Write Your Novel

Group workshopping and motivation to help you complete your manuscript the smart way.

This program is ideal for: Writers who have foundation skills and at least 20,000 words of a novel written

You will:
Workshop your way to a completed draft
Get regular motivation and guidance on your story
Target structural flaws and dialogue
Enhance your skills by critiquing other stories
Explore the steps to publication

The program runs over either:

  •  6 months OR
  • 12 months.

Both versions have the same content.

The 6-month program is ideal if you want to achieve your first draft sooner rather than later. The 12-month program suits those with a busy lifestyle. It runs at a slower pace – giving you more time for reading, writing and reflection.

“I learned that I am actually a good writer – the feedback I received was amazing and I’ll always be thankful that this was my starting point.”
– Courtney Gould, Write Your Novel graduate

See more reviews
WYN

Write Your Novel

Group workshopping and motivation to help you complete your manuscript the smart way.

This program is ideal for: Writers who have foundation skills and at least 20,000 words of a novel written

WYN

You will:
Workshop your way to a completed draft
Get regular motivation and guidance on your story
Target structural flaws and dialogue
Enhance your skills by critiquing other stories
Explore the steps to publication

The program runs over either:

  •  6 months OR
  • 12 months.

Both versions have the same content.

The 6-month program is ideal if you want to achieve your first draft sooner rather than later. The 12-month program suits those with a busy lifestyle. It runs at a slower pace – giving you more time for reading, writing and reflection.

“I learned that I am actually a good writer – the feedback I received was amazing and I’ll always be thankful that this was my starting point.”
– Courtney Gould, Write Your Novel graduate

See more reviews

Write Your Novel

Group workshopping and motivation to help you complete your manuscript the smart way.

WYN

This program is ideal for: Writers who have foundation skills and at least 20,000 words of a novel written

You will:
Workshop your way to a completed draft
Get regular motivation and guidance on your story
Target structural flaws and dialogue
Enhance your skills by critiquing other stories
Explore the steps to publication

The program runs over either:

  •  6 months OR
  • 12 months.

Both versions have the same content.

The 6-month program is ideal if you want to achieve your first draft sooner rather than later. The 12-month program suits those with a busy lifestyle. It runs at a slower pace – giving you more time for reading, writing and reflection.

“I learned that I am actually a good writer – the feedback I received was amazing and I’ll always be thankful that this was my starting point.”
– Courtney Gould, Write Your Novel graduate

See more reviews
Opens Duration With
Course details:
Online with tutor Learn from anywhere at your convenience.
Opens:
Thursday 12 January 2023
Start any time during the week
Duration:
12 months
Allow min. 4–5 hours per fortnight
With:
Cathie Tasker
$245
per month
APPLY NOW
Bookings close soon

Turn your novel into reality

You have the idea and foundation skills, you have the characters, and at least 20,000 words in the bag – now you’re ready to see your manuscript to completion. To do this, you need Write Your Novel – benefit from the valuable feedback of industry professionals and fellow writers, while also learning more about how to strengthen your story as it grows.

This advanced novel writing program is designed to help you take your novel to the next level. If you haven’t finished the first draft, you’ll receive the structure to complete it by the end of the program. If you have a first – or even a second or third – draft, the program will help you to look at it objectively and improve it significantly. You’ll learn how to identify any problems in your manuscript, ensure your structure is working and deepen your connection to your reader.

Enjoy the benefits of this online program

  • This program gives you access to your own online classroom, where you’ll be able to connect with other classmates and workshop your stories in a supportive environment – with people who share your passion!
  • Your class also has its own online tutor – on hand and online for any questions you may have and to provide personal feedback on your work. Our tutors are experienced experts with years of knowledge to draw on. They’re like your mentor throughout this program.
  • As well as the flexibility to write and workshop around your schedule, your program also includes regular Zoom sessions where you can connect in real-time with your classmates and enjoy live Q&As with your tutor.
  • This program has been designed to help you finish your first draft, providing the structure and discipline to make it happen within the timeframe. It’s also a great way to significantly improve a second or third draft – with many students completing the program multiple times to make the most of the format and workshopping it provides.
  • We’ll help you look at your words objectively, identify any problems and plot holes, sharpen key moments, strengthen your structure and deepen your connection to your reader.

Workshopping will include:

  • balancing your cast of characters and deepening the reader’s relationship to them
  • targeting structural flaws and getting rid of dead wood
  • writing dialogue which not only reads well but advances your plot and characterisation
  • writing climaxes – starting with the first page of your book!

Theory will include:

  • your role in the publishing process
  • your relationship to agents, editors and publishers
  • how ebooks are changing the nature of publishing
  • how to find the best agent or publisher for your work
  • how to professionally present and submit your work.

Reviews of Write Your Novel

“I learnt valuable writing tips and techniques, both from tutor Cathie Tasker and from my supportive course mates, through the workshopping element of the program. We now continue to read for each other post course. Highly recommend!”

– Natalie Livings

“After writing many years of very short texts, I was struggling to write this particular longer text. I was in ‘Ice age’ mode! This course got me out of it. While I was struggling, it was good to know I was not alone, especially with Cathie at the helm.”

– Tania Cox

“I enjoyed meeting other aspiring writers and learning about their stories and forming friendships and a writing tribe. It helped me form a writing routine that fit around my daily life and I loved how the audio lessons always demonstrated all writers are different.”

– Emma Georgeson

“The final manuscript assessments nearly made me cry simply because I realised my story had made an impact on someone else. People were gaining all sorts of insights and growth from some of my storylines and characters in ways I’d never even imagined.”

– Paul O’Doherty

Is this program right for me?

Write Your Novel is an advanced creative writing program. It assumes a solid knowledge of fiction techniques, workshopping experience and at least 20,000 words written. Many of our students have completed courses such as Creative Writing Stage 1, Writing Workout and Novel Writing Essentials and are now serious about publishing a novel or book-length memoir.

During the program, you will have scheduled opportunities to workshop your novel with your classmates and tutor, and to have your entire novel read and commented on by fellow participants. Your tutor will read and give feedback on your novel’s climax and resolution. You’ll also elevate your skills by regularly providing feedback on your classmates’ writing.

Do any of these sound like you?

  • You’ve written the first three chapters of your book during Novel Writing Essentials and you’d like to keep up the momentum. You crave guidance and accountability to complete the first draft.
  • You’ve been working on your novel off and on for two years and you’re now treading water. You’d love some expert opinions (that aren’t friends or family) and a real set of deadlines so that the process doesn’t keep dragging.
  • You’ve completed the first draft of your memoir, but know it can get better. You’re not really sure where to start attacking it though, so this program will force you to start killing those darlings and polish your second draft.
  • You’re working on a children’s series, and have completed two foundation AWC courses so far. You now would love to workshop your writing and learn more about what publishers are looking for.
  • You’ve completed the Write Your Novel program before and loved the discipline and structure. You’re now refining your third draft and would love to benefit from the support and feedback again to prepare your novel for publication.

This program is powerful and unique – there is no other novel-writing course like it in Australia. No matter what state your novel is in, this program will give you the motivation and discipline to take it to the next level.

We’re thrilled so many of our graduates have gone on to become published authors…

Margaret completed Write Your Novel

The best aspect of the program was learning how to critique and prepare a structural edit. By applying those skills to each other’s manuscripts, we learned how to use them to improve our own work.

– Margaret Morgan,
now a published author, whose debut novel ‘The Second Cure’ is in talks to become a TV series…

 

Petronella McGovern
Graduate of Australian Writers’ Centre, author of The Liars, Six Minutes and The Good Teacher

Sarah Clutton
Graduate of Australian Writers’ Centre, author of Good Little Liars and The Daughter’s Promise

Frances Chapman
Graduate of Australian Writers’ Centre, author of YA novel Stars Like Us

Meet the Presenters

Pamela Freeman is the award-winning author of more than 30 books. Her most recent book, published under the name of Pamela Hart, is The Charleston Scandal (2020), an exuberant story set amid the excesses of the Roaring Twenties. Her previous books include the World War I historical novels The Desert Nurse (2018), A Letter from Italy (2017), The War Bride (2016), and The Soldier’s Wife (2015) (all published by Hachette Australia). For children, her most recent publication is Amazing Australian Women – a non-fiction picture book about 12 women who shaped history (Hachette Australia 2018) and Fastest Ship in Space – a fantastic space adventure (Christmas Press 2018).

Cathie Tasker is a fiction editor with over 25 years’ experience. She has mentored many manuscripts to publication and is experienced at guiding and motivating writers to improve their work. Cathie has worked as an editor and publisher with HarperCollins, Scholastic Australia and Koala Books. She also worked as Marketing Manager for Koala Books and as a Book Club Editor at Scholastic Australia. In her career, Cathie has edited and commissioned nearly 800 books, many of which went on to become bestsellers and win awards.

Bernadette Foley is one of the most connected people in the publishing industry, working as an editor and publisher for over 30 years. She was publisher of fiction and non-fiction for international publishing house Hachette Australia for 10 years, working with such authors as Di Morrissey, William McInnes, Gabrielle Lord, Graeme Blundell, Kate Ceberano, Bronwyn Parry, Lian Hearn, Pamela Freeman, Troy Cassar-Daley and many more. In 2015, Bernadette received the George Robertson Award for Service to the Australian Publishing Industry.

Angela Slatter is the author of four novels, three novellas, and ten short story collections. Her latest publications are the gothic fairytale novel All the Murmuring Bones from Titan, and the mosaic collection The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales from Tartarus Press. Angela has a PhD in Creative Writing and has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar Award, two Australian Shadows Awards, and six Aurealis Awards. Her debut novel Vigil was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award in 2018. She is currently working on a new gothic novel, Morwood

The AWC creative writing pathway:

If your goal is to write a novel, AWC offers three stages of creative support and guidance to help you get there. Creative Writing Stage 1 kicks things off – giving you a solid understanding of how to build your story. In Novel Writing Essentials and Write Your Novel, you will workshop your actual manuscript and take it from its beginnings to completion.

How to write your novel with AWC​

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: I haven’t done a writing course before. Is this program for me?
A: This program is for writers who already have advanced fiction knowledge and at least 20,000 words written of a manuscript (see the creative path section above). We recommend our Creative Writing Stage 1 course as an excellent first course or refresher, while Novel Writing Essentials is an 8-week introduction to workshopping your work and refining your opening chapters.

Q: Does this program suit memoir writers?
A: Yes, although if your memoir is more emotional in nature, then we recommend having a first draft of your memoir completed prior to applying for Write Your Novel. This program allows you to then approach the material analytically through workshopping. For specific assistance initially, our Life Writing and Creative Non-fiction courses are excellent.

Q: I’ve completed Write Your Novel before. Can I do it again?
A: Of course! We have many students who choose to return due to the valuable workshopping process (difficult to replicate in the ‘real world’), especially those who are writing a new book. We also offer our Edit Your Novel program exclusively to those who have completed Write Your Novel and wish to refine their manuscript draft in a more experienced and supportive environment.

Q: How many people are in the program?
A: Due to the workshopping nature of the program and to ensure you receive adequate access to your tutor and value out of the program, we limit class sizes to a maximum of 16 students.

Q: How much time is needed each week?
A: This will depend on a few factors, including your reading and writing speed. But, as a rough guide, you’ll want to allow approximately 5-6 hours per week for the 6-month program or per fortnight for the 12-month version. Both structures allow you to fit the program around your schedule.

And no matter which program you choose, you’ll also enjoy live Zoom sessions with your classmates and tutor – a chance to ask your burning questions and connect with your writers’ circle. It’s a great blend of flexible learning and writing time, peppered with interactive sessions to keep you motivated.

Q: I’m writing books for children. Can I do this program?
A: Absolutely! In fact, you may use the program to complete a series of books. We have many students in the program who are writing middle grade novels or YA. (Note: The program is not suitable for picture books however – for this, you’ll want our Writing Picture Books foundation course and Masterclass.)

Q: Okay, I think I’m ready. How do I apply?
A: Fantastic! You’ll need to prepare a short bio and then provide a 1500-word writing sample (from your Work In Progress is fine) – as it’s important to ensure everyone is at a similar level to make workshopping worthwhile. The program tutor reviews all applications to ensure this program is going to best suit your goals.

By the end of this progam, you will have:

MOTIVATION:and discipline to take your novel to the next level, no matter what state it is in at the beginning of the program.
CONFIDENCE:in your writing abilities, in the quality of your manuscript and in your skills in structural editing.
DIRECTION:from your online tutor and classmates, through the valuable feedback process.
MOMENTUM:from the practical and theory components that deal with preparing your story for publication.

Enjoy exclusive access to our AWC Graduates’ Club

Want to know where all the cool kids hang out? The Graduates’ Club of course! Now, calm down – there are no cigars, leather armchairs or loud ticking grandfather clocks here. But it IS exclusive invitation only (on completion of a course) and it’s free! Meet other writers online and share successes, seek help or just get something off your chest. Many students believe this ‘legacy learning’ is one of the most valuable things about our AWC community, and who are we to argue? So if you want to receive feedback, support and a heads-up on opportunities … join the Club!

American editor Pat Walsh says: “The number one reason your book may never be published is that you haven’t written it.” Don’t let that be true of you… Apply today!

Opens Duration With
Course details:
Online with tutor Learn from anywhere at your convenience.
Opens:
Thursday 12 January 2023
Start any time during the week
Duration:
12 months
Allow min. 4–5 hours per fortnight
With:
Cathie Tasker
$245
per month
APPLY NOW
Bookings close soon
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