What’s it like to learn with AWC?

Pamela is clearly highly qualified to not only teach the craft of writing but also to advise and critique on the pieces of writing presented to her. She has a wide-ranging knowledge of published works which gives weight to her recommendations. Her feedback was always well considered and she made sure to point out what was good while gently suggesting improvements.

The class size was perfect and, surprisingly, a good demographic mix.

This course will give you the necessary foundations to ensure all the time and energy and angst you are putting into writing your story will result in a well-rounded and thought out novel.

I have an idea for a book but no writing experience and wanted to learn the foundations, getting some real time feedback.

Pamela was fantastic. The feedback, encouragement and general insights she shares and provides each student is individual to them and their style. I found it to be really positive and constructive. You also learn a lot from hearing the feedback provided to others which I hadn't been expecting.

It pushes you, but not out of your comfort zone; it's a safe environment and as a beginner I learnt a lot.

Nicole was so friendly and encouraging to our entire group, which made me (and others) a lot more comfortable asking questions and feedback.

The workshopping was the best! Although scared, I was able to share my work and gain feedback, and hearing everyone else's work was so great! I loved being able to hear everyone's ideas.

I've always wanted (and have been writing), but this has helped me to believe in those dreams. This was the best creative writing experience I've ever had! Thank you once again for giving me more motivation to pursue my writing dreams!

If you even have just a slight interest in creative writing, just enrol!

I was a tad anxious signing up to the Food Writing course as I am a vegan and was unsure if my lifestyle choices would cause a barrier, exclusion or disdain amongst a group of foodies. From the first week that fear lifted there was no judgement, only inclusion and great engagement. Carli is a powerhouse of knowledge; clear, jovial and succinct. Highly recommend.

Something different! I love food and initially thought I would be interested in reviewing but have come away interested in so much more!

Carli is fantastic. Helpful, generous, interesting and engaging.

I enjoyed hearing real life examples of pitches and stories; love hearing real examples of what to do and what not to do. Excellent lesson on how to pitch. Also have learnt a lot about the different ways someone can be a food writer (review, recipe writing, features, online, print etc).

A great introduction to food writing. You'll finish each week feeling inspired and probably hungry!

The course is slick and professional from start to finish. I had no problems with billing, or logging in, and the high sound quality of the audio meant the delivery was distraction-free.

I was worried we would spend most of the time learning the basics of storytelling, rather than the specifics of the picture book form. Those concerns quickly vanished as the course got moving. I feel much more confident understanding what works and why.

Suzanne has a lovely voice. Her soothing tone helped deliver firm and fair advice. I really admire the way she provides feedback. The consistency in her manner made it feel that there were no favourites or outliers, which helped when receiving criticism and praise alike.

Reading the work of fellow writers, seeing their approaches, and listening to their feedback provided far more value than focusing only on my own work. It felt like we were all on the journey together.

I have been writing stories across many age groups and genres for years. My biggest challenge was getting out of my own way. Other than creating stories for my kids, and those of close friends, I shelved draft after draft to collect digital dust despite much encouragement to approach a publisher. I allowed imposter syndrome to label my efforts as merely a hobby, when what I really wanted was to become a published author. This course showed me that I was no better or worse than anyone else, and the secret ingredients are basically continuous learning, critical feedback, and revision.

I have joined my local chapter of Toastmasters, and after a 5-year hiatus from social media, I have started working on developing an author platform.

Thanks, Suzanne, and everyone at AWC for creating these programs 😊

If you harbour any desire to write, AWC has the industry experience to help. Whether you have a vague idea, or a whole series in mind, their professional staff can guide you on your way. So, what are you waiting for? Just do it already!

Looking forward to continuing this journey with you 😊

Pamela was very helpful, kind and encouraging. Her suggestions for improvements for group members' pieces of writing were valuable, and she was always positive in her comments, while also demonstrating areas for improvement.

Valerie's recorded modules were very helpful and gave me some 'a-ha!' moments. The advice was practical and do-able, down-to-earth and honest. I particularly found Module 5 helpful with its practical advice on how to finish a novel, format it for submission, and look for a publisher. It is really good to know that many drafts are required before a novel is fully 'cooked'! I also enjoyed connecting with the other group members and learning from their work - a big component of the course.

Completing the course and receiving the feedback from both tutor and classmates has made me believe that I can complete a novel. The course has made me more aware of the amount of work involved and the need to really focus on getting my first draft finished and then up to the standard that does it justice before seeking a publisher. The course has given me a starting point for my novel which I can build on in coming months.

Thanks - I really enjoyed the course and will attend further courses at the AWC while I continue to improve my writing and work on a novel :)

The AWC will help you transform your writing dreams into reality, one practical step at a time, no matter what type of writer you want to be!

I really loved Valerie's audios, and also really looked forward to Pamela's review of everyone's assignments.

I felt I have learned a great deal from Pamela and I gained a lot from hearing her comments on all assignments.

I feel motivated to work on a novel I've had in my mind for some time, and realise I can make the time to do it. I feel so daunted by the idea that it may take years to complete.

Thank you very much. Most definitely worthwhile.

It was something I had been wanting to do for a long time and I loved that it was basic and had all the elements I wanted to do.

The tutor was wonderful hahaha I appreciate her feedback on my punctuation - that has always been an issue for me.

I now feel more confident in my writing. I would never have let someone read my writing before but the writing I did for assignment 5 was part of one of my stories I have had written for years.

Do it! It is well worth it.

I had done a course through AWC before and I have an interest in creative writing, so I treated myself. I have the beginnings of a novel kicking around in my head and I wanted to gain the basic skills to make a start.

Pamela was kind, concise and thorough. A fabulous tutor.

If I hadn't done this course and just started writing my book, I would have broken almost every rule we learnt about!

DO IT. And do it early, before you write too many words. If I had already started, I would have had to rewrite/discard LOTS of words.

I'll be back for more once I get to 20,000 words. See you soon.

Pamela was great with feedback and seeing what she said about others' work helped me understand even more.

I feel excited to start rewriting.

This course is full of information to improve your writing and will provide so much to use later on.

The tutor was excellent. She really knew her stuff and was very kind in her explanations.

The positive feedback really made me feel like I can do this. Learning more about the components also helped me realise what makes a good story so I can see what to do now.

Definitely worth it.

The tutor was super helpful when it comes to giving feedback and answering questions. I found all of her feedback and input very insightful and informative, especially given how short this course is compared to other traditional ones which will normally take 3 months or more.

It helped me realize my full potential and re-ignite my writing passion that was lost ages ago due to the rat race I've been endlessly caught in. More specifically, I realized that there's so many ways to write a sentence that's concise but still instructive. With the word limits, I had to spend more time and effort thinking up how to write a headline or sub-headline that can deliver enough information and still pack a punch.

Don't knock it before you've tried it. The course offers far more knowledge than what can be imagined. The more you go deep into it, the more you're going to find out you'll love it.

Terrific course. Would recommend to anyone. I appreciated the clarification around terms I was unfamiliar with.

I now officially want to be a published author.

The presenter Kate Forsyth was so knowledgeable, helpful, organised and insightful.

The course helped me look at my current work-in-progress with an eye to how to improve my writing, particularly with different literary devices.

It was wonderful having Pamela for the Q&A as well; she's always so generous and thoughtful with her answers to whatever questions are thrown her way.

Every course at the AWC is brilliant and there is a course for everyone!

I loved it! It was a great experience.

The tutor was very good. I enjoyed the feedback on what I did right and what I got wrong.

I had self-published a book prior to this course. I now know what I did right and what I need to improve on in my current manuscript.

It's a must if you want to write seriously.

A thorough checklist of what to do, how to do it and why it matters. It was also affordable and a joy to follow. Exceeded expectations. I have never been disappointed by any of the Australian Writers' Centre Courses.

I enjoyed the friendly manner of the presenter. She was open, engaging and a delight to listen to.

It has given me the most important and valuable information I need to get my website working. It's all you need to know about making a great author website.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 10 lessons and found this to be a great experience.

It made me think more about what was going into my writing and how to put it all together more effectively. I enjoyed the overall outcomes that I was able to achieve. I gained the feeling of accomplishment.

If you want to improve your writing skills with honest but positive feedback in an environment that suits you and creates a safe place, this is the one.

I like the clarity, pace and practicality of the AWC courses.

I gained practical tips and the confidence to keep pushing forward toward my next horizon as a writer.

Just do it... :) Go for it, open your mind, you'll enjoy it.

The depth and breadth of content covered was more than I expected. Opened my eyes more to the world of writing and publishing. Definitely a course worth doing if you wish to become a writer.