What’s it like to learn with AWC?

I thought the course was better than I hoped. Lots of practical and specific information as to writing and researching articles, how to structure articles, and how to approach potential editors. I can't think of an outstanding question the course does not cover.

Alex had a very professional and encouraging manner. Feedback was specific and comprehensive. I liked being able to see/hear the feedback on others' work too.

I enjoyed the tone and content of the online course. I liked that the course covered the nuts and bolts of how to go about being a freelance writing, not just the writing itself. Learning about who to speak to, what to say, when to contact is invaluable insight to someone who has no links to the media industry. I was very aware that I had no idea about how to approach getting published and this lack of knowledge was a showstopper in pursuing a writing career. I feel I now have the tools to proceed with some confidence.

I liked listening to the online modules - Valerie Khoo's engaging delivery hit the right combination of professionalism and friendliness. The assessments built on each other in a logical way and always felt achievable (by contrast, my first task in Week 1 as a journalism student at the NSW Institute of Technology in the 80s was "go and cover tonight's City Council meeting". No scaffolding, no background, no advice - nothing. It was sink or swim. I lost confidence in myself and changed my course - and my life!)
I also liked that the pacing was good - the content and assessments were doable in the time frame.

I feel I have the tools to draw on make a start on getting published. And here's that word again - confidence. Doing the course has given me confidence to proceed.

I think a major learning was the freelance writing hasn't been killed by the internet. Rather, the internet has expanded potential markets and has certainly enhanced research. Good to know, as I was half expecting to learn that potential markets were dying.

Expect an enjoyable and challenging course. Do it!

Vivienne always provided great constructive feedback each week.

I enjoyed the learning material, the assignments and feeling like I was a part of a little community.

I feel like I have gained confidence and believe that I will be able to write for a publication, instead of it being an unachievable goal.

Vivienne was great and her feedback was very helpful.

I learnt a lot about the magazine/publications industry. Who knew so much went on behind the scenes and what was involved in getting your articles published?

I learnt something new in every module. It made me realise that it is possible for me to write an article that people may want to read and, not only that, get paid for it.

Professionally run, great set up and really interesting.

I didn't waste a second with this course. Everything and everyone was really helpful. Big thanks to Vivienne, and Nicole who helped me through so much!

Vivienne was always thorough and timely in her feedback. Kind, knowledgeable and responsive to any questions or comments from the class. She generously shared her knowledge through feedback and encouragement.

I enjoyed interviewing classmates. I thought this would be the worst part but I really enjoyed myself and it was good to get to know the other students through profiles.

I think I developed a bit of language confusion after living in France and only speaking French for 5 years. The course has helped me to rediscover English writing, and sharpen my communication skills. Getting clear on being clear, showing transitions, using descriptive language to enrich the text, all of these lessons have been helpful. I'm excited to put it into practice for my podcast.

By the time you finish a course with AWC you will know exactly what you need to start your career as a writer. The workload is manageable and won't burn you out. Support from teachers and staff is both generous and timely, and the assignment feedback is really helpful. The only question you will be left with at the end of the course, is why you waited so long to get started?!

I enjoyed the assignments. Alex gave excellent feedback and her edits were invaluable.

It was a deeper dive into freelance writing. I had previously done the profile writing and freelance business course, but this was a great general overview.

All their courses are wonderful, you get a lot from them.

The tutor was very supportive and friendly. Her feedback helped to understand and see how it should be tweaked for improvements.

I enjoyed the interview session and how we had to write it about a person we didn't really know.

I guess I realized a lot about research when I was writing the pitch idea for magazines. I realized what interested me more than the others.

I would say this course will nudge you into a whole new world of factual and non-fictional writing.

The weekly assignments were just enough to test and practice, but not too overwhelming. Alex, the tutor, was very good, very informative.

It's given me the confidence to try!! Super inspiring how much faith in students' ability is baked into the program.

After writing the 500-word profile in a safe, low-stakes environment, it made me feel like I had achieved something important.

I would say it's a fantastic, affordable way to get experience that many three-year degrees offer but in a much more affordable, flexible, and sometimes more precise learning environment.

Alex is great. Her feedback was very helpful.

Learning practical skills with the advantage of Valerie's experience was just fantastic. Her insights into the industry and real hands-on advice was just amazing.

It was great to learn about the techniques and structures of feature writing--hooks, subtopics, transitions, stats, case studies. This opens me up to a style of writing I'd never considered before, and I think it will help my academic writing too.

Go for it. The content is so practical and easy to digest. It's confidence-boosting.

Alex was an excellent tutor, and her feedback was always relevant, thoughtful and timely.

The course materials were relevant and current. It was great to receive tutor feedback from an editor in the industry. I particularly enjoyed reading and learning from other students' assignments, and the profile interview exercise was practical and interesting.

It has been a great reminder to write simply.

The freelance introductory course is practical, and based on sound adult learning principles. I have seen two other AWC writing courses, and was consistently impressed with the course materials and design.

It has been good fun, and practical.

I appreciated the fact that Vivienne has so much knowledge and experience, and I learned a great deal from her. Her feedback was super helpful.

It was all enjoyable. The assignments weren't easy, but they were interesting. And it was exciting knowing I was learning this skill. It led me to the Freelance Writing Masterclass. I feel that there's a huge chance for me to get articles published.

You couldn't do better than a learning centre where the tutors are all very experienced, award-winning writers. And the fact that you can do the courses online is a huge benefit. Don't even try looking further than this place because you won't find anything better.

Vivienne was extremely helpful - detailed and thorough in answering all my numerous questions.

I enjoyed (1) Challenging myself to write to a deadline and then to re-write and improve on it again; (2) The personal connections I made with my tutor and other fellow writers in the course.

The course has given me the confidence to start pitching and writing, something I thought would require a lot more study and practice.

The course is so professionally put together and so practical and relevant to the industry, it makes a career change possible in 5 weeks!

I was attracted to the practical nature and industry 'know-how' aspects of getting started as a freelance writer - although I have an Arts degree majoring in writing, and have worked in corporate copy / content writing roles, I had no idea how to pursue writing for a more personal and creative purpose.

Vivienne is extremely knowledgeable in regards to freelancing and how the industry works so was able to provide us with plenty of great advice around some of the 'do's and don't's', and the individual feedback she provided was quite thorough and encouraging.

The 'hands-on' nature of the course was really helpful, and I also enjoyed how scaffolded the content was, which made it feel very achievable.

I feel more equipped with the tools I need to produce the type of writing that I'm interested in, and as a result feel much more motivated.

Freelancing is definitely about persistence, but also about knowing the publication and audience - you could be an amazing writer but if you don't get the pitch right then it doesn't matter!

Practical, easy to understand courses supported by an experienced tutor with great industry knowledge.

Thank you - it's been great!

I found the course really practical and encouraging. Vivienne was a professional, supportive and conscientious tutor, with very direct feedback and plenty of useful practical experience to draw on.

It has given me the confidence to pitch my story ideas to editors and seek to make a part time income - ie, that it is possible!

A useful, practical course for anyone who wants to earn an income from freelance writing.

Thanks to Vivienne for her really useful, experience-based advice.

The course has made me aware that my knowledge and experiences in my career and in life need not be wasted. I can actually learn to make a living from them. I feel confident about making a change of career now. I never did before.

I enjoyed reading other people's ideas and feedback. The tutor was good, knowledgeable and easy to listen to.

Go for it if you want to change your career. Take it slowly if need be and soak up as much as you can.

Alex was very knowledgeable and provided industry-specific feedback which was really beneficial.

I enjoyed the audio modules and assignments. The course has given me a starting point and confidence to start freelancing. Without the course, I would have never tried.

A really informative course that is manageable with work or other commitments.

The industry 'tips' provided during the course are invaluable. When I started the course, I felt very confident about my writing. On finishing this course, I have realised that I have a lot to learn and am grateful to have discovered this through the course. I believe this will hold me in good stead when I commence my writing.

I think that the content that was delivered during the course was relevant and, most importantly, trustworthy. In particular, how to pitch articles, how to approach editors and how to interview were very helpful.

Each module contained vital information that I will use.

I would say that the course is a worthwhile investment in your freelance writing career. The content is easy to follow, relevant to a beginner freelance writer and delivered by competent, and credible AWC staff. I loved the anecdotes that were shared during the course as this provided a real-world element to the content.

I feel that the course has provided me with the basic skills to start my freelance writing career - I now just need to work on the confidence to draft my first pitch. The AWC hits the spot in delivering relevant content to help a new writer in their respective careers.

I was very happy with the constructive feedback given by Vivienne, in particular the way in which it was provided step by step, line by line. It was very thorough and practical and I am confident I can apply her advice to my writing and pitching.

It has made me more committed to learning more and trying my hand at freelance writing.

If you're thinking about learning the art of writing, whether it's for personal or professional reasons, don't hesitate to enrol with the Australian Writers' Centre. AWC covers every aspect of the writing process, the homework is designed to actually get you writing and the feedback provided is constructive and practical.

The Australian Writers' Centre is great. The lessons are detailed and personable. I am already using the material in my existing writing gigs.

Alex was kind and thorough in her feedback. I saved all of her grading feedback for real-life implementation.

Alex provided fantastic feedback each week that really helped you to improve. She was very informative; I enjoyed receiving the feedback over video as well. She provided ideas and suggestions that were always beneficial, and gave a mix of constructive and positive criticism so that you felt supported and positive the whole way through.

I truly appreciate the emphasis in the course that it is possible to get published. Too often there is an assumption that any creative industry is so competitive there's no point even trying, but this course constantly challenged that stigma, and it made it an even more positive experience.

I enjoyed the assignments! I enjoyed being able to explore an article idea the whole way through, to get a glimpse of how it feels writing articles and going through the process in the industry. The assignments really do mimic the process quite well, so you don't feel like you're doing everything for the first time.

I have a far clearer idea of what I'm going to do in this industry, the kinds of articles I want to write, and a greater trust in myself to be able to do the right research, ask for interviews, etc. The discussion around including smaller details and beautiful lyrical writing showed how fun this can be.

AWC provides exceptionally informative courses that provide practical, real world skills. They use plenty of informative examples, including examples of graduates from the courses to show that their courses work. The courses are flexible, can be worked into any busy routine, they're very affordable and have more variety than any other educator provider I've found in Australia.

Vivienne was wonderful. She was very helpful, insightful and generous. She provided the feedback I needed to help me learn.

I thought the assignments were well thought out. Vivienne's video feedback was personalised by seeing her face in the video. The ability to read the other students' work and feedback was helpful.

I now have an idea of how to write for media even though I have not trained as a journalist.

The course is very practical and by the end of it you will be able to propose a feature to an editor and may be able to be published.