What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I enjoyed everything about this course! Everything from the lessons, and assessments to the feedback sessions.

The tutor was very friendly, passionate and positive.

It has inspired me to start writing again. It has also taught me some valuable ways to make my writing and stories better.

I would say it's a great way to get started. It's also a fun, low-pressure way to learn more about writing.

It makes taking on the task of writing for our business so much less daunting as I can follow a template.

A practical and well-structured course that is easy to follow and can be put into use immediately!

I enjoyed workshopping and reading genres I wouldn't usually read. I have a synopsis for my novel and now it doesn't feel so nebulous and unachievable. Nat was great.

The AWC offers affordable, professional and fun online writing courses pitched at various writing skill levels and genres. It's a great way to figure out what you want to write and, more importantly, IF you want to write, and what it takes to complete a manuscript and get published.

I wanted the structure and encouragement of a program with other writers to get stuck into writing my novel. I also wanted feedback on my opening, to make sure I was going on the right direction with my story regarding reader interest, worldbuilding and characterisation.

Nat Newman was fantastic. So friendly and encouraging even while pointing out improvements that could be made in your writing. I really got the impression that Nat understood my story and what it's like being a new writer. I would absolutely do a course with Nat again!

It was so fun each week sitting down and providing feedback on the work of the other course participants. Reading so many different types and genres of stories was so inspiring, and I loved the chance to maybe even help them make improvements.

I'm now in a Discord with other participants of the course so we can keep in touch. I also have a better sense of community and a better clarity on where to take my novel - both story wise and publishing wise.

I'm not sure what type of writing I want to do, so I thought this was a good general starting point. The course structure was another attraction. Originally I was looking at local in-person courses (eg through CAE) but none appealed. I liked the fact that while this course was online and involved asynchronous learning, there was a weekly assignment with personalised feedback, to keep me accountable.

I liked the video feedback and the fact that we could read everyone's submissions and listen to the feedback for each. I learned a lot this way.

I was very happy with Nat's role. She gave well-considered feedback that always offered something new to consider, and which I could apply immediately.

It's reminded me how much I enjoy the process of writing, and has encouraged me to consider doing further courses.

The courses are professionally constructed and informative. I liked the way the information was structured and how encouraged I felt. In many ways it demystified the writing process and made me feel as if writing a good story or novel was an achievable goal, rather than one restricted to a genius.

The course has helped me begin a story different to anything I've written before (I used to only write fantasy, but my most recent project is a young adult book set in London).

My aha moment would be realising that people actually planned scenes, instead of just writing them and seeing where they go.

I would say the course covers a variety of aspects of writing.

I've been wanting to do an AWC course for a long time, and the timing was perfect for this one. I've tried writing children's stories but needed instruction on specific structure etc.

There was a lot of information in 5 weeks, which was great. I like Cathie's style of giving feedback. She tells it like it is, but in a nice way.

I had a few ideas for children's stories and had thought about illustrating them, as I paint/draw. Almost in the first lesson it was pointed out not to do the things I had planned so it has saved me a lot of time and wasted effort!

Kate made the process of plotting and planning really easy to follow and has eased my anxiety around starting the process. Wonderful examples and clear steps to follow.

It is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to write!

I have been able to use Kate's advice and tips to start plotting my story and I feel much more confident and organised.

This course is easy to follow, encouraging and inspiring, and I highly recommend it.

I like the fact that the course avoids setting a writing formula or recommended practice. It is very much left to the individuals to extract from it what they need.

The tutor was very smart and gives precise feedback. I trusted her knowledge base.

I think the exercises are challenging but in a good way. I can see improvements and new skills emerging after each module.

I already have in almost final form a collection of 23 stories. This means that I can now take the learnings from the course and review the characters, scenes and structure.

I have already recommended this course and organization to others. They talk about writing but find it hard to make a start.

Kate and her course have inspired me to keep on writing even though there are times when life gets in the way.

For anyone who is passionate about learning their craft and is serious about making writing their career, don't hesitate to do this course. In fact, I have encouraged a few aspiring writers to do so.

The personalized feedback was invaluable in affirming what I am working on. The tutor was bang on every time and delivered positive feedback.

I enjoyed seeing other people developing and the common support.

I now have the confidence to keep going on and pushing myself further.

I think Nat did a great job in providing much needed feedback. It also helped that she gave some great recommendations on what books / videos would help as well.

If you're starting out with writing a book, then the Australian Writers' Centre provides all the straightforward and important information.

I appreciate the all-around support that I and everyone else received in sharing our works.

I've recently started a new position and found my copywriting skills lacking. I did some online research and the AWC course content really appealed to me, the course length was appropriate and I liked the online access.

Mark was great, feedback was constructive and insightful.

The SEO section of the course was incredibly useful to what I'm doing. It made me take a different approach to my work, and I've already seen improvements in our company SEO standings.

AWC courses are enjoyable, accessible and useful.

I have a manuscript and I've gotten it as far as I can take it for the moment, but knowing that it's flawed and still needs (a lot) of work. I was hoping to get some understanding of basic plot / character / structure tips which might help me improve my work.

Nat was really great. Her comments were clear and justified. It was good to listen to the feedback she gave everyone else, too, as there were many things which did not apply to my writing which were useful to know.

I enjoyed doing the actual writing! And getting feedback on it. I've never had someone give objective feedback before, and it was helpful to experience that. Having someone else pick out the details which don't work is unbelievably helpful. It meant that I could go back and make small changes to gain great improvements.

AWC courses are practical, interesting, and safe!

I was attracted to this course by the desperate need to turn my PhD thesis into a book. I had high expectations and you matched them.

It made an overwhelming process seem doable. I loved being taken through a clear structure.

This book is not only an ethnography of a spiritual community, it also includes auto-ethnography of my own life. I learned the reason why 14 years passed and seven attempts to find my "voice" ended up in the bin. There was a level of honesty I needed to find and it was the practical structure of the course that made it possible. Finding those inciting incidents and following the steps which are designed to give readers reasons to want to know more. I had always thought, 'why would anyone want to read a book about a woman they don't know?' And although I do know about universal narratives (I'm an anthropologist after all!) the security of that notion felt freakishly flimsy when I tried applying it to myself and my own story. Anyway, I did it. The muse visited me for some. The rest was hard work. But I was so happy with the first draft! Now I am on the second draft (this is the one where I want to throw it in the bin). But I have a publisher and I have a reader! So... onwards!

This is a great entry level course that opened up so much to me, both in listening to the fantastic audios (great voice, easy to listen to), and that I can go back and listen to them again. The exercises were a real confidence booster and enabled me to put in to practice the week's lesson content. And I could use the exercises repeatedly.

Jo was great and I always felt that she was having a one-on-one with me during assignment feedback.

The title of the course spoke to me, as I have always dreamt of writing for middle school-aged readers. And then, when I read about all that was to be covered in the course, as well as the positive testimonies from previous students, I felt inspired to take the plunge.

Margaret seemed very kind and supportive, and she also had wisdom to share. She was not afraid to offer her learned opinion, and I was grateful for that.

I most enjoyed the incredible lessons. The information was highly illuminating, and I liked how they were broken into small mini lessons. It was also excellent to have little assignments that related to the learnings.

Fantastic up-to-date information, you can do it at your own pace, you get gentle positive pressure to ‘stand in the arena' and actually write things that your classmates will be able to see.

I loved it and I feel inspired.

I want to write a novel but didn't know where to start. This course looked like the perfect foundation for me. And it was!

It definitely exceeded my expectations. Nat's feedback got me thinking about the small things (like, can your character 'actually' see what you're saying they're seeing). Those small things are extremely valuable!

I am so grateful that Nat spent the time and energy to provide feedback. The feedback incorporated both what WAS working in my writing, and what needed improvement. She can definitely help anyone become a better writer.

I just love learning. I loved the lectures. The actual writing felt daunting given the time constraints, but really pushed me to submit something by a certain time. I probably wouldn't have written anything otherwise!

It made me want to be a writer and learn as much as I can about writing. Especially Nat, her feedback has made me think of things in my writing that I hadn't thought of previously.

The best investment you'll ever make. Even if it's just for a hobby or out of interest.

Nat has been awesome in providing constructive criticism as well as being nice enough not to point out everything that is wrong with the assignments! She knows what she is talking about and has been supportive which is very much appreciated.

I enjoyed all aspects, really. From the information to the classroom chat, it is well presented and easy to follow. I especially liked the feedback even though it initially scared me!

It has given me confidence in writing and my passion has come back. It has also taught me that nothing I write is wrong, and I have to keep writing to get to where I want to be.

It's brilliant! A welcoming and creative area where you can write anything and feel safe. You learn a bit about yourself as well as many aspects of writing to get you started.

I have been writing stories all my life and finally decided at 61 to actually do something, to learn and hope to complete a novel. I really had no idea what to expect. Actually thought I could be wasting my money. It was not a waste at all!

Jo was great, easy to listen to and clear with all her feedback.

I believe I can write. I have a lot to learn still, but I have a self-belief that I didn't have before. I can accept feedback. I can put myself out there.

Give it a go. It's friendly, kind and so easy to follow and learn.