blog – Page 3 – Australian Writers' Centre

Inda Ahmad Zahri achieves her childhood dream to become a published author

Inda Ahmad Zahri likes to keep busy. As a working surgeon with a young family, she can now add ‘published author’ to her repertoire of achievements with the publication of her debut picture book Salih, out now with Ford Street Publishing.

“I’ve wanted to be a published author since I was a little girl with my nose stuck in a book for most of the day (and night!). Writing was always an outlet for me,” Inda says.

Inda is a self-confessed course junkie and knew that she would need structure, deadlines, and the best training available to make her publishing dreams come true. That’s why she turned to the Australian Writers’ Centre for its creative writing courses and community.

Writing Podcast Episode 600: Meet Inda Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books.

Meet Indah Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books including her latest How To Measure The Ocean. Indah, a doctor turned picture book author, delves

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The North Wind’ by Alexandra Warwick

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick, author of the Four Winds series. The North Wind is a

Q&A: The origin of ‘glitch’, ‘shemozzle’ and more…

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: April 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to April’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we bring you the answers to the questions we asked of our collective community this month.

Deborah Pike masters her storytelling skills in her novel ‘The Players’

With the story in her draft manuscript spanning ten years, set across six continents and featuring eight points of view, Deborah Pike knew she needed to get the pacing of her story exactly right. She enrolled in FOCUS ON… Pace at the Australian Writers’ Centre and got the insight she needed.

Writing Podcast Episode 599: Becky Holmes on her memoir ‘Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You’

Introducing Story Seeds! A month’s worth of writing prompts that you get for free. Find out how to get Story Seeds for May. The episode

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Joy Moody is Out of Time’ by Kerryn Mayne

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Joy Moody is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne, author of Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder.

Q&A: ‘AC/DC’, ‘Led Zep’, ‘Bee Gees’ – the origin of classic band names

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 598: Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile.

Meet Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile press, as well as a former creative director at Larrikin House. Mary shares

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Murder Inn’ by Candice Fox and James Patterson

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox, co-authors of the Detective Harriet Blue series. James

Copywriting Podcast Episode 070: Discover the top AI tools all copywriters need to know about

Greg Baker knows more than most about AI and where it’s headed. As an AI futurist and lecturer in Computational Linguistics at Macquarie University, Greg

Q&A: ‘Weary’ vs ‘wary’

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

Larissa Ferenchuk’s dream of becoming a picture book author comes true

Larissa Ferenchuk had had story ideas swirling around her head for some time, but wasn’t sure how to get them into a picture book. So she enrolled in Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers’ Centre to give herself a creative outlet – and hopefully learn to write down some of those stories.

Writing Podcast Episode 597: Kell Woods on her novel ‘After The Forest’.

Meet author Kell Woods, who discusses her approach to writing, her novel After the Forest, a sequel to Hansel and Gretel, and the blend of

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Last Murder at the End of the World’ by Stuart Turton

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths

Q&A: ‘Pupil’, ‘iris’, ‘retina’… – exploring the eye

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

Laura Holloway turned her idea into a published picture book

Although she had lots of ideas, Laura knew she needed knowledge and structure if she wanted to see any of her stories in print one day. She enrolled in Writing Picture Books and Reinvent Yourself and began to take her writing more seriously.

Writing Podcast Episode 596: Carrie Sun on her memoir ‘Private Equity’

Meet Carrie Sun, whose memoir Private Equity explores her journey from a high-paced finance role to embracing a writing career. Carrie discusses her writing process, the

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Anna O’ by Matthew Blake

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Anna O by Matthew Blake. Anna O is a compelling and unsettling crime story that will have

Q&A: ‘On accident’ vs ‘by accident’

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: March 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to March’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we revisit what sparked your collective creativity this month and celebrate our favourites. Here were the

AWC graduate Natalie Murray’s path from journalist to successful romance author

The moment journalist Natalie Murray started writing short romance stories, she fell in love! Having discovered her new passion for writing fiction, Natalie decided to write a novel – but first she needed to learn the basics.

Writing Podcast Episode 595: Jodi Gibson on the world of indie publishing and her latest novel ‘Reinventing Emily Brown’

Is indie publishing right for you? Discover the intricacies of indie publishing with author Jodi Gibson. Delve into Jodi’s journey across traditional and independent publishing

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘End of Story’ by A.J. Finn

This week, we’re giving away three copies of End of Story by A.J. Finn, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the global phenomenon

Inda Ahmad Zahri achieves her childhood dream to become a published author

“I’ve wanted to be a published author since I was a little girl with my nose stuck in a book for most of the day (and night!). Writing was always an outlet for me,” Inda says.

Writing Podcast Episode 600: Meet Inda Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books.

Meet Indah Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books including her latest How To Measure The Ocean. Indah, a doctor turned picture book author, delves into her career transition, the inspiration behind her books, and her advocacy work. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify,

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The North Wind’ by Alexandra Warwick

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick, author of the Four Winds series. The North Wind is a captivating standalone fantasy romance, featuring an enemies-to-lovers narrative with a slow-burn element. Infused with elements of Greek mythology and reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast

Q&A: The origin of ‘glitch’, ‘shemozzle’ and more…

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, a glitch in the Matrix…

Furious Fiction: April 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to April’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we bring you the answers to the questions we asked of our collective community this month. The creative prompts were: Each story’s first sentence had to be a question. Each story had to include something being pulled. Each story had to

Deborah Pike masters her storytelling skills in her novel ‘The Players’

Writing Podcast Episode 599: Becky Holmes on her memoir ‘Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You’

Introducing Story Seeds! A month’s worth of writing prompts that you get for free. Find out how to get Story Seeds for May. The episode features Becky Holmes, author of Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You, a memoir and exploration into online romance scams. Becky shares her journey

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Joy Moody is Out of Time’ by Kerryn Mayne

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Joy Moody is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne, author of Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder. We’re so proud of Kerryn’s success as she’s an alumna of Australian Writers’ Centre. You can also meet her on episode 527 our podcast. Here’s

Q&A: ‘AC/DC’, ‘Led Zep’, ‘Bee Gees’ – the origin of classic band names

Writing Podcast Episode 598: Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile.

Meet Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile press, as well as a former creative director at Larrikin House. Mary shares her journey from aspiring writer to influential figure in the children’s book industry, highlighting the challenges and rewards of publishing picture books. She discusses the

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Murder Inn’ by Candice Fox and James Patterson

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox, co-authors of the Detective Harriet Blue series. James Patterson is an award-winning author who has also co-authored bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton. Candice Fox is an accomplished crime fiction author

Copywriting Podcast Episode 070: Discover the top AI tools all copywriters need to know about

Greg Baker knows more than most about AI and where it’s headed. As an AI futurist and lecturer in Computational Linguistics at Macquarie University, Greg educates students on the intricacies of Artificial Intelligence for Text and Vision, and blends his theoretical insights with practical applications. He helps the C-suite understand

Q&A: ‘Weary’ vs ‘wary’

Larissa Ferenchuk’s dream of becoming a picture book author comes true

Writing Podcast Episode 597: Kell Woods on her novel ‘After The Forest’.

Meet author Kell Woods, who discusses her approach to writing, her novel After the Forest, a sequel to Hansel and Gretel, and the blend of history and fantasy in her work. Kell shares insights on the research and discipline required to weave together historical accuracy and compelling storytelling. You can

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Last Murder at the End of the World’ by Stuart Turton

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. The story transports you into an enthralling mystery set amidst a post-apocalyptic society. On an island, the quest for survival rests on

Q&A: ‘Pupil’, ‘iris’, ‘retina’… – exploring the eye

Laura Holloway turned her idea into a published picture book

Writing Podcast Episode 596: Carrie Sun on her memoir ‘Private Equity’

Meet Carrie Sun, whose memoir Private Equity explores her journey from a high-paced finance role to embracing a writing career. Carrie discusses her writing process, the challenges of memoir writing, and the transformation she underwent during her time in the finance industry. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Anna O’ by Matthew Blake

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Anna O by Matthew Blake. Anna O is a compelling and unsettling crime story that will have you hooked until the wee hours of the morning. Here’s the blurb: Joining the ranks of Gillian Flynn, A. J. Finn, and Alex Michaelides, Matthew

Q&A: ‘On accident’ vs ‘by accident’

Furious Fiction: March 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to March’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we revisit what sparked your collective creativity this month and celebrate our favourites. Here were the criteria/prompts that we asked for in March: Each story had to include a character who revisits something. Each story had to include the same colour

AWC graduate Natalie Murray’s path from journalist to successful romance author

Writing Podcast Episode 595: Jodi Gibson on the world of indie publishing and her latest novel ‘Reinventing Emily Brown’

Is indie publishing right for you? Discover the intricacies of indie publishing with author Jodi Gibson. Delve into Jodi’s journey across traditional and independent publishing avenues for her novels. She highlights the distinct processes involved in each. Jodi shares valuable tips for indie authors, ranging from understanding why you want

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘End of Story’ by A.J. Finn

This week, we’re giving away three copies of End of Story by A.J. Finn, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the global phenomenon The Woman in the Window, which was published in more than forty languages and is the basis for the hit film starring Amy Adams. End

Browse posts by category

Courses starting soon