blog – Australian Writers' Centre

AWC graduate Anna Johnston scores a two-book deal

Anna Johnston started telling stories at a young age, writing plays and short films for her parents as a child. But she left her storytelling passion behind when she went into healthcare and started her family. A course at the Australian Writers’ Centre changed that, reigniting her love of creative writing, and Anna is now celebrating the publication of her debut novel The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, in a two-book deal with Penguin Random House.

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.

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

Bec Nanayakkara is a published picture book author

Congratulations to Australian Writers’ Centre(AWC) graduate Bec Nanayakkara whose debut picture book Grow Big, Little Seed has been published by Hardie Grant. Her second picture book The Book Star is out in June published by Affirm Press. It’s based on an idea she workshopped in our Writing Picture Books course with tutor Zanni Louise just a year ago!

Writing Podcast Episode 609: Hachette’s Vanessa Radnidge on why you should enter the Richell Prize.

In this special time-sensitive episode of ‘So You Want to be a Writer,’ Valerie Khoo discusses the prestigious Richell Prize with Vanessa Radnidge, Head of

Q&A: What does “apropos of nothing” mean?

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: June 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to June’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we celebrate flash fiction creativity and the power of storytelling. The creative prompts for this month

Writing Podcast Episode 608: Meet Michael Brissenden who chats about his novel ‘Smoke’

Meet Michael Brissenden who chats about his latest novel Smoke. He discusses his research process, where he gets his ideas, how he uses a whiteboard

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Death in the Air’ by Ram Murali

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Death in the Air by Ram Murali. Ram Murali’s debut novel is a gripping locked-room mystery, blending

Q&A: Pay ‘through the nose’ + ‘an arm and a leg’

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 607: Author Pamela Freeman and illustrator Liz Anelli on how they collaborated to create ‘Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree’

Meet author Pamela Freeman and illustrator Liz Anelli. They discuss their collaborative process in creating the picture book Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree.

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Bookshop Woman’ by Nanako Hanada

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada. The Bookshop Woman is a delightful and heartwarming memoir that intertwines

Copywriting Podcast Episode 072: Secrets of entrepreneurship from top business leaders with Bernadette Schwerdt

I’m the author, ghostwriter and coauthor of 7 books about entrepreneurship. I’ve interviewed some of the biggest names in business. Ruslan Kogan from Kogan. Gabby

Q&A: Raisins vs sultanas vs currants

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

From soldier to storyteller: How M. Dane found his voice at the Australian Writers’ Centre

After a 17-year career in the army, M. Dane was facing a medical discharge. The dramatic change in lifestyle was a difficult period for Dane, and after some soul searching he decided to embark on a transformative journey to realise a long-held dream – becoming a successful author. This led him to the Australian Writers’ Centre.

Writing Podcast Episode 606: B.M. Carroll on her latest novel ‘One Of Us Is Missing’

Valerie interviews B.M. Carroll, whose latest thriller, One of Us Is Missing, revolves around a family dealing with a mysterious disappearance of one family member

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Blackwater’ by Jacqueline Ross

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Blackwater by Jacqueline Ross, author of The Third Room and Messy Business. An engaging narrative that intertwines

Q&A: Port, starboard, bow, stern… boating terms explained

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 Richard Pritchard became a successful children’s author

Having worked for years in the visual effects and animation industry, Richard Pritchard knew a lot about storytelling. But when he wanted to write a middle grade novel, he felt that he needed solid guidance, so he turned to the Australian Writers’ Centre.

Writing Podcast Episode 605: Amy Hutton on her novels ‘Love From Scratch’ and ‘Sit, Stay Love’.

Amy Hutton, author of Love From Scratch and Sit, Stay, Love. Amy discusses her journey from TV producer to successful romance novelist, the importance of

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Silence Factory’ by Bridget Collins

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins, the international bestselling author of The Binding and The Betrayals. The

What I learnt about murder

By Andrea Barton, author of The Godfather of Dance Andrea Barton’s novel, The Godfather of Dance, dives into murder, dance and family secrets. Journalist Jade

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 rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, taught-ology… Q: Hi AWC, what’s

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

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

Bec Nanayakkara is a published picture book author

Writing Podcast Episode 609: Hachette’s Vanessa Radnidge on why you should enter the Richell Prize.

In this special time-sensitive episode of ‘So You Want to be a Writer,’ Valerie Khoo discusses the prestigious Richell Prize with Vanessa Radnidge, Head of Narrative Nonfiction and Literary at Hachette. The episode dives into the details and benefits of entering this unique prize, which offers a $10,000 reward and

Q&A: What does “apropos of nothing” mean?

Furious Fiction: June 2024 Story Showcase

Welcome to June’s Furious Fiction story showcase – where we celebrate flash fiction creativity and the power of storytelling. The creative prompts for this month were: Each story had to strongly feature a relationship between TWO characters. Each story had to include someone whispering. Each story had to include the

AWC graduate Anna Johnston scores a two-book deal

Writing Podcast Episode 608: Meet Michael Brissenden who chats about his novel ‘Smoke’

Meet Michael Brissenden who chats about his latest novel Smoke. He discusses his research process, where he gets his ideas, how he uses a whiteboard in his writing process and transition from journalism to fiction writing. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Death in the Air’ by Ram Murali

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Death in the Air by Ram Murali. Ram Murali’s debut novel is a gripping locked-room mystery, blending high society intrigue with sharp wit. Here’s the blurb: Ro Krishna is the American son of Indian parents, educated at the finest institutions, equally at

Q&A: Pay ‘through the nose’ + ‘an arm and a leg’

Writing Podcast Episode 607: Author Pamela Freeman and illustrator Liz Anelli on how they collaborated to create ‘Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree’

Meet author Pamela Freeman and illustrator Liz Anelli. They discuss their collaborative process in creating the picture book Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree. They talk about the research, writing, and illustration process, how they balance text and visuals, and the importance of accuracy in children’s non-fiction. You can

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Bookshop Woman’ by Nanako Hanada

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada. The Bookshop Woman is a delightful and heartwarming memoir that intertwines a bookseller’s journey of self-discovery and human connection through the lens of book recommendations, capturing the profound impact of literature on our lives. Here’s the

Copywriting Podcast Episode 072: Secrets of entrepreneurship from top business leaders with Bernadette Schwerdt

I’m the author, ghostwriter and coauthor of 7 books about entrepreneurship. I’ve interviewed some of the biggest names in business. Ruslan Kogan from Kogan. Gabby Leibovich from Catch of the Day. Jane Lu from Show Po. Naomi Simson from Red Balloon. Simon Griffiths from Who Gives a Crap. And many

Q&A: Raisins vs sultanas vs currants

From soldier to storyteller: How M. Dane found his voice at the Australian Writers’ Centre

Writing Podcast Episode 606: B.M. Carroll on her latest novel ‘One Of Us Is Missing’

Valerie interviews B.M. Carroll, whose latest thriller, One of Us Is Missing, revolves around a family dealing with a mysterious disappearance of one family member during a concert. The conversation also touches on B.M. Carroll’s writing process, character development, and the importance of feedback and rewriting. You can listen to

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Blackwater’ by Jacqueline Ross

This week, we’re giving away three copies of Blackwater by Jacqueline Ross, author of The Third Room and Messy Business. An engaging narrative that intertwines the present and the past, Blackwater is a gripping novel that will keep you up at night. Here’s the blurb: A baby will never be

Q&A: Port, starboard, bow, stern… boating terms explained

How Richard Pritchard became a successful children’s author

Writing Podcast Episode 605: Amy Hutton on her novels ‘Love From Scratch’ and ‘Sit, Stay Love’.

Amy Hutton, author of Love From Scratch and Sit, Stay, Love. Amy discusses her journey from TV producer to successful romance novelist, the importance of social media presence for authors, and practical tips for aspiring writers. Host Valerie Khoo also chats to author Nat Newman who shares her experience with

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Silence Factory’ by Bridget Collins

This week, we’re giving away three copies of The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins, the international bestselling author of The Binding and The Betrayals. The Silence Factory is a captivating gothic tale exploring themes of family, longing and corruption. Here’s the blurb: 1820: Sophia Ashmore-Percy reluctantly accompanies her husband James

What I learnt about murder

By Andrea Barton, author of The Godfather of Dance Andrea Barton’s novel, The Godfather of Dance, dives into murder, dance and family secrets. Journalist Jade is determined to write a career-defining article. Her dance instructor Anton wants to know who killed his fiancée. Anton’s life is set between the glamorous

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