write in a more intelligent, intentional way. I will be undertaking many other AWC courses!

I am grateful that the AWC does on-demand courses to suit schedules. I like the ability to pause the audio, download the audio and download the handout. I like the summary of each point that is raised at each time during the audio - this is helpful for revisiting. I like that the content was concise.

The course has made me appreciate back story so much more and, as a result of fleshing out the back story of my three characters, I know additional plot events that I need to explore. It also emphasized how I want the reader to first feel about a character and how that changes over the course of the story (and therefore what I need to do to in terms of plot to bring about the change in the character and therefore the change in the reader's feelings).

I would recommend this course as it is concise and very helpful and informative. It is also ideal as it is on-demand for 12 months (with audio and hands outs being downloadable) so you can go through the course in your own time and at your own pace.

Valerie Khoo's video explanations and audio lessons were fantastic.

The course has taught me many things and I've learned about so many different styles of writing, as well as how the short story format changes and evolves over time. Since I have not fully completed the course (feedback to be given), I say this course has very well met my expectations. I'm really looking forward to the feedback and love that this course offers the opportunity for an established and experienced writer to offer feedback. This part has definitely exceeded my expectations and probably could be made more prominent in the description of the course.

I now have much better writing habits. And I don't feel guilty when I'm not writing, because I know that even when I'm out for a walk or in the shower, I'm still in the author state of mind, thinking of titles and characters and what's next. I also feel a lot better about having various works on the go at once, and that this is normal and encouraged.

I used to spend so much time editing as I went, and now I know that I just need to get started and write until the end, then come back and polish it later.

I would say that the Australian Writers' Centre really set me up with all that I needed to know, or was unsure about, when it came to writing and what makes a good story. I felt included and like there were so many others out there just like me, not knowing where to start. If only I'd known, just start at the beginning. There were tips and frameworks to change my line of thinking about what it meant to be a writer. Writers write. And that's all there is to it.

This course actually got me excited about writing for SEO purposes, and helped me to see just how valuable it is for a business. It gave me practical skills that I can now take back to my employer and hopefully use to improve our SEO rankings and onsite traffic.

The course also helped me understand how valuable my skills are as a writer. Bernadette really has a way of making you feel important and needed and good about yourself for having these skills and for pursuing them further. In my experience, people don't always appreciate the value of good copy and can make you feel like your career choice was a waste.

Bernadette is obviously an expert in the field and gave excellent insight and feedback.

I was taking my learnings back to my manager and to my current role and I was able to point out things we should be doing and things we can do better, and he now calls me an "seo expert" even though I've only done this one course!

Bernadette is an absolute copywriting superstar! Couldn't have asked for a better person to guide me on my copywriting journey.

I enjoyed her practical advice, paired with her sense of humour. She's delightful.

Cathie was phenomenal! Fantastic! Fabulous! Inspiring! Honest! It's a wonderful opportunity for writers to work along Cathie Tasker. Her experience in the publishing industry is priceless to any writer. AWC has excellent tutors, but Cathie is in a league of her own. No one comes close. I'm definitely booking more courses with her.

After writing many years of very short texts, I was struggling to write this particular longer text. I was in 'Ice age' mode! This course got me out of it. While I was struggling, it was good to know I was not alone, especially with Cathie at the helm.

I feel positive about the story instead of waking up frustrated about it. Such a BIG relief! When I changed my POV, the ice melted and Spring arrived! Hooray! It's obvious, but I'd dug myself into such a dark place, I'd lost my way.

These courses are a necessary part of the writing process in today's world. I can't imagine a year going by without AWC being part of my writing life.

Thank you, Cathie! Thank you, fellow work shoppers! Thank you AWC!

As a Mum to three young children, I’ve barely got a spare second left in my day so I was looking for an online course that wasn’t too pressing timewise. One assignment a week was achievable on top of my other commitments.

I was nervous about sharing my work in an online forum, but did not find it daunting once the course kicked off.

I loved Zanni’s video feedback. She was very supportive and gave constructive advice.

I enjoyed building the confidence and knowledge in an area I’d been wanting to explore for a long time ... and writing first drafts for two children’s picture books in the process!

I feel confident now to give writing picture books a red hot go. I’ve already enrolled in your Masterclass!

Give it a go. It’s great fun!

I loved having Cathie as my tutor. She is kind, insightful, and provides detailed feedback that generally includes helpful resources as well.

I enjoyed swapping submissions, giving and providing feedback. I found this aspect very valuable. Also, I loved hearing from different authors in the audio classes for each module.

When I first started writing, I thought I knew what I was doing. Boy, was I wrong! This course (+ the others I've completed) have opened my eyes and taught me the essential fundamentals of writing that I was missing.

I learned that I am actually a good writer - the feedback I received was amazing and I'll always be thankful that this was my starting point.

Thank you for this course - it's wonderful! HIGHLY recommended. Can't praise these courses enough. I'll definitely be back for more!

The course provided a complete toolkit to enter the workforce as a copywriter. It was super practical, the information was generous and well-delivered, and left me at the end feeling like I could make the step into paid work.

Bernadette was excellent. She is very knowledgeable in her profession, and generous in sharing that knowledge. She communicates effectively, and in a down-to-earth way. She has developed useful templates and strategies for effective copywriting which she stepped me through logically - this built me up to a sense of competency and confidence in my ability to work as a copywriter.

I enjoyed writing creatively. I loved the excitement of new horizons and learning new skills, after a long time of same-same. I also really liked the dynamic nature of tailoring ideas to hook different target markets, and doing this quickly (challenging my tendency towards perfectionism).

Doing this course has ignited the spark of new adventure within me. It reminds me of when I was younger, when I felt there were lots of exciting things waiting to open up to me. It has made me realise how long it's been since I have felt that excitement for the unknown. Being a Mum has both expanded and contracted my universe in profound ways. The contraction has been tough, so it is great to feel inspired by new horizons!

It is a great kicking off point to begin working as a copywriter. It is a small time and financial investment to then be able to work and earn writing copy. Within the profession there is a lot of scope to start small, be flexible, and build your business as you build your skills.

Thank you, I have really enjoyed this course :)

Sue gave great feedback, keeping her comments upbeat and positive. I always looked forward to reading her feedback.

It's achievable to complete in the time given. The content is very interesting and you walk away with tools to achieve your travel writing dreams.

I now have direction and motivation to start writing my travel book.

Thank you, Sue, for your feedback and encouragement. Thoroughly enjoyed this course.

I was excited to learn from professionals working in the field. I thought Sue provided constructive criticism as well as positive encouragement. Great for someone like me who is just starting out.

I liked the structure of listening to the modules, completing the assignments and reading the feedback. I looked forward to learning something new each week.

It has encouraged me and given me confidence to pursue freelance writing as a career.

I really enjoyed this course and see this as the beginning of my journey. It's also made me realise how much I have to learn. I am keen to continue my education.

If you are interested in writing as a profession, AWC will give you the knowledge that will help you get into the industry.

I enjoyed the overall format of fortnightly modules, submissions and feedback. I didn’t find the time commitment onerous, despite working four days per week. I think reading other students’ work and giving feedback is a really valuable experience. It was a great experience doing the course in 2020, in the midst of the Melbourne COVID-19 shutdown. It really helped keep me focused and productive.

I really appreciated the 12-month online format. Previously I think there was just a six-month option and I was hesitant to do that given my work commitments. I was able to get my first draft written and do a complete rewrite second draft with this format.

I found Cathie’s feedback to be very measured, sensible and relevant. I liked that she read everyone else’s feedback and acknowledged where other students had given sound advice.

I don’t think my writing style or novel changed much during the course but the course helped keep me motivated to keep writing and get my novel finished. The positive feedback reinforced that I was on the right track.

The courses are well structured and draw on a wide range of writers’ experiences. An online course means that you can be flexible with your time requirements. Committing to a course helps you keep writing come what may. Having your own set of Beta readers is a worthwhile thing. There are a huge variety of programs to choose from. AWC courses are good value for the financial and time commitment.

I now know where I belong in the industry, as a writer looking for a publisher. This and the other course have helped me sort out my career pathway, and freed my mind quite a bit. I see the boon of being a part of the traditional publishing industry, rather than going at it alone and self-publishing.

This course is great, and especially helps you understand the industry: you'll approach the publishing industry better, and what you will learn will help you on your way towards making and publishing your book.