"I got published!": Vivienne Pearson

We love hearing from our students no matter what they have to say, but when we hear of a student being published, we just want to shout it from the rooftops! We’re a little scared of heights, so we’ll go with a blog post instead.

Vivienne says:

I finished Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 in early May. Since then, I’ve had 5 articles either published or accepted!

In The Australian, Travel Section, a Follow The Reader article titled ‘Pizza and an opera you couldn’t top‘.

In Essential Baby, a story called ‘10 signs your baby has become a toddler‘.

On The Road (‘Australia’s Best RV Touring Magazine’), an article commissioned about visiting Brunswick Heads. The article has been submitted and is likely to be published in August.

The Byron Shire Echo, The Good Life section (independent local newspaper), two articles commissioned about coffee in the region. To be published in the next two weeks.

I’m happy to leave lots of love because it is thanks to the AWC course that I have had these articles published!

The course was SPOT ON in every aspect – the content, presenters and delivery (I did it online, which was ideal). For me, there were two aspects that were particularly spot on. One of these was the words of experience from those who are doing what I hope to do. These words came from Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait, the tutor. These words gave me insight into the world of freelance writing so that I no longer feel like I’m working in the dark.

The other aspect that was spot on for me was the words of encouragement from Valerie. This encouragement was in every module of the course but particularly the last one. What could have become a ‘rah rah rally’ in someone else’s hands was an eloquent and sobering but encouraging send-off from the course into the world. I wrote down the words ‘Am I prepared to apply what I have learned and take action?’ and put this on top of all my notes and scribbles.

Just underneath this piece of paper was the sample pitch presented in the course, which I then essentially copied in order to send and pitch the articles that have now been accepted/published.

What more can I say? Much more! The idea of expanding my horizons in terms of possibly publications. For one of the assignments, I deliberately chose a magazine I thought I had no hope of writing for and have ended up getting published there! (I even had to look up what ‘RV’ stands for!). The magazine analysis template is gold.

The idea of ‘starting locally’ was also key and fortunately for me, coincided with my local paper seeking contributors (they have, however, been inundated with responses so it is still credit to me and the course that my pitches floated to the top).

And now, the Facebook page for course graduates is helping me feel supported, something I was worried would disappear with the end of the course. I found out about The Australian’s Follow The Reader section from this group.

Congratulations Vivienne! And I must admit, we’re blushing a little here with all that praise.
Wanna read what she wrote? Follow the links above.

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