blog – Australian Writers' Centre

How AWC graduate Paula Gleeson scored a two-book six-figure deal

When Paula Gleeson’s grade four teacher told her she should write stories, Paula ran with it – or rather, ran away from it! She instead decided to pursue a career in film and television. Fast forward a few decades, and Paula finally followed that teacher’s advice by enrolling in Reinvent Yourself at the Australian Writers’ Centre, followed by Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder and Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers. She went on to secure a two-book six-figure deal with Thomas and Mercer and her debut thriller, Original Twin, is out in bookstores right now.

Q&A: ‘Gold’ vs ‘golden’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its

How Mitch Jennings went from journalist to crime writer

Mitch Jennings had always harboured ambitions to write a novel, but he says that working fulltime as a journalist meant that writing at home after work wasn’t very appealing because he had already been writing all day. He knew that he needed structure and accountability, so he enrolled in Novel Writing Essentials at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

How Jenna Lo Bianco went from 160 rejections to a successful career as a romance author

Jenna Lo Bianco, a secondary school Italian teacher, experienced what she calls a magical moment when she was on leave after the birth of her second child. Amid the chaos of the pandemic, she stumbled on a Tweet about the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Romance Writing course. At the time, Jenna had completed two manuscripts: Love & Rome and The Italian Marriage but she hadn’t yet found a publisher.

The course that changed Jess Horn’s life

Jess Horn was a busy working parent with no time for hobbies, but she decided she could just squeeze in a few minutes to enter the Furious Fiction competition at the Australian Writers’ Centre. After that, she was hooked. With her childhood love of writing rekindled, Jess enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1 and then dived into Writing Picture Books.

Writing Podcast Episode 614: Victoria Purman, author of ‘The Radio Hour’, on character development, writing about the past and more.

Meet author Victoria Purman, an accomplished historical fiction writer, who delves into her research and writing process, the inspiration behind her latest book The Radio

WIN ‘Highway 13’ by Fiona McFarlane

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane. Highway 13 is a haunting and thought-provoking collection of interconnected short stories

Copywriting Podcast Episode 075: How to niche your copywriting business with Bernadette Schwerdt

If you’ve ever wondered what niching is, or how to niche your copywriting business, this is the episode for you. Whether you’re considering specialising in

Q&A: ‘Podium’ vs ‘dais’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its

Furious Fiction: July 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to July’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we all get to crowd atop the podium of prose and raise the flag of creativity.

Writing Podcast Episode 613: Meet Amy T. Matthews, who also writes as Amy Barry and Tess LeSue!

Meet Amy T. Matthews, an award-winning author and associate professor, about her varied writing career under different pseudonyms, where she shares her approach to balancing

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Hard Copy’ by Fien Veldman

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Hard Copy by Fien Veldman. Hard Copy is a compelling workplace novel about a girl whose growing

Q&A: ‘Pigeons’ vs ‘doves’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its

Writing Podcast Episode 612: Meet Petronella McGovern, author of ‘The Last Trace’, on how to build narrative tension and keep readers turning the page.

Meet Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace. Petronella shares her top 5 tips on creating narrative tension and so that readers keep turning the

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Lies & Weddings’ by Kevin Kwan

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, which was also adapted into

Q&A: Who was ‘Uncle Sam’?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its

Jane Sullivan discovers her inner crime writer at the Australian Writers’ Centre

Jane Sullivan was already a published author and journalist when she discovered the Australian Writers’ Centre. But when she wrote the manuscript for her crime novel, she realised she needed specialist skills in order to master the suspense and pacing of the genre. So she enrolled in Crime and Thriller Writing at the Australian Writers’ Centre and rewrote her manuscript with her new knowledge.

Writing Podcast Episode 611: Lia Hills, author of ‘The Desert Knows Her Name’, on how she wrote her first draft in two weeks using a voice software!

Meet award-winning poet, novelist, and translator Lia Hills. Lia reveals her innovative approach of narrating her novel, The Desert Knows Her Name, using voice recognition

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Haters’ by Robyn Harding

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Haters by Robyn Harding. The Haters is a gripping thriller about debut author Camryn Lane, whose

Copywriting Podcast Episode 074: How to be (more) creative with award-winning copywriter and art director Adrian Elton.

Adrian Elton is an award-winning creative who has worked for some of the world’s biggest brands including Disney, Sesame Street, Australia Post, Fairfax and many others.

Q&A: ‘Taught’ vs ‘taut’ vs ‘taunt’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its

AWC graduate Deborah Frenkel is now a successful picture book author

Deborah Frenkel reignited her long-held dream of becoming an author when she became immersed in the world of picture books after the birth of her daughter. Throw in frequent long walks and she soon started to simmer with stories of her own.

Knowing she needed some direction to get her stories on to the page, Deborah jumped into Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

Writing Podcast Episode 610: Meet Kyra Geddes, author of ‘The Story Thief’

Meet Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief. Kyra discusses her journey from idea to publication, the importance of research, and the challenges of editing

Petronella McGovern’s dream of becoming a fiction author comes true

Petronella McGovern came to the Australian Writers’ Centre hoping to prioritise her fiction writing. She had always wanted to publish a novel but was struggling to find the time and motivation to keep writing. Now, her debut novel Six Minutes has just been published by Allen & Unwin, and she spends her mornings writing fiction, working on her next novel.

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Wrong Man’ by Tim Ayliffe

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe, author of The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within

Q&A: ‘Gold’ vs ‘golden’

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re going for gold… Q:

How Mitch Jennings went from journalist to crime writer

How Jenna Lo Bianco went from 160 rejections to a successful career as a romance author

The course that changed Jess Horn’s life

Writing Podcast Episode 614: Victoria Purman, author of ‘The Radio Hour’, on character development, writing about the past and more.

Meet author Victoria Purman, an accomplished historical fiction writer, who delves into her research and writing process, the inspiration behind her latest book The Radio Hour. Victoria offers valuable writing tips and the episode provides a deep dive into her journey, character development, and practical advice for aspiring writers. You

WIN ‘Highway 13’ by Fiona McFarlane

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane. Highway 13 is a haunting and thought-provoking collection of interconnected short stories set in Australia, each exploring the profound impact of a 1990s serial killer on various lives and offering a deep commentary on society’s fascination with

Copywriting Podcast Episode 075: How to niche your copywriting business with Bernadette Schwerdt

If you’ve ever wondered what niching is, or how to niche your copywriting business, this is the episode for you. Whether you’re considering specialising in a specific industry or want to understand the benefits and drawbacks of niching, this episode provides valuable insights and practical advice to help you make

How AWC graduate Paula Gleeson scored a two-book six-figure deal

Q&A: ‘Podium’ vs ‘dais’

Furious Fiction: July 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to July’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we all get to crowd atop the podium of prose and raise the flag of creativity. The prompts for this month’s challenge were: Your story must take place at a sporting/competitive event. Your story must include something shaking. Your story must

Writing Podcast Episode 613: Meet Amy T. Matthews, who also writes as Amy Barry and Tess LeSue!

Meet Amy T. Matthews, an award-winning author and associate professor, about her varied writing career under different pseudonyms, where she shares her approach to balancing multiple writing projects and her thoughts on the romance genre. All of Amy’s books are traditionally published and she also writes under Amy Barry and

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Hard Copy’ by Fien Veldman

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Hard Copy by Fien Veldman. Hard Copy is a compelling workplace novel about a girl whose growing obsession with her office printer highlights the monotony and mental strain of corporate life, blending witty, unhinged narration with insightful commentary on the nature of

Q&A: ‘Pigeons’ vs ‘doves’

Writing Podcast Episode 612: Meet Petronella McGovern, author of ‘The Last Trace’, on how to build narrative tension and keep readers turning the page.

Meet Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace. Petronella shares her top 5 tips on creating narrative tension and so that readers keep turning the page. You’ll discover techniques on character development, the challenges of editing, writing cliffhangers, ensuring you have internal and external conflicts and much more. You can

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Lies & Weddings’ by Kevin Kwan

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, which was also adapted into one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing romantic-comedy movies. Lies and Weddings is a captivating friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of a luxury eco-resort, filled with drama,

Q&A: Who was ‘Uncle Sam’?

Jane Sullivan discovers her inner crime writer at the Australian Writers’ Centre

Writing Podcast Episode 611: Lia Hills, author of ‘The Desert Knows Her Name’, on how she wrote her first draft in two weeks using a voice software!

Meet award-winning poet, novelist, and translator Lia Hills. Lia reveals her innovative approach of narrating her novel, The Desert Knows Her Name, using voice recognition software while on location in the desert. She completed her first draft in TWO WEEKS! You’ll discover Lia’s methodology, challenges, and the profound connection between

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Haters’ by Robyn Harding

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Haters by Robyn Harding. The Haters is a gripping thriller about debut author Camryn Lane, whose career is jeopardised by a vengeful reader’s campaign of online harassment and personal threats. This unravels a web of intrigue and danger as Camryn fights

Copywriting Podcast Episode 074: How to be (more) creative with award-winning copywriter and art director Adrian Elton.

Adrian Elton is an award-winning creative who has worked for some of the world’s biggest brands including Disney, Sesame Street, Australia Post, Fairfax and many others. Adrian’s career journey is as eclectic as it is inspiring. He started by studying interior design, transitioned to graphic design, evolved into an art director,

Q&A: ‘Taught’ vs ‘taut’ vs ‘taunt’

AWC graduate Deborah Frenkel is now a successful picture book author

Knowing she needed some direction to get her stories on to the page, Deborah jumped into Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers’ Centre.

Writing Podcast Episode 610: Meet Kyra Geddes, author of ‘The Story Thief’

Meet Kyra Geddes, author of The Story Thief. Kyra discusses her journey from idea to publication, the importance of research, and the challenges of editing her manuscript. The episode concludes with writing tips and a book giveaway: The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe. You can listen to the episode below,

Petronella McGovern’s dream of becoming a fiction author comes true

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Wrong Man’ by Tim Ayliffe

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe, author of The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within and Killer Traitor Spy. This fifth novel of the John Bailey thriller series delves into a web of political intrigue and danger to uncover the

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