What’s it like to learn with AWC?

The course being online and flexible was a big attraction, coupled with the length of time and the expectations of the course. I felt I could have a fun introduction to writing that could be done outside of full-time work, and it felt achievable. It was also a reasonable price point and didn't require me to commit for six months or a longer period of time without knowing if I could like it.

Nat provided really helpful constructive feedback and it felt like she took the time to provide useful insights. She was great, knowledgeable and constructive but also positive which was motivating.

I enjoyed learning something new every week and the ability to provide some structure to my writing. It was a great kick start.

It has encouraged my love of language and to use my voice for something I am interested in, rather than as a professional mouthpiece which is liberating. It has forced me to use my imagination which I have enjoyed, the world is limitless when you can create your own!

It was a great way to reinvigorate an interest in writing, and provided some really great, flexible learning options in a supportive environment.

Thanks very much, I enjoyed it!

I enjoyed Nat's enthusiasm and great feedback. She was fantastic, absolutely loved getting her feedback.

The course has helped me overcome my anxiety about creative writing. I have already recommended it, saying that the tutors are fantastic and give excellent feedback.

Forever a cynic, I thought the course might be too basic and that I might not learn anything new. I'm happy to say I was very wrong! I have learned so much and realised that I didn't really understand how important character development, structure and POV choice are to creating a compelling story.

I found the assignment feedback videos to be the most enjoyable. It's always nice to hear praise for your assignments, but it's even more valuable to understand what I'm doing wrong and being armed with the knowledge to fix those mistakes.

The tutor was very positive! Nat was very much on my wavelength with regards to feedback and I looked forward to watching her videos each week. Many thanks, Nat!

Now that I understand how stories are structured and the basic rules of good story telling, I feel much more confident in my ability to create a compelling story with fully realised characters. Armed with this knowledge, I'm now going back and reading my favourite stories to better understand how and why they work.

If you're looking to start writing, either professionally or for yourself, sign up for the Creative Writing Stage 1 course. I spent way too much time watching random YouTube videos about writing, but without a structured course with feedback from an actual working author you will just be going around in circles.

I enjoyed getting an insight into a writer's world and understanding language around writing - 'pantser' being my favourite!

The tutor was very thorough in their feedback and very encouraging but also not willing to pander to any potential diva - I really liked their honesty.

You don't have to be perfect straight up. Bum on seat. There are more times than not multiple drafts - say what?! Hehe

AWC is a great place to start. They appear to be a well-oiled machine with enough runs on the board from successful students to give confidence it's not just about selling something.

The online audio guides were helpful and easy to follow. The feedback was timely and helpful from our tutor. I think it was the right amount.

I feel more organised and I have a series of tools and processes to follow now.

I realised after about three sessions that writing is a process - even a science. What the writer brings is the artistry to add to that process.

It is a friendly and non-confronting way to decide if this is something that is for you to seriously consider spending more time on.

I wasn't sure what to expect as it was my first writing course. I was blown away by the information and personal feedback, which I found very helpful.

I was just rambling with no real structure or understanding of what was required. This course was well worth the time and money, as it gave me vital groundwork for me to continue writing in a different light.

The feedback was extremely useful as a guide moving forward to write professionally, not just babble.

Thank you for all the information and time spent creating this course.

I really valued the online tutor. I thought she was great at dealing with so much detail and giving feedback from both an emotional and technical perspective.

I really loved listening to Valerie's voice during the audio lessons, and that I could listen to the lessons while going for a walk, rather than having to sit in front of a computer.

I would say that this course will definitely improve your writing skills, and that you don't even know what you don't know until you go through a course like this that really covers all the bases.

I've always enjoyed writing but have never had the confidence. The short duration of the course was very attractive to me as it gave me a chance to try without a long term commitment.

The tutor was great! Also very impressed with how quickly feedback was given. I also liked how there was video feedback as well as a transcript - when anxious about feedback I felt that reading was more digestible than listening to verbal feedback

I really liked the format of sharing stories and being able to read what other people had written. The prompts for the assignments were great and manageable. I also really enjoyed the zoom class! It was very cool and inspiring to listen to other people's questions and pathways.

I feel like writing is a dream that is more in reach now and I find that very exciting.

It seemed a good opportunity to really grasp and build on some of the writing principles I had encountered in other settings. I also liked the idea of receiving feedback from an experienced writer. I felt like I had lost my way a bit too, so the idea of a relatively brief course seemed a good way to bring my motivation levels back up. I also just thought it would be stimulating and fun!

I think Louisa did a great job of encouraging us all through her feedback and making positive suggestions for ways of improving our work. It was good that she let us see her gut responses to our writing as well as commenting on the 'nuts and bolts' stuff.

It has reinforced how much writing means to me and that I would like to progress in my writing abilities.

Very well thought out and delivered course material and great to have the online classroom in which to connect with others. Also fantastic to have the assignment feedback delivered directly by an experienced writer - and to hear everyone else's feedback too.

I thought the tutor was great - described everything and gave helpful advice when needed.

I enjoyed listening to the recordings, getting feedback from the tutor and other students, and the handouts.

I know I have it within me to write a book and hopefully get published one day soon.

It's a great course, I highly recommend it.

I'd like to have a crack at writing a novel, and whilst I have a wealth of experience reading them, I have zero idea of how to write them! I thought it would be a good starting point to boost my confidence.

The feedback was excellent - I felt like ample time was allocated to each student and no-one was rushed over, or wasn't given enough to work with.

I really liked the assignments, and getting feedback on my efforts has been great, especially when other course students commented on my work.

It's made me think more widely about my writing - to step back and read it as a reader, and realise what's missing. The handouts, particularly Module 1's character development one, are thorough and cover all the important points from the lecture.

It's a great starting point to learn the basics and boost confidence that doesn't require an enormous allocation of precious time. It is long enough to help decide if writing's for you, and short enough that it's not going over the same material.

Having done a Professional Writing degree many years ago, I wasn't sure whether this course would be too basic, but I actually found it really helpful and gained a lot of inspiration (and it was a bit of a refresher course for things I'd forgotten, or hadn't considered in years). I was also a little concerned about meeting the assignment requirements, having not done any study in a number of years. But everything was explained really well and I actually entered the assignment phase of each module knowing what was required and with some excitement about producing something and meeting the brief.

Pamela gave great and useful feedback in a really respectful way. I'm definitely keen to put her advice into practice and keep writing. I might even do another of the AWC courses down the track.

I enjoyed that each module was doable in the time frame, with extra exercises, handouts and a short assignment. I was actually really looking forward to each week's offering being 'dropped' and I didn't lose momentum at all. I also liked that, through the exercises, I got an idea that I intend to run with and see where it leads.

I'm raring to go - with some semblance of a plan to go forwards (I've had a lot of ideas in the past, but feel I now have 'direction' with which to shape my ideas).

It's enjoyable and worth the time and money. It's a good springboard for more writing. Five weeks goes too fast!

Nat is knowledgeable. Her feedback was meaningful and helpful. She highlighted writing conventions and tips for better writing within participants' writing assignments. She was also always kind and encouraging.

Writing doesn't need to be a lonely pursuit; there are tools and community one can reach out to.

I had been wanting to do a course like this for a long time so when I found this particular course, I knew it would work for me. I am so glad I enrolled.

I have seen an improvement in my writing after following Nat's feedback which was always constructive.

I hadn't been writing regularly and this course made me write every week which I am hoping to keep doing. I also enjoyed reading the work of others, giving feedback and also receiving feedback from others on my own writing.

It has reminded me how much I enjoy the creative process of constructing a story. The characters that live in my head may find a home now.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the course. I would recommend it to anyone who is wanting to take the next step in their writing, whether they're just starting out or have a half-written novel.

Nat provided excellent feedback and was very helpful. The audio coursework had some great tips and I learnt a lot. I also really enjoyed getting some proper feedback on my writing.

I found I needed to do a lot more work on developing my characters, which really helped with my writing. I have also made a whole heap of changes to how I was writing descriptions, dialogue etc based on the coursework modules. I needed to think more about smell and sound and touch. My writing was very focused on what you could see.

I found this course really helpful for the work I was doing on my novel. I plan to do more courses with the Australian Writers' Centre so I can keep improving!

Loved the tutor. Gave really good constructive feedback. Had her own personal opinions on the pieces so didn't sound rehearsed or robotic. Her passion showed in every video.

I enjoyed the assessments. Breaking down the writing to its basics and slowly building it up to a full scene.

I got a lot out of the week 3 assignment, the visualisation in which we imagined ourselves thoroughly in the scene before writing. I will be using that constantly going forward.

I've already recommended this course to others. I've said it is a great way to re-ignite writing passion, and that it's motivated me to properly get cracking on my writing.

Thanks to Nat, she was great :)

I loved this course. Nat Newman is fantastic and her feedback was very beneficial for me.

I have learned so much that I will be taking away with me. It's the perfect course for someone looking to get into writing but don't know where to start.

I enjoyed the push to write in the form of assignments. It always gave quite a buzz to produce them. Also, the writing craft knowledge that came with the lectures and Valerie's conversational, almost confiding style.

Jo provided a great balance between both positive and constructive feedback. She was quite tactful in providing constructive feedback, which obviously can be hard to hear when you're not used to it. I liked that she encouraged us to maximise our benefit from the course and listen to everyone's feedback.

I feel very inspired and encouraged to continue developing my craft and to have a go at some short story contests.

The structure of the course is very suitable for people with a busy life. The course instructor encouraged and motivated us to take this time and enjoy which also provided extra motivation to take time out during the week to focus on something for just myself.

I enjoyed the weekly exercises (although I missed my last one). Having a set task each week kept me on track and up to date.

It encouraged me to take time out for myself each week and not feel guilty.

Definitely worth it for both very amateur and experienced writers. Having an independent person evaluate and give feedback on your style is invaluable.

Pamela's feedback was terrific and very clear in her suggestions.

I enjoyed actually writing something and reading the group's submissions. I didn't expect to work as hard as I did, but that's a good thing. I enjoyed having to think differently.

In the way I approach a possible story, I think more about the small details and where they may take a story.

It's worth it just for the great feedback.