What’s it like to learn with AWC?

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 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.

Loved the tutor. She was honest and helpful and knowledgeable.

POV and tense were both pivotal moments for me. I know a lot more than I did before!

I knew I was stuck but I didn't know how. This course really helped. It was great to assess other people's work and having a number of responses to my work really helped me sort out what was wrong with it.

Louisa was excellent. I felt in safe hands and respected her knowledge and experience.

I really liked the course content to be honest. But the student feedback to my work was also very helpful.

Clarity! I feel like I've been taken back to basics and can restart with a much clearer idea of my writing style and how to tell a compelling story. People were consistently positive about my story idea and I feel fairly confident in my writing ability so I'm happy to get stuck into it again.

Great, practical and supportive courses run by professionals.

Incredibly insightful and helpful feedback which gave me comments and advice to work with. Because I am writing a mystery I also found it helpful that is the genre Louisa writes.

I really loved Louisa's feedback on my writing but I also found it helpful to receive feedback from course mates. The feedback gave me a good overall picture of what works and what doesn't in my writing.

I have put my full focus into writing this novel. I have fully plotted out my novel, made a significant start on it and feel motivated to keep going. I have hope that I can finish my novel and get it published.

The feedback from Louisa and my course mates had me change a very key detail in my mystery novel that has helped to shape the rest of the story entirely and I think the story will be better for it.

If you are serious about writing your novel and you need something to kick start you (and in the right direction) - try this!

I thought Pamela was outstanding! She is perfect at critiquing. I loved this course. I can't thank you enough.

Pamela has a gift! She gave it to our whole group. She was able to seamlessly talk to each person about their writing with the perfect amount of nurture and critique with a touch of confidence.

I found having a timeframe really important. I enjoyed workshopping so much more than I ever imagined. I am so surprised at my own growth.

This course gave me permission to write.

My breakthrough was the resistance I felt before each submission and I pushed through and did it anyway. The 'aha' is knowing that the amount of resistance means something great is about to be told.

If you have the slightest inkling 'DO IT!' then you know. Once you see you can't unsee.

After doing Creative Writing Stage 1, I developed a new idea for a novel and wanted to go deeper with that and get it started.

Pamela showed excellent skill in delving deeply into each piece of writing. It was great to receive such technical and detailed editing and feedback on writing style, structure, and overall character development from her.

I enjoyed the podcast tutorials and the templates and guides that helped prioritise time for writing. It was lovely corresponding with the rest of the group every week.

Great online resource and virtual classroom lay out. Processes were robust and the communication from both pre-recorded material and the tutorial feedback etc was clear and timely. My advice would be to start with Creative Writing Stage 1, depending on where a person was in their writing journey.

I finished the Creative writing Stage 1 course and enjoyed it so much I wanted to keep going.

Pamela was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Her guidance helped me pick up on a lot of mistakes I didn't realise I was making.

It gave me the confidence and drive to see my writing through to the end no matter how long it took.

So thorough; just wonderful. I learnt so much in each module and enjoyed meeting other writers and reading their works.

Pamela is a great mix of incredibly professional, knowledgeable and also approachable. She's a gem. I'm hoping to read Pamela's books!

I enjoyed mixing with like-minded other writers, being made accountable to read their work and provide feedback, being accountable to write my own chapters within a given deadline, and learning more about all the cool things AWC do.

I had my story, the twists, the tension, my characters etc, and I loved banging out the first draft. However, I knew I was writing for myself. This course gave me the skills I knew I was lacking in PoV, time switching and creating memorable characters.

Value for money.
Will ramp up your writing craft.
Will introduce you to a community of writers.
Super professional, smart, yet very human :)

Heartfelt thanks, AWC.

Absolutely incredible course! I've now got the tools to take on writing a novel and feel inspired to finish that first draft.

The tutor was amazing. Nat's feedback was awesome and she has the perfect personality for online classes. Her feedback was invaluable for me and my novel will be better thanks to her.

I think I can actually write a novel now! I'm feeling inspired and my imagination is running so high I feel like a kid again. Worth every penny. Learning skills WHILE getting inspired, absolutely invaluable.

This is the best course I've taken at AWC. Huge thanks to Nat and everyone who put the course together.

Nat was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this course and found her to be a stellar professional and diligent to a tee. It was like I had my own personal editor helping me write better, but then watching everyone else's feedback taught me even more. She was wonderful. Talented and exactly right for the role.

I especially enjoyed workshopping with all my student peers. I finally figured out show don't tell.

I've signed up for the longer 6-month course and will finish my novel. I am committing to get published.

If you want to be a writer, start here.

Pamela's brilliant!

I've been inspired and so encouraged by the feedback I've received. Especially when the feedback pointed out flaws or weak spots.

You just can't go wrong with an AWC course. They want you to succeed, and go out of their way to ensure you do.

Thank you!

What attracted me to this course was the goal of reaching 20,000 words, as well as getting the chance to have others review my work in a safe space. Workshopping was always a point of fear for me, but the tutor and the students provided a great environment for everyone to be helped with honest and useful feedback.

Petronella was always very kind and on point with her feedback. She raised great questions that got me into a better frame of mind with my novel and my characters. The fact that there was a video of Petronella's feedback (in addition to the detailed written feedback, of course) made the course a bit more personal and enjoyable for me.

The tutors are very knowledgeable and kind, experienced in the industry.

I love these courses! I appreciated being treated fairly and taken seriously.

Even though I'd read great reviews about how important the feedback aspect of the course was - I was still not prepared for how much I got out of it. I enjoyed reading other people's work and feedback, and Bernadette gave insightful and useful feedback to all the writing samples.

It has helped me form consistent writing habits and read more analytically.

Constructive feedback from other writers is priceless. I also loved the audios and look forward to listening to them again over the next 12 months.

The Australian Writers' Centre can give you the tools you need to start your writing journey. It can also travel part of the road with you.

I thought Petronella gave a huge amount of insightful individual feedback which gave the course more depth than I'd expected. I enjoyed reading other's comments on my work. Am now at 50k words and have good direction.

I think there is a lot of information hidden in the audios which I have yet to (re) discover - just need the time to go through all the lessons again.

Great value course that will get you writing regularly and with direction.

I enjoyed Creative Writing Stage 1 and was motivated to continue on my writing journey with AWC.

I was so impressed with Bernadette's knowledge and professional feedback. She was so helpful with her comments and encouraged students to ask questions if they needed any clarification. I feel very lucky to have had her as our online tutor.

I really enjoyed reading and providing feedback on the other students' work. There were so many great stories amongst the group, lovely writers and lovely people.

I have a lot more to learn AND a lot to work on, but I feel more confident now that my story is one worth writing and may be of interest to others to read.

I would say that if you want to get moving on a story you have in your head, enrol in this course. It will give you the motivation to start making your dream a reality, and you'll meet some amazing like-minded people along the way.

I loved reading everyone's work and getting feedback. My writing buddies were very encouraging and kind. My online tutor gave helpful feedback, and she was encouraging.

Before, publishing my story was just a vague dream, although I have written many words. This course gave me the tools to edit and improve my writing.

The tutor was great - personable, empathetic, gave helpful practical tips and ideas.

I enjoyed the audio lessons. Such useful material and delivered in a very professional and humorous, relatable way.

It's given me the confidence and structure I needed to move forward to the next level.

I was given a voucher for my birthday. This was just the nudge I needed to take my dream seriously, and take steps to write my novel. The timing also worked well for the start of my year.

Petronella was incredibly encouraging. She was able to carefully critique and lightly suggest, without taking away from the original idea or intent of the writer. I think she set the tone for a kind, uplifting and thorough group when it came to giving feedback.

I enjoyed both sides of the feedback process the most and reading other people's synopsis and submissions.

Just want to thank Petronella again for her kind encouragement. Petronella, our group benefited from your knowledge and suggestions for improving our plots, characters and scenes. You set the tone for this group of writers, who also became cheerleaders for each other. How unique! Thank you!

I was able to write 30,000 words of my novel. There is simply no way I would have done that without this course. Being almost halfway through my first draft feels pretty incredible.

If you're looking for accountability to your goals, encouragement for your craft and a knowledgeable guide from inside the industry, Novel Writing Essentials is for you!