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. Since then, she has gone on to publish four picture books, with more under contract. Her latest release is 100 School Days, out now with Affirm. She has also published The Truck Cat, The Sydney Harbour Fairy and Naturopolis.

Inspired to write

When creativity struck, Deborah was working as an advertising copywriter, so she already knew that writing was a practical skill she could learn. But she had never tackled a book or a work of fiction before. That’s why she turned to the Australian Writers' Centre.

“I was coming to the end of my maternity leave with my first child. My daughter was one of those babies who would only nap in a baby carrier while moving, so I spent months and months walking the streets of my neighbourhood with her snoring gently on my chest. It turns out there's something very meditative about walking without anywhere to get to – it stirs up so many ideas,” Deborah told us.

“I couldn't stop thinking about stories, many of them inspired by the piles of picture books we were reading every day. I realised this was my opportunity to actually do something about the need-to-write that I'd squashed inside myself for decades.

“I knew I needed some kind of instruction. In my day job – the one I was on maternity leave from – I was (and still am) an advertising copywriter, so I already had a very pragmatic approach to writing, borne of years of working on whichever brief I was allocated. I knew it's a craft you can hone, but I didn't know the first thing about writing a book. And I was looking for a course I could do from home, flexibly. So I started with Writing Picture Books.”

She was particularly drawn to the no-nonsense nature of AWC courses, which deliver detailed and actionable content.

“They're extremely practical. I've done a few other writing short courses, and often hit a point where I'm frustrated by the vagueness of the lessons – sometimes the whole thing feels like the introduction. I don't need broad strokes inspiration from a course, I need nuts and bolts! All the AWC courses I've done have delivered that,” she says.

A whole new world

Deborah says that that first course unlocked the floodgates of creativity for her.

“About 18 months after completing the course, using what I'd learned, I applied for and was awarded an Australian Society of Authors mentorship for a non-fiction picture book manuscript. It was a manuscript inspired, appropriately, by wandering the streets with my daughter, who was by then a toddler and fascinated by all the weeds, moss, ants, and lizards she could inspect at toddler-height.”

This manuscript eventually became her debut book Naturopolis.

“A year or so later, I submitted the same manuscript to a publisher's open submissions window, and then a few months later received a mysterious email from the publisher asking if we could talk on the phone. As soon as I answered, she said, ‘Congratulations, I'd like to publish your manuscript!' and I nearly fell over – only I didn't, because by that stage I had a second baby who, if I recall correctly, had just pooed all over my hands. Glamorous!,” Deborah recalls.

Naturopolis is beautifully illustrated by debut illustrator Ingrid Bartkowiak, and went on to be awarded by the Children's Book Council of Australia and elsewhere.

The start of a career as an author

“As soon as I got a little momentum with the mentorship and this first contract, it snowballed. I kept writing and submitting and joined critique groups full of staggeringly talented writers, and soon I had a second picture book under contract, The Sydney Harbour Fairy, which was published in 2023 by Affirm Press. I have two more picture books out this year, The Truck Cat and 100 School Days. And I have others under contract for release in the coming years,” she says.

The Truck Cat tells the story of Tinka, a cat who lives on a B-double truck with his human, Yacoub. But while Tinka and Yacoub live literally everywhere, home feels very far away, for both of them. Then when Tinka and Yacoub get separated on the highway, everything changes, and in finding their way back to each other, they discover something new about what home might mean. 

“It's a story about cats and humans, immigration and identity, and homes lost and found… and there's even a hint of a love story, too! It's illustrated by Danny Snell and published by Bright Light.”

100 School Days is a celebration of growth and learning, in a rhyming narrative that also incorporates elements of a counting book. 

“It's the first picture book in Australia about the ‘100 days of school' milestone that many primary schools celebrate in the first year of school,” Deborah says. “It's fun and heartfelt and I think it encapsulates the joy and drama of the first year of primary school! It's illustrated by Laura Stitzel and published by Affirm Press.”

Deborah continues her work as an advertising copywriter while fitting her creative writing into evenings and weekends. And while she is bubbling with ideas for older readers and writing short stories, picture books are her main focus for now. Her adventures with her three-year-old provide ongoing inspiration.

“That's the benefit of living with your target audience – it's constant market research!”

Deborah’s writing process

Fitting writing in around her work and family means she has to be flexible.

“My writing process is very fluid and often happens on-the-go – it normally involves me stabbing single-sentence thoughts into my Notes app, or emailing myself a couple of words before I forget them! Ideas find me and I find that if I can't stop thinking about something, it's probably a good idea that's worth pursuing.

“Once I get to the laptop, I generally write a picture book manuscript in a single sitting, and then edit it furiously over a longer period of time.”

One surprising aspect of creating picture books that Deborah loves is working with an illustrator and an editor.

“I love the collaboration of it, and how other minds make your words far, far better than they ever could have been in your little Word document! I also love the visual thinking required, which is its own language, and it’s one I'm slowly learning, book by book.”

As Deborah continues to pursue success with her picture books, she is thankful for those first steps she took with her newborn – and the AWC.

“Do a course! There's nothing to lose,” she says. “You hear a lot about how fiendishly difficult it is to get a publishing contract, so I'd tucked away any hope I had of that happening. But it happens! Persistence pays off, and so does owning your goals and dreams.”

Courses completed at AWC:

• Writing Picture Books
• SEO Copywriting
• Writing Children's Novels
• Presenting to Kids

“I’d always wanted to write fiction and have my own novels published… When Allen & Unwin made an offer, I was home alone in my study and I literally jumped for joy! It was so validating to have others believing in your story.”

When she took her first course at the Australian Writers' Centre, Petronella had had success in professional writing and ghost writing, but her dream to become a published fiction author was getting lost in the business of everyday life.

“I work from a home office as a professional writer and editor… I was writing a manuscript in my ‘spare time’ but it was hard to find ‘spare time’ with the juggle of work and children in primary school. The necessities of everyday life had overtaken my writing routine. I felt that doing a course, face-to-face, would help me to carve out the time I needed for writing my novel and prioritising it once again.

“The first course I did at AWC was Crime and Thriller Writing with L.A. Larkin. My aim was to write a psychological thriller so I wanted to find out more about how to create tension, set up suspense and drive the action.”

After that short course, Petronella enrolled in Write Your Novel: 6-month program with Pamela Freeman. “I signed up to the Write Your Novel: 6-month program to kick-start my novel… We had deadlines for chapters, we had deadlines to workshop and give feedback and it really helped give you the support to write a really long piece of work. When you sit down to look at writing a novel of 100,000 words, it’s a large task and the classes really supported me all the way through that process.

“The six-month course created the space for me to focus on writing. I could say to my kids, ‘I have to do my homework’ and they understood that! It showed my commitment to my writing and, I guess, validated it in a way.

“The workshopping process and editing was particularly useful, in terms of looking at a novel as a whole. That always feels daunting but reading other people’s manuscripts and having feedback on your own provided different perspectives on how the story was working.”

Petronella McGovern
Graduate of Australian Writers' Centre, author of “Six Minutes”

Petronella finished her first draft of Six Minutes during Write Your Novel and continued to work on several drafts after that. “Getting published often takes time and involves setbacks, so being resilient, persevering and being prepared to re-write are essential skills for authors.”

Keeping on track
While working through drafts of Six Minutes, Petronella continued to learn. “I did the online course, Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder, which was fascinating… As a result of that course, I decided I needed to do more research into my police character. I had interviewed a few police officers in Canberra and I decided I needed to get a bit more detailed information, so I managed to find two more police officers who generously gave me a lot of time and information about their career. 

“When life was again overtaking my writing routine, I signed on to the online course, Make Time to Write. It gave plenty of motivation and inspiration to get me back on track. As part of that, I had the bonus 30-day Writing Bootcamp. It emails a reminder task every day. I really like the ‘write 500 words in 30 minutes’ exercise. So often when I’m writing, I start researching online and fall down a rabbit hole! Setting a timer to write for 30 minutes, with no other distractions, is good discipline and gets the words on the page.”

Petronella also had the help and support of four friends from her Write Your Novel course. “When we finished the Write your Novel course, five of us continued to meet… Pamela Freeman encourages students to create a writing community and I think this is really important when writing is such a solitary undertaking.

“We still meet up, support each other and give feedback on our writing. We all write in different styles and in different genres and I think that helps us in critiquing each other. I was so appreciative of their feedback on Six Minutes – in particular, they helped me to sort out some plot issues and make it a better book.”

Within Petronella's writers group, Margaret Morgan published her novel The Second Cure in 2018 and Frances Chapman‘s YA novel Stars Like Us was released in 2020. Katy Pike and Catherine Hanrahan are working on fascinating novels which Petronella is confident will also be successful.

The road to publication
When Petronella felt her first manuscript was ready, she sent it out to a number of publishers, but she wasn’t successful right away. “One publisher had just commissioned a book with similar themes but she thought it was good and encouraged me to keep sending it out. Others said the writing was great but it was the wrong story for them at this time.”

She decided to do one more edit, changing the first chapter and the climax. “At this point, I sent it to Brian Cook of The Authors’ Agent, who stayed up half the night reading the manuscript because he couldn’t put it down. He emailed it out to a number of interested publishers.” Allen & Unwin got in touch with their offer not long after.

“It has been fabulous working with Allen & Unwin and to have a whole team who care so passionately about the book. Across the publishing process – editing, final proofreading, marketing and publicity – everyone has been great to work with and very enthusiastic about Six Minutes.”

Petronella released her second novel, The Good Teacher, in 2020. She still has her professional writing and editing work but has wound it back slightly so she has more time for her creative writing.

“If it wasn’t for the Australian Writers' Centre it would have taken me a lot longer to finish my first draft of Six Minutes, and a lot longer, I think, to get it published. I really enjoyed the feedback and the support that I got through the Australian Writers' Centre through the tutors and the other people in our class.

“Even though I came to AWC with strong writing experience, there was always more to learn and take away from each class.  

“The AWC courses are very practical and you’ll find lots of different aspects that you can apply directly to your own writing. The presenters are experienced authors who can share their advice on the industry. I liked the online courses for their ease of working at your own pace at home but the face-to-face courses provide a chance to meet other writers in person and create a writing community. The AWC courses give you both the practical skills and the motivation to make your creative writing a priority.”

Petronella’s advice to writers: I would say get started on a course as soon as you can.

Courses taken at AWC:
Crime and Thriller Writing
Write Your Novel
Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder
Make Time to Write / Creative Writing 30-day Bootcamp

“I don’t think I would be a published author without the AWC courses; they were the seed from which everything else grew. The fantastic lessons aside, recommendations for great books on writing, connections with other writers and news of publishing opportunities all came through the AWC,” Anna told us.

The start of a new chapter

Anna started toying with the idea of returning to her first passion during a stay at an Enid Blyton-like cottage in the English countryside. A friend recommended she try the Australian Writers' Centre, so Anna enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1, followed by Novel Writing Essentials.

“I’d been concerned about how my brain (which often feels like mashed banana) would hold up to further education after such a long time away from study, but I needn’t have been. The lessons in the AWC courses were incredibly clear and easy to follow. My tutor (Bernadette Foley) was sensational. She not only provided practical feedback but made me believe I had something worth writing, and her initial words of encouragement have stayed in my head to this day.”

Anna found the community aspect of the courses to be particularly beneficial. “The opportunity to be surrounded by other writers from all different walks of life and give and receive feedback on each other’s work was priceless. It gave us the skills and insight to critique and edit our own work as well as providing a good sense of how our writing was tracking rather than going it alone and just hoping for the best.”

Write about what you know

For her first manuscript, Anna drew on her experiences working in aged care. “Before having children, I was studying to become a doctor, yet ended up as a social support coordinator after following my heart into my grandfather’s nursing home after he was diagnosed with dementia.”

Anna feels privileged to have cared for residents with varying stages of dementia and to have provided support to their families, knowledge which she later passed on to the protagonist of her first novel. 

“Sadly, an injury and multiple surgeries left me unable to return to aged care, so I began to write about it, channelling my experience and love for older people onto the page.”

Her debut novel, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, is about a bizarre case of mistaken identity that gives a desperately lonely elderly man one last chance at being part of a family. He just has to hope that his poker face is in better nick than his prostate and that his lookalike is never found! It’s a life-affirming story about redemption, forgiveness, grief and finding family, coated thickly in Aussie humour.

“The idea for the novel began with the creation of my protagonist Fred, who not only shares my late grandfather’s name but also his delightful, selfless, and endearing nature. Pa was my best friend, whose gratitude, humour and kindness lit up any room he was in. People over eighty are often under or misrepresented in the arts, so I wanted to create not just an elderly character but an elderly hero who inspires hope and shows that worth, unlike eyesight, does not diminish with age. 

“Pa provided the perfect inspiration. He had countless strengths, but his poker face wasn’t one of them! He was so honest that he found it terribly difficult to even play a card game that required bluffing. Plot stems from conflict, so I contemplated what would happen if you placed such a man in a situation where he was desperate enough to deceive (if he believed he wasn’t hurting anyone). Doppelgängers and cases of mistaken identity have always fascinated me, and I began developing the idea of one man being able to redeem another man’s life, even after death. The story grew quickly from there.

“My experience in aged care provided the setting for the book and influenced its themes of grief, ageing, isolation and the power of identity, purpose, love, and connection. I was also greatly inspired by my grandparents’ beautiful marriage which breathed life into the novel. I often wonder what prompted multiple people to publish this story and I can only believe that their love somehow got into my keyboard and onto the page. The characters, plot and setting of the novel are all fictional. But the love? That’s entirely real.”

Building on her knowledge

Anna took the skills she learned in additional courses, including Fiction Essentials: Scenes, Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation and Fiction Essentials: Structure to polish her manuscript to the best of her ability before looking for a publisher. 

“I entered a couple of writing competitions to little avail and began preparing a query letter to submit to agents and publishers. However, my big break came when I decided to give Virtual Literary Speed Dating a go, as suggested by my AWC tutor. This is a unique and fabulous opportunity offered by the Australian Society of Authors in which you have three minutes to pitch your novel to a publisher or agent on Zoom. 

“I pitched to the lovely Bev Cousins at Penguin Random House, and she requested my full manuscript the following week. I began preparing myself for a ‘no’ with my Stephen King rejection nail and hammer at the ready – it’s a thing, google it!. But I never needed the nail because this was THE YES! And not for one book, but two. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have had this door open so quickly and don’t take it for granted that everything aligned that day.”

Anna celebrated the good news with spaghetti, seafood, dancing, tiramisu and champagne. “Not necessarily in that order!” Anna says. “It was a similar feeling to when the boy I really liked called me for the first time, which made me so happy that I screamed and jumped into the pool. I didn’t jump into the pool when I heard I was being published, but I did tell that same boy (who is now my husband) and we screamed and cried and jumped up and down along with our daughters and geriatric Italian Greyhound.”

Anna then secured herself an agent, and now has publishing deals with Harper Collins USA and Nemira Publishing Romania. 

“I’m also thrilled that the manuscript is now with a media rights agent in Los Angeles who is pitching to writers and producers for screen adaptation, which for me was always the ultimate aspiration from the minute I typed the first word. Not too long ago, I would have told myself I was dreaming. Now that my dreams and reality have begun to merge like the perfect gin and tonic, I’m starting to believe that anything is possible.”

A career as an author

Anna is working on the second book in her two-book deal, currently titled Ratbag. “It’s about a retired Michelin-star chef called Griff who now lives in a nursing home, widowed and depressed. He has created a death menu—a list of ways in which he could take his own life. He just has to choose which one…by Friday. There is no way his last meal is going to be the flavourless mush they serve at the home, so the night before he plans his demise, he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to cook himself his last meal, sparking a long-forgotten joy. 

“It’s a story about the power of food, purpose, family, and love. I drew inspiration for this from the delightful Maggie Beer who is doing great work with her foundation to improve food in nursing homes.”

And while the achievements keep rolling in, for Anna the most important thing is sharing her dream with her family.

“Showing my kids that dreams were possible was one of my proudest moments as a mum. Because of my physical health limitations, they had never seen me climb a mountain, until now. My youngest daughter has already planned her book week costume based on my debut – even though it’s not a kid’s book – and I get teary even thinking about that! They are both wonderful writers and I love sharing this passion with them.

“Because this book grew from such a personal family connection, I also felt delighted and proud that my grandparents’ love, which inspired everyone who met them, could be shared beyond their lifetime and geography. That’s the magic of books.”

A winning recipe

Anna has found the winning recipe, combining her love for her family, storytelling and aged care into stories that will resonate with readers. Her aim is to write uplifting and meaningful books that make the reader laugh and cry in equal measure and leave them seeing a little of the glitter in the world.

“I feel so incredibly grateful and in awe that this little story that began in my head has really meant something to people in the publishing industry and because of that it will have the opportunity to reach, and hopefully capture the hearts of, people on a global scale. It’s just mind-blowing. I hope that it’s not just an enjoyable read but that it might also be a tonic to people whose lives have been touched by ageing and loss.

“If you are even remotely curious about writing, enrolling in an Australian Writers' Centre course is the single best thing you can do, whether you are after a career change or just want to enjoy it as a hobby. It not only teaches you the craft of all kinds of writing – from novels to picture books to copywriting and grammar – but also offers very practical advice on getting published and invaluable insight into how the industry works.

“The courses also put you in touch with other aspiring authors, which helps to keep your writing momentum. Writing a book is a bit like trying to get fit – but with less sweat and more chocolate. In both pursuits, having accountability buddies gives you the highest chance of success. My origin story is not uncommon – so many authors I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to also began their journey to publication at the Australian Writers' Centre.”

Courses completed at AWC:

• Inside Publishing
• Your Author Website
• Fiction Essentials: Scenes
• Plotting and Planning
• Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation
• Fiction Essentials: Structure
• Novel Writing Essentials
• Creative Writing Stage 1

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.

Dane immediately felt the impact of the courses, which allowed him to focus on specific areas of improvement. In fact, he went on to do more than a dozen courses.

“I appreciated the variety of course formats, from self-paced modules to weekly sessions with an instructor and classmates, which was a fun experience. Engaging with my peers and taking part in critique exchanges was incredibly beneficial,” Dane says.

Dane has now gone on to find success as a self-published author, with his novel Born Upon a Curse gaining considerable attention on TikTok, attracting over 1150 applicants for the role of advanced reader.

“The courses at AWC are absolute game changers. They've elevated my skills in so many ways, and I wouldn't be where I am without them.”

Unlocking the power of feedback

One of the most impactful aspects of the courses was the invaluable feedback received from both instructors and classmates. 

“I'm a huge fan of the instructor feedback,” Dane told us. “Submitting my project and receiving their experienced input worked a treat in helping me understand strong and weak areas of my writing. I appreciated the time and effort they invested in each of my submissions. [The presenter] Tim Harris was a standout; I loved his breakdown of my Laugh Out Loud submission.”

Feedback from classmates also revealed blind spots in his writing. “Apparently, I can't get enough of similes. Now, being aware of this tendency, I've learned to rein in my similes like a shepherd herding sheep.”

He also found that the courses provided the structure and guidelines that he needed to write better and faster. 

“The number of lightbulb moments I experienced during my courses at AWC is unbelievable,” he says. “I now write a faster first draft that is significantly cleaner than any of my previous works. I spend less time pulling my hair out, frustrated and confused with writer's block, as I now have a solid understanding of story structure, character development, and effective plotting techniques. This allows me to write more books, which is my passion.”

He was also able to connect with other writers. “Since completing the courses, I've expanded my network, connecting with fellow authors, graduates like Reece Carter, and instructors such as Tim Harris. These connections have been invaluable.”

Born Upon a Curse: A dream realised

Dane's latest novel is Born Upon a Curse, a new adult paranormal romance.

“The story follows Alina Rose, a 19-year-old struggling to control her alter ego, Machina, when a night out reveals there's more to her split personality than she could have imagined: she's a demon, and her powers have just awakened. This leads her to Astaroth Academy, a prestigious institution in an alpine France-like setting, where she hopes to learn to control her powers and silence Machina once and for all.”

He was inspired by his love for the fantasy books that he read voraciously as a child.

“I wrote this story because I was obsessed with Hogwarts as a kid. I'd dream of attending so I could explore the secret passageways and eat all the food. In a way, Astaroth is Hogwarts for college-aged demons. Swap out broomsticks for beers, and you're close to experiencing the world I've created.”

Although a paranormal romance seems quite different from a soldier’s life, Dane was able to draw on his military experience in his writing.

“The army was such a huge part of my life for so long, it would be impossible for it not to rub off on my writing,” he acknowledges. “In Born Upon a Curse, some action scenes are directly inspired by my military experience, with the terminology and strategies reflecting my background.

“Additionally, I'm working on a middle-grade series where each book is a standalone in a unique location around the world. My goal is to introduce young readers to different customs, myths, and ways of life, encouraging them to explore the world with an open mind. My extensive travel with the army gave me an appreciation for the wider world, and I hope to pass that sense of wonder and curiosity on to my readers.”

A process that works

Dane kicks off all his stories by reading Save the Cat, a popular plotting book, and he did the same when starting Born Upon a Curse.

“Once I felt confident in my structure, I outlined each chapter by hand, filling an entire notebook – what I call my ‘draft 0.5'. I then wrote drafts 1 to 3 on my laptop in Scrivener and sent them to a list of beta readers for feedback. After reviewing their thoughts, I dove into another three drafts before sending the manuscript to my copy editor. That's when the real fun began. I turned to TikTok to find readers for my ARCs (Advance Reader Copies), offering my book in exchange for honest and fair reviews. This strategy helped me gather over 1150 advance readers, ensuring I had reviews ready on Amazon and Goodreads at launch. Now, it's all about promoting, promoting, promoting.”

Dane was initially hesitant to try out TikTok, but was encouraged by his girlfriend to use it to connect with other authors and bookish people. 

“I don't enjoy being the centre of attention, and recording myself for everyone to see was outside my comfort zone. But as I made more videos (including one terrible one with me dancing, which I later deleted), I became more comfortable, and now I can't imagine life without it. The bookish community of TikTok is phenomenal – they're incredibly supportive and friendly, and I've made some fantastic friends there. Plus, TikTok is a hotspot for books going viral, and I'm hopeful that one day, one of my stories will join the ranks of TikTok-famous books.”

He aims to post at least five times a week, but ramped up his activity during his book launch.

“I make it a point to respond to every comment because if people take the time to engage with my posts, I want them to know I appreciate it. I try to be as authentic as possible because I believe people can sense when something isn't genuine. My content varies from me talking to the camera about various topics, showcasing my books, to sharing snippets of my life, like my writing retreat in England last year. This mix helps keep my feed engaging.

“Through TikTok, I've found my beta readers, ARC readers, and customers. It's been significant in building my audience. I've also created a mailing list to keep people informed about upcoming books, which is invaluable. Plus, I've gained a lot of insights from the community, taking their feedback on what works and what doesn't, and making sure to incorporate those points in future books.”

A resounding recommendation

As well as his new-adult novel, Dane has published a picture book called Beyond the Clouds, which he illustrated himself.

“I’ve also worked on another picture book titled Dino Masters, which I authored and illustrated. These projects wouldn’t have seen the light of day without the skills and confidence I gained from the Australian Writers' Centre.

“The instructors are fantastic, and the courses are broken down into easy-to-follow chunks. Take a look through their course library and pick ones you think will benefit you the most. The value for money is unmatched. Trust me, if these courses weren't top-notch, I wouldn't have completed 16 of them.

“Writing has become a central part of my life, and I'm very pleased to say I dreamed and hoped it would happen. I worked hard and gave up a lot to make time for my writing. So, yes, I dreamed and I hoped, and I'm still pinching myself that it actually happened. The Australian Writers' Centre has been an indispensable part of that journey, and I can't recommend it enough to aspiring writers.”

Courses completed at AWC:

• Writing Picture Books
• Laugh Out Loud
• Fiction Essentials: Scenes
• Cut, Shape, Polish
• Romance Writing
• Short Story Essentials
• Fiction Essentials: Characters
• Writing Chapter Books
• Inside Publishing
• Pitch Your Novel: How to attract agents and publishers
• Writing Picture Books Masterclass
• Novel Writing Essentials
• Fiction Essentials: Dialogue
• Your Author Website
• Your Audiobook Advantage
• Book Covers That Sell

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.

“Since I worked in the film industry I knew my peers would be looking at my storytelling so it needed it to be the best it could be,” Richard told us. “I had no experience writing for children or the novel writing process and format. The courses I took are the best for any new writer wanting to know how to bring their stories to life.”

After completing six courses at the Australian Writers' Centre, Richard landed a contract with Allen & Unwin for his first middle grade novel Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 along with co-creator Jordan Gould followed by the second book in the series Custodians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 2. The third book, Protectors: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 3, is out now.

“I worked in the film industry for 15 years on other people's ideas and stories. I'd been writing my own screenplays but being a published author is a real dream come true.”

Since moving to Australia from New Zealand, and being of Samoan heritage, Richard had wanted to work with Aboriginal people and culture to increase their representation in mainstream media.

“In 2018 I had an idea to create an Aboriginal female warrior. I teamed up with a young Aboriginal man [co-writer Jordan Gould] and we developed my idea into Wylah the Koorie warrior,” Richard says.

Gaining permission and blessing from elders

Richard sought and received the blessing of two local elders to pursue his story, and he and Jordan set to work creating Wylah.

“At first, I expected Jordan to write half and I would write half. But Jordan has autism which makes it very difficult for him to write in long form structure. However, my experience in the film industry taught me that not all screenplays are written; many of them are storyboarded and then written later. Sometimes directors talk about the story and they hire other people to write it.

“I know from my own Samoan culture that our stories were verbally transferred and that's the same as writing. So Jordan and I developed a process of discussions over Zoom meetings. I would set up the story structure and character arcs and we would talk about every aspect of the book. Then I would distill it into a plot and then write the entire book. Jordan would read the book and give me notes especially if it contained issues with Aboriginal culture.”

Richard had learned from the Writing Children's Novels course that he needed to adjust his writing style for this age group.

“Most of my screenplays were for young adults and contained very deep and serious themes. Writing for children from ages 8 to 12 required my writing style to change and become more hopeful, fun and adventurous,” Richard says. “The courses helped me understand that writing for young children means you have to also consider the parents’ point of view. You can't just write anything for children; it needs to be age appropriate and have themes that matter to children and not your own interests.”

When they had written 40,000 words, Richard and Jordan took the unusual step of starting a kickstarter to help Wylah get published. That caught the attention of several publishers and eventually led to their two-book deal with Allen & Unwin imprint Albert Street Books.

“Some of my professional friends were urging me to go self-published and this would have been easy for me with my background. But the goal is to promote Aboriginal culture to the widest possible mainstream media. So to do that we wanted the best publisher that we felt had the best home for Wylah.”

The start of a successful series

Richard and Jordan’s first Wylah book, Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1, is set 40,000 years ago, and is about a young Aboriginal girl called Wylah who must go on a quest to unite the five Guardians and save her tribe from an invading dragon army. The second book, Custodians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 2, follows Wylah as she learns what it takes to become the Koorie warrior. In Protectors:Wylah the Koorie Warrior 3, Wylah faces new responsibilities and needs to protect her people.

Before starting on Wylah, Richard had been looking at writing courses when he came across the success story of a work colleague.

“I was searching for writing courses online and found AWC. While listening to one of the podcasts a promotional advert came up. It was a testimonial of a co-worker of mine, Astrid Scholte. We had worked together on Happy Feet 2 and I was so excited to see that she had written a number of books. From that I decided to take the courses,” Richard told us.

He thrived in the online format, enrolling in several courses, including Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers, Writing Children's Novels, Fiction Essentials: Point of View, Laugh Out Loud, Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation and Fiction Essentials: Characters.

“The content of the courses was fantastic and the methods and topics covered were very insightful. I hadn't landed a publisher or an agent so I was really wanting to fill myself up with everything from the writing process to the business side of things.

“Having the courses in an audio format meant I could listen to the course over and over again while at the gym or working. I would just let all the principles sink in and listen on repeat. Also having the feedback and other students comment on my ideas was a great way to gauge what level I was at and if I was on the right track. Getting feedback from the tutor was fantastic especially when you only have a concept idea and you have no idea if it's going to work.

“Every course was fantastic and gave me a solid foundation that is similar to but very different from screenwriting.”

Courses completed at AWC:
Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers
Writing Children's Novels
Fiction Essentials: Point of View
Laugh Out Loud
Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation
Fiction Essentials: Characters

“I decided if I was going to follow my heart and give professional writing a shot, I should just go for it. Admittedly the next step seems a bit extreme. I sold my unit, quit my job and moved back into the family home. I knew if I was going to do it — try to write full-time — I had to commit, or it would fall away when I got too busy as it had in the past,” Amy told us.

After making such a decisive move, Amy knew she had to learn the craft of writing if she were to succeed. She liked the variety of courses on offer at the Australian Writers' Centre and she jumped in, learning the essentials of Fiction and Grammar, Plotting and Planning and how to Pitch Your Novel.

Fast forward a few years and Amy is now a published author, with her debut novel Sit, Stay, Love released in 2023 and the follow up Love From Scratch released in June 2024, both published by Simon & Schuster.

“To be honest, I still can’t believe it happened and keeps happening!”

A new beginning

When she quit her television career, Amy’s original plan had been to write freelance articles to support herself while she wrote fiction. She enrolled in Content Writing, which was the first time she had studied for years. 

“The more I learned, the more I realised I needed to learn, so taking courses just naturally became part of my development,” Amy says.

She next dove into the AWC’s fiction courses.

“The courses I chose to do were accessible and varied. There were some that were run online in a group situation over Zoom, and I loved those. I loved having the opportunity to discuss what we were learning, listen to others’ ideas and be inspired by them. Then there were the ‘at your own pace’ courses, which were fantastic because I could just jump into the study whenever I had the time. The courses on offer are varied, with fantastic materials and coaches,” Amy says.

Having previously worked in a creative environment, Amy knew she had to put herself out there and not be deterred by rejection. She had a few stories published in the Romance Writers of Australia anthologies, which kept her buoyed. And then came the call from Simon & Schuster.

“I was just starting the process of indie publishing my first manuscript, a paranormal rom-com/cosy mystery called Haunted Hearts,” Amy recalls. “I had pitched Sit, Stay, Love to Cassandra Di Bello of Simon & Schuster at the 2022 Romance Writers of Australia conference. About a week or so after the conference I received an email from Cass requesting a full manuscript.”

During the call, Cassandra offered Amy a contract. She immediately put her indie publishing plans on hold and threw herself into the process of editing and working with the publisher to make her manuscript the best it could be. And a few months later, she secured another contract for her second book, Love From Scratch.

More than puppy love

Amy’s first novel, Sit, Stay Love, is a friends-to-lovers rom-com that revolves around Sera, who owns a pet shelter, her bestie and local vet Toby, and Ethan James, a famous actor with a terrible fear of dogs.

“I think the story came from my love and experience with my own rescue dogs, Harry and Buffy, who both star in Sit, Stay, Love. I’m passionate about animal rescue and it was important to me that it wasn’t just the human characters in my story who found their happy-ever-after, but that the shelter animals did as well. I also wanted to write something local to the area I grew up in as well as an Australian story. I think it’s important to have stories in Australian voices, especially in the romance genre which is heavily populated with American voices,” Amy says.

Her follow-up novel, Love From Scratch, also features rescue animals.

“The cat may be based on my cat. Okay, he totally is,” Amy says. “He wasn’t the nicest of cats, but he was still pretty great, and he really made for a great three-dimensional animal character. Love from Scratch is an opposites-attract rom-com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who minds his beloved dog, and the cat that steals his heart.”

Amy treats her writing as a fulltime job, and she now has a slew of publications and awards to her name. 

“I go into my office in the morning and ideally will try to get about six-hours of work in – though that is sometimes peppered with social media commitments and other various aspects of the modern author life. I call myself a ‘plantser’ a hybrid pantser/plotter author. I start my story by the seat of my pants – a pantser – until at some stage, usually around 30k words, I step away and break the story and give myself at least a little bit of a plan to follow. I have a whole lot of story ideas floating around, some with titles and first pages written, some broken via a synopsis, some purely a two-line elevator pitch. I have no clue where any of the ideas come from. I think that’s why I pants the start of them, because they just download into me as I type.”

She’s currently editing her latest novel and writing the next one, and is then hoping to start on the second book in a different series. She’d also like to get Disneyland at some point. But her advice for other writers is simple:

“Do a vast array of courses. Learn everything. Don’t think being an author is just about writing a book, because it is so much more, and there is so much more to the craft of writing than you probably think there is. The more you learn, the better your writing will become, and the more you learn about all aspects of writing and the business of writing, the better you’ll be prepared for when you finally get that publishing deal call.”

Courses completed at AWC:

• History, Mystery and Magic
• Plotting and Planning
• Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation
• Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers
• Freelance Writing Stage 1
• Reinvent Yourself
• Content Writing

Sarah Speedie was a full-time stay-at-home mum and, when her children reached an age where she could carve out time for herself she chose to embark on a new journey – one that would reignite her passion for learning and storytelling. Sarah enrolled in the

“I was looking for a course that would suit someone who knew absolutely nothing about writing a picture book or the publishing industry,” she says. Sarah was also drawn to the flexibility of the online course. “Life gets busy, and I wanted to study at my own pace and at times that suited me.”

And life has become even busier for Sarah – she has now published three picture books with three more on the way! Her latest picture book is Boss Cat, out now with HarperCollins.

“The Writing Picture Books course and the Writing Picture Books Masterclass gave me the knowledge to be able to confidently write and submit manuscripts to publishers. Without that knowledge, I would not be where I am today.”

Gaining knowledge and skills

Sarah found the AWC course invaluable to kickstart her new career as a picture book author.

“For somebody who knew absolutely nothing about writing picture books or the publishing industry, I felt that all of the fundamentals covered in the Writing Picture Books course were extremely useful,” Sarah says. “It is very hard to pinpoint one part of that course as being the most useful because I found it all very important knowledge to have when starting out. I loved every minute of it.”

As well as giving her the knowledge and confidence to put her work out there, the AWC courses led to Sarah making some great friends along the way. 

“The courses led me to meet other aspiring authors, which in turn has led to some wonderful friendships,” Sarah told us. “Writing can be such a lonely pursuit, but I have made some amazing writing friends with whom I now share the journey. We celebrate the wins, commiserate over the losses, discuss and critique manuscripts, and support each other.”

Achieving the dream

As soon as she started her first course, Sarah dreamt of becoming a published author. 

“I was determined to work as hard as I could to make the dream become a reality. However, to be honest, initially, I didn't fully believe or imagine that it would actually happen.” 

She had her fair share of rejections, but reached a turning point when she was longlisted in the CBCA NSW Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program. 

“Although I didn’t win, having my work make the longlist meant that it had been noticed by people who knew the industry very well, and I finally allowed myself to believe and imagine that, one day, I would become a published author.” 

With her new self-confidence, Sarah kept honing her skills and pursuing her publishing dream. Her persistence paid off when she signed her first picture book contract with Larrikin House. 

“I will never forget the day I received the phone call from publisher, James Layton, telling me that he loved my manuscript and that he wanted to publish it. I was in complete shock!” 

The start of a new career

Her debut picture book, Mozzies Vs Flies, illustrated by Rebel Challenger, was released in November 2021 and went on to be shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2022. 

Sarah's second book, Meowster Chef, followed in June 2022. It was quite a different experience from writing her first book, as the publisher asked that she change the animals that were the focus of the story.

“Meowster Chef started life as a story about a cooking competition between the slugs and the snails in the garden (it had a very different title then too, of course!). When James Layton read the manuscript, he reached out to let me know that he loved the idea of a cooking competition, however he wasn't so keen on slugs and snails. He said that he would be interested in signing the story if I re-wrote it with different animals. So, I went away and re-wrote the story with cats and then Meowster Chef was signed! The illustrator of Meowster Chef is the hugely clever Marina Verola. She has really brought the action-packed story about a fast-paced cooking competition to life. Her illustrations are so dynamic!”

Her next picture book, Wild About Book Week, is also published by Larrikin House.

Building a new life

Sarah's world has changed dramatically since she began her writing journey. “Not only do I now have published picture books, but I have also started visiting schools, kindergartens, and libraries to read my books and run writing workshops as a published author,” Sarah says. 

She has presented at writers' festivals and is involved in educational programs. She has also signed with Beyond Words Literary Agency and runs workshops for the Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA). 

“My entire world has changed since I began my writing journey with the AWC.”

Latest achievements

Sarah's journey continues to blossom with new projects and publications on the horizon, including a non-fiction picture book for CSIRO Publishing and a picture book with New Frontier Publishing.

An interesting fact: all of Sarah’s picture books, both released and in production, have been written in rhyme – a style she absolutely adores.

Sarah's experience with the Australian Writers' Centre has been transformative, and she passionately recommends their courses to aspiring authors. 

“I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in becoming a picture book author to complete both the Writing Picture Books course and the Writing Picture Books Masterclass. I learnt so much about the fundamentals of how to write a picture book and the publishing industry in general through these courses. They are fantastic.”

Courses completed at AWC:

• Build Your Author Platform
• Writing Picture Books Masterclass
• Writing Picture Books

When Sandhya Parappukkaran quit her food technology job to pursue her creative dreams, she originally turned to arts and crafts. But while reading with her son, Sandhya’s childhood love of books was rekindled. The thought that she could be a writer herself suddenly popped into her head and she enrolled in the AWC’s WritingPicture Books course. Fast forward, her debut picture book The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name was published by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing. Her second picture book, Amma’s Sari, was released in 2022. Sandhya published her third picture book, Stay For Dinner, in 2023 and it won the Multicultural NSW Award as part of the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2024.

“Completing the course, combined with my tutor’s feedback on my stories, filled me with confidence. It was my springboard to jump further into the world of writing and start submitting stories with the aim of getting published,” Sandhya says.

Her sights set on the stars

Before enrolling at the Australian Writers' Centre, Sandhya had been blogging and Instagramming about picture books and crafting stories for her son. But despite this solid background in the world of children’s literature, she was reluctant to join a class.

“I was hesitant at first, thinking that the AWC was for writers and wondering if six months of blogging and bedtime stories made me a writer?” Sandhya says. “But then, with the urgency of being the same age as Voyager 1 and the burning desire to give it a go, I jumped straight in.”

What Sandhya found was a wealth of information, a supportive tutor, and deadlines to keep her on track.

“I knew nothing about the physical and narrative structure of picture books when I started,” she says. “I loved that the course covered not only important aspects of story structure but also delved into how to do your research on where your story fit and with which publishers. The experienced eye of an industry professional such as Zanni Louise on my work was exactly what I needed. I knew I was getting the perfect base to start writing stories for picture books.”

Catching her dream and running with it

Sandhya started to play around with the idea for The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name shortly after finishing the course. 

“Having the AWC notes handy when you’re writing a new story is awesome, and the handouts are excellent resources that you can refer back to,” she says. The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name is about a boy, Zimdalamashkermishkada, who desperately wants a shorter name when he starts school. Armed with the confidence the course had given her, Sandhya decided to pitch the story at the CYA conference.

“The story was an early draft when I took it to the conference,” Sandhya says. “I met Alyson O’Brien, Associate Publisher of the Bright Light Imprint at Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, at an in-person editor assessment. I went in nervous but full of hope. I was over the moon when she loved it and suggested I submit it after some reworking. I feel so lucky to have met Alyson; her encouragement and belief in me and my story was a vital factor in my success.”

Sandhya recalls the moment she found out that her book would be published.

“I was in our backyard taking down the laundry when I heard the phone ringing inside. I was expecting Alyson’s call because I knew my story was at their acquisitions meeting that week. So, I ran in and was thrilled to hear they wanted to publish it. I felt the exhilaration of reaching the summit of a gigantic mountain. I remember my hands shaking and just flopping down, overcome with relief and emotion. I also felt immense gratitude for everyone who cheered me on and helped me on my journey and for my own courage in catching a dream and running with it.”

Always finish what you start
While working on The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name, Sandhya continued to have ideas for more stories. 

“I’d develop those into rough drafts and shelve them in a drawer,” she says. Then one day, she heard a kernel of advice on the Australian Writers’ Centre’s Magic and Mayhem podcast that gave her the push she needed at the time.

“One of the authors on the podcast mentioned going back and finishing all the story ideas you started on. That was awesome advice, and I was motivated to do that.” 

Sandhya returned to one of her many ideas and finished it. She submitted the manuscript to the 2020 ASA/CA Award Mentorship program – and gained a spot!

“I was so lucky to work with the incredible Sue deGennaro, and my story Amma’s Sari is being published by our same Bright Light team in April 2022.”

It’s been a whirlwind ride for Sandhya, who initially channeled her creativity into sewing and embroidery before rediscovering her love of books. And while she is still looking forward to taking up embroidery again, she has her eye on a few more AWC creative writing courses first.

“I am so happy to be in the children’s literature industry. I’ve met so many amazing people and made friends who love books and reading. Prior to this I hadn’t met any adults who loved to read children’s books and wanted to chat about them! So, it really is my ultimate dream come true.”

Course taken at AWC:
Writing Picture Books

Ryan Abramowitz runs a successful art business and works in marketing part-time, but he realised he also wanted to learn the art and craft of writing children’s books. Although he writes a lot for work, he knew he needed training tailored to the magical world of picture books.

“I felt my writing abilities would greatly benefit from a learning that was specific to teaching the conventions and forms of the picture-book genre. I looked no further than the Australian Writers’ Centre,” Ryan told us.

Ryan completed the course Writing Picture Books, and then joined the Writing Picture Books Masterclass. He has now published his debut picture book, Elegy for an Elephant, a touching and important story that explores grief following loss through suicide, which he wrote and illustrated in consultation with mental health practitioners.

“The Writing Picture Books course shared elements that helped me to anticipate how I could bring harmony and synthesis between my art and writing,” Ryan says.

Elegy for Elephants has also been shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2024 in the Award for New Writing category.

The structure to tell his story

The assignments in the Writing Picture Books course gave Ryan the structure he needed to be able to start to tell his story.

“I had had so many nebulous thoughts and preliminary ideas for the words of Elegy for an Elephant. But at that stage, I was still fearful about taking the plunge and starting to write. With a few hours left until the assignment for Week 2 was due, and feeling the pressure build, I just started to write.

“It took the pressure and expectation off doing the manuscript itself. It brought me into movement and motion. Then the following assignment asked for another section of the manuscript, and within a few weeks I had gathered some foundations for the manuscript. In this way, the assignments were catalysts for the development of the bodies of the work themselves – in a less pressured and direct way than what can accompany the anxiety of writing the book itself.”

Ryan particularly enjoyed the “exquisite range” of picture books that the course introduced him to and where he could carve a unique place of his own.

“They showcased the breadth and textures of the picture book universe,” Ryan says. “The course was a wonderful first foray into the magical landscape of picture books, and made me even more excited to journey through its terrain.”

As an artist, Ryan also appreciated that the course welcomes writers who are also illustrators.

“Another thing I loved about the Writing Picture Books course was that every week had a bonus tutorial for illustrators. This was particularly helpful for people intending to dually author and illustrate because it expanded the scope of thinking and considerations to include the illustrator's perspective.”

A personal story

Ryan’s debut picture book Elegy for an Elephant comes from a deeply personal experience. Ryan’s father died by suicide, and he and his sisters struggled to come to terms with their father’s decision.

“Elegy for an Elephant is a story of three children seeking their father’s soul,” Ryan says. “As voices of the bereaved, in a nebulous space between the sea and the stars, the book considers the questions that those who have lost someone to suicide can find themselves haunted by. These can include ‘why did you leave me?’ or ‘could I have done anything differently?’. The textures of grief following loss through suicide can include shame, abandonment and guilt for what was and wasn’t done to have changed the outcome of someone taking their life.

“I realised that a picture book would be an accessible format to support those navigating grief and struggling with processing these complexities, for younger and older audiences alike.”

And while the book touches on suicide, its universal themes also explore grief and healing following the loss of loved ones. Given how difficult a subject this can be, Ryan was careful to consult with mental health and suicide support organisations.

“I engaged a wide variety of clinicians and organisations across the mental health community, whose varied feedback helped me to iterate and develop the manuscript into something that was non triggering and activating,” Ryan says. “I also wrote the manuscript in close collaboration and dialogue with many mental health care providers such as child psychologists, suicide bereavement researchers, grief counsellors, psychtherapists and various spiritual leaders.”

Ryan has a deep love of the natural world, so it made sense that his characters were represented as different animals.

“My mother and twin sisters both chose their animals (a lioness and birds, respectively) while I chose a whale because of my deep oceanic affinity and reverie for them. My father was a gentle giant, born in South Africa (as was my whole family). I imagined his soul as an elephant crossing the night sky.

“I feel that having a family comprising different animals can make the book relatable to a wider audience as we can see different qualities of ourselves reflected in different animals. Anthropomorphism is a wonderful way of transcending many of the biases human protagonists or characters may exude through their appearances or any other physical stereotype.”

Ryan continues to work part-time, as well as running his business illustrating Jewish wedding certificates, but has many more ideas for future picture books.

“My sketch diary is brimming with many concepts and drawings involving animal allegories and botanical motifs!” he says. Now that he has self-published his first book, he is excited to publish many more books that explore human nature through expressions of the natural world.

“I think one of the many wonderful things about the AWC is the dynamic variety of courses they have on offer. This probably reflects my own bias, but I would recommend the Writing Picture Books course because it’s the most wonderful foray into the magical world of picture books – what could be more lovely than the experience of reading and art woven together?”

You can find out more about Ryan on his website or follow him on Instagram.

Courses taken at AWC:

• Writing Picture Books
• Writing Picture Books Masterclass

“I enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1 when I was wrangling a full-time career as a GP, as well as a taxi service and personal assistant to two teenagers. I was in my mid-forties and like every busy parent, simply trying to get through to Friday without crashing. I did very little for myself and had few hobbies beyond reading and ironing.

“However, my life changed in a split second when I did the actual splits in the middle of a Ten Pin Bowling alley. To add to the considerable physical pain, was the humiliation of leaving the parent-student social night at my son’s new school in an ambulance.

“There was, however, a silver lining to lying flat on my back for six weeks after the surgical reattachment of my hamstrings, in the form of some valuable thinking time. I saw a message written in the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling fan. Not only was the universe telling me I should do more dusting, but that now was the perfect time to get round to all the things I’d been putting off in life, and writing for pleasure was at the top of the list.”

Joanna says she devoured the Creative Writing Stage 1 modules during her recuperation and never regretted signing up for that first course.

“Having completed Creative Writing Stage 1, I immediately enrolled in Stage 2 – Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques. By now I’d gained enough skill and confidence to write and submit a couple of short stories. I also began work on a novel around this time, which subsequently led me to the Novel Writing Essentials course with Pamela Freeman.”

Joanna Nell
Graduate of Australian Writers' Centre, author of Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year, The Tea Ladies of St Jude's Hospital, The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home and many more bestselling novels.

What did Joanna learn from AWC?

From the outset, Joanna says she felt as though Creative Writing Stage 1 was written just for her!

“The course was the absolute nuts and bolts approach I was looking for. I loved the logical step-by-step approach to the craft of writing. It sounds strange but although I’d been a voracious reader all my life, I’d never stopped to consider how a book was actually written, or even that it was divided into a series of scenes with a defined structure. It’s obvious now, but at the time I thought I’d discovered radium.

“The most useful part of that first course was also the most terrifying, and that was submitting a piece of writing for critique. Learning to give and receive feedback is fundamental to improving as a writer, and the way this was handled was both safe and encouraging.

“I also enjoyed meeting other aspiring writers, both online and in the case of the Novel Writing Essentials course, face-to-face. In fact, I’ve kept in touch with several other writers from Pamela’s course and we have continued to support each other on our individual writing journeys.”

Prior to enrolling Joanna says she hadn’t given much thought to how a book was produced or published, but learning more about the industry helped her to understand what publishers were looking for, which helped her to secure a contract.

“Not only have the courses given me the tools to write and publish my first novel but the AWC has also opened my eyes to the publishing industry in a wider sense.

“What’s more, that very first writing assignment, creating a character and a setting inspired not only my first shortlisted short story but also the protagonist and setting for what eventually became my debut novel.”

Joanna followed her dream

Before discovering the Australian Writers' Centre, Joanna says she’s had a recurring dream for as long as she can remember.

“I’d dreamt that I found a door in my house that led to an empty room, one I had never ventured into before. Night after night I would discover this new room and wonder why it wasn’t being used. All along I’d assumed the dream represented some subconscious desire for a bigger house since the one I was already living in was filling rapidly with teenagers and dogs, but it was only after I’d enrolled in Creative Writing Stage 1 that the dreams abruptly stopped, that I understood their significance.

“All my life I’d been ignoring my creativity, suppressing it beneath what I thought were more legitimate pursuits such as family and work. But denying creativity a suitable outlet is something I believe we do at our peril.

“Unleashing mine has led me in a completely new and exciting direction, and I’m a much more balanced and fulfilled person as a result.

“At 52 however, I like to think I’m taking the advice that is at the heart of The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village, which is:

“It’s never too late to live the life you’ve always dreamed of”.

Joanna signed a two-book deal with Hachette Australia and her second novel The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker (October 2019) draws on some of her adventures as a cruise ship doctor. Her third novel, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home, was published in October 2020, followed by The Tea Ladies of St Jude's Hospital in 2021 and Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year in 2023.

Joanna's advice to aspiring writers

“For anyone who’ll listen, I’d say:

‘The AWC courses are no-nonsense, enjoyable and value for money. Not only will they show you how to be a writer, they’ll help you to think like a writer, and then give you the confidence to call yourself one.'

“I’m living proof, along with the countless other AWC graduates who are following their dream.”

Congratulations Joanna, we are thrilled for you.

For more success stories see here!

Courses taken at AWC:
Creative Writing Stage 1
Advanced Fiction Writing Techniques
Novel Writing Essentials
Build Your Author Platform
Pitch Your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers